Chrysler trucks look to the future
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THE GOVERNMENT is hopeful about the future of the commercial vehicles section of Chrysler. And the figures for sales in January back up its optimism.
Last month Chrysler succeeded in making a 13.1 per cent penetration of the total truck production market, the best figures since December 1971.
Mr Neil Carmichael, Under Secretary for Industry, speaking in the Commons debate on Chrysler last week, said that the company had plans for improvements across its whole range, from light vans to medium trucks.
Further plans were well advanced to produce next year an improved version of the popular PB compact van, while a replacement for the Bantam Walk-Thru range of light trucks would be introduced in 1978.
Chrysler UK was the only source for the production of vans and light and mediumheavy trucks to the Chrysler Corporation in Europe, Mr Carmichael pointed out, and he had no doubt that Chrysler aimed to maximise its use of these production facilities.
Indeed, he was assured by Chrysler UK that it was taking all possible steps to increase exports to the mainland of Europe.
Mr Carmichael recalled that in 1974 the company had introduced a completely new range of medium-sized commercial vehicles, the Commer Commando series. This had proved to be highly successful in its section of the market, he said, and the agreement with Chrysler had allowed for the funding of a continuing programme of refinement and improvement of this range over the next few years.