OVERSEAS
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Fortunes changing in South Africa
▪ the South African market sector 15,001 to 17,501kg, which covers the main bus market, sales figures show how company fortunes have changed over a five-year period, reports February Truck and Bus. Back in 1981 Leyland ruled the roost with 703 sales and 42% of the market, with MAN and Magnis tying for second place with 346 sales each.
At that time, the journal reports, MercedesBenz had a meagre 5% of the market, with 83 sales, and ERF simply wasn't on the board. Now Mercedes heads the list with 433 sales and 43% with ERF in second place on 191 sales and 19% Leyland holds third place with MAN quite close behind, but Magnis dropped from 346 sales in 1981 to only 48 sales in 1985. "Vetsak came in from the cold to take sixth place with 40 sales and, at the tail end we find Hestair Dennis, GMSA and probably the last of the Internationals."
At the top end of the market, over 20,000kg. Mercedes leads with 970 sales followed by MAN and Magnis with 352 and 346 sales respectively. Scania was fourth (162 sales) and Leyland fifth on 128 followed by ERF on 124.
Just how sales have fallen generally is shown by the 12,501 to 15,000 "ultimate best-seller category" in which they dropped from 10,633 units in 1981 to a mere 3,743 last year. Mercedes led here with a percentage market share of 36, with GMSA 15.
There are rumours of some manufacturers dropping out of the market or forming some sort of amalgamation, says Truck and Bus. "All we can hope now is that the price of gold rockets, the Rand squashes the dollar or failing that, we should become the 52nd state of the USA."
IINew Zealand's Ministry of Transport has released a draft package for implementing size limit changes for heavy trucks and trailers and invited comments, reports the February edition of Transport News. It size limit summary shows: All vehicles maximum width 2.5 metres; max height 4.25; max rear overhang 3.2 and not to exceed half of wheelbase; max forward distance 8.5; max overall length, rigids 11, trailers 11 including drawbar artic vehicle 17, truck-trailer combination 19, B-train 20; semi-trailers and trailers, max radius from kingpin or turntable 1.7, max length of drawbar 5; max total deck length, leading kingpin to rear of vehicle, 14.5.
• Pakistan and China opened what they said is the world's highest border crossing, the Khunjerab Pass, 15,072ft, reports the Financial Times, May 2.
II Production of American Motors' (AMC) four-wheel-drive Jeeps at its Peking plant has been halted by repayment problems caused by China's lack of foreign exchange. Commercial Motor, May 10.