Cv sales rising
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%JEW COMMERCIAL vehicle reOstrations are now running 6.7 3er cent ahead of the first quarter of last year, and Society of Vlotor Manufacturers and Tradars figures show there was a 14.1 per cent rise in sales of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
Sales in all sectors are up from 71,300 to 76,057, and in the over3.5 tonne sector the rise was from 12,896 to 14,727. Sales of light 4x4s fell, but the light and medium/heavy van markets both grew.
Overall, imports climbed from 23,253 to 25,982, with market share up from 32.6 per cent to 34.2 per cent.
Importers' share of the over3.5 tonne sector is up from 29.9 to 34.3 per cent, but the market leaders are still British-based. Ford's 18.3 per cent (1983: 19 per cent) is the leader, followed by Leyland's 14.9 per cent (1983: 16.3 per cent), and Bedford's 13.4 per cent (1983: 11.3 per cent).
Mercedes-Benz remains in fourth position with increased sales, but its market share is down from 10.3 to 9.6 per cent, and Karrier has started to regain sales, but market share has slipped from 9.5 to 9.3 per cent.
The importers' gains are best represented by Iveco (up from 4.4 per cent to 5.3 per cent), Scania (up from 3.1 per cent to 5.2 per cent and ahead of Daf), MAN-VW (up from 1.6 to two per cent), and Volvo (up from 7.1 per cent to 8.1 per cent).
Sales of British-built Volvos represented 2.4 per cent (1983: 2.8 per cent).
The importers' gain has been the smaller British manufacturers' loss, with ERF down from 3.1 to 2.6 per cent, Foden down from 1.9 to 1.4 per cent, Hestair Dennis down from 1.4 to one per cent, and Seddon Atkinson down from 4.9 per cent to 2.8 per cent.
In the medium/heavy van sector, sales have climbed by 6.9 per cent to 32,107, but falling demand for Ford's South African-built P100 pick-up has cut its volume from 13,528 to 13,395, and market share is down from 45 per cent to 41.7 per cent.
The P100's share is down from 6.7 per cent to 4.6 per cent, but Ford is still clearly market leader.
Bedford has regained second position, increasing the market share of its British and Japanese vehicles from 10.1 per cent to 11.8 per cent, while Freight Rover's Sherpa has slipped back into third place, despite a 200 vehicle increase in sales. Market share last year of 11.3 per cent has slipped to 11.2 per cent.
Among light vans (sales up 1,000 to 24,840), Ford is well ahead with market share down from 34.2 per cent to 32.8 per cent, with Austin Rover second with market share down from 28.8 per cent to 25.5 per cent, and Bedford third with its share up from 18.6 per cent to 23.2 per cent.