Story & photos By Patrick P. Tulfo
BMW and Mini owners have something to rejoice about, as Breyton wheels have officially landed in the country via Wheel Gallery, with no less then its founder Edmund Breyton gracing the ceremony, which was held at the humongous Wheel Gallery showroom in Greenhills, San Juan City.
In an interview later after the launch, the soft-spoken Breyton told this scribe that it was his first time in the country and that he didn’t see much, as he had to attend a lot of meetings upon arrival. That’s why he is returning to the country to explore it further.
When asked on his initial observations on the market for their product, he answered,“The Philippine market as I see has already a different demand. Every country is different, but the Philippines for me is the most different thing. They [buyers] are just looking for very small wheels, bigger wheels don’t do it for passenger cars. I think the reason is the street condition”.
He said their success hinges on the number of BMWs that will be sold in the country, and to simply explain that, he said, “If BMW is successful, then we’ll have success too, but if BMW fails, we’ll fail too, because my wheels mostly match for BMW, and I don’t really expect a huge market.”
He also proudly said they’ll be coming up with new rim designs by the end of the year, which will also be available in the country as soon as it launches overseas.
Meanwhile, Sean Chang, marketing and sales director for Breyton in Asia, echoed the sentiments of his boss and said, “No high expectation, because the luxury-car segment is just beginning to climb but we want to be here to part of it.” He added, “The purpose is to establish the brand, promote it and let the Filipino community know we are already here.”
He also mentioned that Breyton wheels can now be fitted to other German maker, as well like Mercedes, Audis and VWs because BMW has moved from PCD 5120 to 5112, therefore making it now possible to fit some models being sold by manufacturers mentioned.
Wheel Gallery top honcho Sam Liuson said that they are excited about their latest acquisition, which makes a fine addition in an already impressive lineup of products that they offer buyers.
“It’s been a while since we had a wheel brand that caters to European cars, because for a while the brands that we used to carry. either had some issue, which came from the last European crisis, with some stopping production, and some had internal issues like Kellener sport. I think the founder passed away, and because of this, we didn’t have a line for European or BMW models for a time. Breyton is a good mix to our company, as their design is timeless, and having a thirty-heritage is an assurance that the company is here to stay,” Liuson said.
And what’s more, the company owner Edmund Breyton recognizes that the market has now transferred to Asia. That is why he is transferring his production in Asia, to make it cost effective.
Liuson also shared the same opinion of his counterparts when it comes to sales, He believes there is still a niche in the market that caters for those who patronize European Cars, especially BMWs.
Image credits: Patrick P. Tulfo