The Motor-vehicle
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Market in Egypt.
I N a men* issued Department of Overseas Report dealing with Egypt, some interesting information concerning the state of the motor-vehicle market in that country is given. It is pointed out that an indication of America's determination to consolidate its strong position in the Egyptian motor market is shown by the recent decision of two of the largest American makers to establish assembly and distributing depots at Alexandria.
At the end of March 31 last, there were 938 motor lorries and vans in use in Cairo and the Provinces, 251 in Alexandria and 23 in Port Said and district, whilst the figure for motorbuses in each area was 817, 98 and 19 respectively. So far as taxicabs are con eerned, 2,636 were in use in Cairo and the Provinces, 701 in Alexandria and 83 in Port Said and district. So far as Cairo and Provinces are concerned, it is understood that considerable numbers of motor vehicles of all descriptions were not re-registered during the year ended March 31st, 1926. The numbers even are actual new licences and renewals.
The report gives details of the total imports of motor vehicles and chassis in 1924 and 1925, and it is shown that although the value and volume of British trade in such vehicles in 1925 were more than double that of the previous year, the fact that the British proportion of the total volume only rose from about 5-5i per cent., and the total
value from about GI per cent. to less than 10 per cent., suggests that there is considerable leeway to be made UP before British makers can hope to compete successfully with the powerful organizations of the United States and the Continent, notably Italy and France.
Attention is also drawn to the chances which exist for the British maker in the tractor market. At the present time American tractors with trailers are beng utilized for hauling building materials, and, in this direction, there would appear to be a. channel worthy of exploration by British manufacturers.
Although a modest increase has taken place in the import of British lorries and cars, it is a striking sidelight on the c39 penetrative powers of American makers that their vehicles are sold with little difficulty to all nationalities; whereas the majority of British products is purchased by the British community, which, naturally, constitutes a very limited market. It is suggested that a way in which to combat this factor is for British manufacturers to revise their selling organizations, service depots and the like, and to fall into line with sue cessful foreign competitors. It is emphasized in the report that British manufacturers should be ab/e to obtain a larger share of this trade than they at present enjoy.
There would appear, too, to be an increasing market for the sale of motorbuses. The majority of vehicles of this type in use in Cairo and Alexandria is hardly of a type which is in keeping With the importance of such large cities. The ve.c.les mostly consist of light-4116 ehassit carrying unwieldy bodies, and, although they are quite useful on rough provincial roads, they are hardly euitable for city work.. Moreover, a few of them are converted cars formerly used for military purposes. Some of the vehicles which have recently been put into service are more up to' date, but, in many instances, even they are inferior to the modern English types.