Iveco Ford eases ahead
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• Despite suffering a decline in the individual market shares of both its partners, the newly formed Iveco Ford Truck company has collectively managed to take the number one spot in the UK truck market above 3.5 tonnes gross weight, easing ahead of Leyland for the first seven months of 1986.
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders for sales up to the end of July give Iveco Ford a market share of 18.4% with combined sales of 5,717 vehicles compared with Leyland's 17.4% stake with sales of 5,432. But during July alone, Leyland still managed to outsell Ford and lveco together, registering some 500 vehicles above 3.5 tonnes.
Sales of all commercial vehicles during July were 13,767 up by 11.7% compared with July 1985 although total sales so far in 1986 are barely ahead by 0.4% with sales of 163,735 vehicles.
Above 3.5 tonnes, Mercedes-Benz has retained its third place with a 13.5% share (up 16% on last year). But Bedford's decline in the UK heavy truck market continues in spite of good sales in July. Its share is now down to 9.9% (1985: 12%). although it remains ahead of Volvo with 8.5% (1985: 8.8%) and Renault Truck Industries with 8.3% (1985: 9.5%).
Next comes Daf with a share of 5.6% (1985: 5.4%) and MAN with an improved 5% (1985: 2.7%), helped by the large TNT order for vans placed earlier in the year.
Scania retains its 4.9% market share despite a slight drop in sales during July. The smaller UK manufacturers are led by Seddon Atkinson with a 2.9% share (1985: 3%), F:RF with 2.7% (1985: 2.8%), Foden, up slightly to 1.1% (1985: 0.9%), and Dennis, down to 0.8% (1985: 1%).
Registrations in the medium and heavy panel van sector rose by 26.7% during July, although the overall market during the first seven months of 1986 dropped by 1.5% to 68,772 vehicles.
Ford remains the runaway leader within the sector with a slightly reduced, 33%, share, followed by Freight Rover with 13.3% and Bedford with an 11.6% stake. More significant was the increase by importers, which now have a 46.9% share of the heavy van market compared with 41.7% during the same period last year.
In the car-derived and micro-van market, sales rose by 4.2%, with 54,990 vehicles registered up to the end of July. While market-leader Ford has suffered a 15.4% fall in sales to 14,869 vans, Bedford has been closing the gap, having boosted its share to 35% following the launch of the Rascal micro range.
Up until the end of July it sold 14,127 vans and it now looks set to knock Ford off the top spot. Former market leader Austin Rover is now in third place with a 22% share.
The Bus and Coach sector continues to be depressed, with sales down by 11.4% as deregulation draws ever nearer.