Where's the recovery?
Page 6
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by Alan Millar
FIGURES for the first half of the year do little to show any serious recovery in the market for new commercial vehicles.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, new vehicle registrations in all sectors climbed only by 3.21 per cent from 1984's 145,979 to 150,666. And the crucial over-3.5 tonne market, which was growing faster earlier in the year, has slipped to grow only 2.4 per cent from 28,695 vehicles to 29,382.
In June, total registrations fell by 2.87 per cent from 22,346 in 1984 to 21,705, with importers' share slipping surprisingly from 34.9 per cent to 33.2 per cent.
But for the first half of the year, the importers' share went on rising, from 34.7 per cent in 1984 to 36.3 per cent. Over 3.5 tonnes, the rise was from 33 per cent to 37.4 per cent.
The half-year figures emphasise the gradual erosion of business for Ford's Cargo and the slow, but steady recovery of Leyland's T45 range. Ford is still market leader over 3.5 tonnes, but its share has fallen from 1984's 20.6 per cent to 16.6 per cent, while Leyland is up from 14.2 per cent to 14.9 per cent and is only 499 vehicles behind Ford.
Third place is held only just by Bedford with 11.8 per cent (1984: 13.4 per cent). It is be
ing chased hard by fourth place Mercedes-Benz, which has pushed its sales up from 8.9 per cent last year to 11.5 per cent_
Renault/Dodge, which is running a 6.5 per cent low finance campaign to try to boost its July and August orders, has already seen some recovery and has managed to keep Volvo in sixth place.
Renault/Dodge took 9.4 per cent (1984: 8.7 per cent), while Volvo which has still to launch lower weight models in Britain climbed from 8.3 per cent to 8.7 per cent.
All of the other importers over 3.5 tonnes have increased their market shares. Daf is up from 4.8 per cent to 5.3 per cent, Iveco from 5.4 per cent to 5.8 per cent, MAN-VW is up front two per cent to 2.7 per cent, and Scania is up from 4.8 per cent to five per cent.
British manufacturers FRF and Seddon Atkinson have also improved, ERE from 2.7 per cent to 2.9 per cent. Seddon from 2.6 per cent to 2.9 per cent.
But Eoden, although no longer at the bottom of the league, is still down, from 1.5 per cent to 0.9 of one per cent. Hestair Dennis has slipped from 1.1 per cent mid is marginally behind Fodcn, with nine fewer vehicles sold.
Sales of one to 3.5 tonnes medium/heavy vans climbed from by 2.4 per cent to 64,453. Ford's leading share slipped from 40.6 per cent to 37.7 per cent. Freight Rover was second with 13.5 per cent (1984: 11.4 per cent), Bedford was third with 11.3 per cent (1984: 12 per cent), and Renault is fourth with 8.6 per cent (1984: 6.1 per cent).
Light van sales are up by 4.6 per cent to 48,332.