Light Volvo?
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VOLVO is planning to step up sales of its vehicles below 16 tons gvw, by introducing them to new markets probably including the UK.
Speaking at the Motor Show last week, Sten Langenius, president of Volvo Truck Corporation, told CM that Volvo's success last year in the five to 16 ton gvw category in Europe, was the result of a deliberate effort to "grow into the capacity of the Ghent plant" where the lighter Volvos are assembled.
"A range of 10 to 14-tonne gvw F6 models has recently been introduced in Italy and Volvo's range in West Germany will soon be widened," said Mr Langenius.
He would not confirm that the 7.5-tonne gvw F4 was soon to become available in the UK. "A decision on that has not been taken yet," he said, but he accepted that the size of the 7.5-tonne market sector, currently around 9,000 registrations a year, made it attractive for any manufacturer.
Mr Langenius expects that Volvo's total worldwide truck production for 1984 will exceed 40,000, 17 per cent up on the 1983 figure of 34,300.
He was particularly pleased with the sales of Volvo, White and Autocar vehicles in the USA, which he expects to reach 10,000 by the year end and are currently showing an increase over last year of 134 per cent.