Vans lead the way in the 2001 sales race
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• Once again, the SMMT's monthly commercial vehicle registration figures show the van sector leading the market's growth. Smaller vans rose by 11.5% on February 2000, while the sector up to 3.5 tonnes grew by 16.9%.
Year-to-date figures for the combined van sector are up are up by 4.9%, compared with a decline of 3.1% for larger trucks.
Among the heavies, two-axle rigids are supporting the rest with a 14.3% rise on February 2000—artics rose by just 3.7%.
In the van market, Ford's performance continues to strengthen across the board, in contrast to Vauxhall, whose sales have fallen sharply in recent weeks. There are signs that this is due to consumers' reactions to the ending of car production at Luton: the Vectra has dropped out of the Top Ten sellers in the car market.
Apart from the "big two", Citron continues to narrow the gap with an impressive showing. Others with reason to smile include Iveco, WV and Nissan; Peugeot leads the backsliders.
At the heavier end of the market, 2001 could hardly have got off to a worse start for Mercedes, Volvo and Scania, which have lost more than 20% between them since January.
Everyone else is managing to tread water, apart from Renault VI, which has more than doubled its year-to-date figures, and ERF, whose new product line-up is beginning to make a serious impression.