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Making light work in Spain

18th May 1995, Page 18
18th May 1995
Page 18
Page 18, 18th May 1995 — Making light work in Spain
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Whatever happened to Barcelona as an international truck show? Time was when all the major European chassis manufacturers headed for Spain's north-eastern seaport every other year. Not any more. It now looks to be going the same way as Birmingham and Turin—two other major European CV shows that have withered and died.

Of the 14 "Vehiculos Industriales" manufacturers at Barcelona only two build anything above 3.5 tonnes. Mercedes-Benz couldn't even be bothered to show its new Sprinter van.

The decline in big truck exhibits is not so surprising. The Spanish market has been to hell and back during recent years: between 1991 and 1993 sales of goods vehicles over 16 tonnes fell from 12,000 units a year to around 5,000.

Things are finally turning round (this year the market gurus are predicting sales of 10,000 units) but like the UK it's a hard battle with rampant discounting ensuring that few manufacturers are making money on new truck sales. Even Pegaso, part of Iveco since 1991, preferred to concentrate on lights with a comprehensive display of TurboDaily vans and chassis cabs on its home ground—underlining the fact that Barcelona has become little more than a car and light commercial show.

Ironically, Iveco Pegaso could have displayed plenty of heavies if it had wanted to. It leads the domestic tractor market with EuroTech and is a strong buyer of the Langleybuilt lightweight Super Cargo which is selling particularly well in Spain at 18 tonnes. According to Iveco Pegaso's marketing director Manuelo Lage, the next step is to take the Britishbuilt 6x4 Super Cargo mixer chassis.

After suffering heavy losses Pegaso is now making an operating profit—but Iveco's vice-president of truck commercial operations Jean Pierre Lefebvre says that this financial revival has yet to appear on the bottom line, as "that takes time."

The only true new vehicle on show was SEAT's Inca van, an attractive cross between the Ford Courier and Vauxhall Combi, which will arrive in the UK early next year badged as a SEAT and a VW Given its level of finish and stylish interior it's set to be a major challenger in the CDV market.

Report by Brian Weatherley and Bryan Jarvis. Photography by Peter Cramer


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