Leyland Daf still top after blooming June
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• In spite of earlier, doomladen prophecies, commercial vehicle sales during the first six months of 1987 have shown a marked increase of 6.2%, compared to the same period last year. They were helped by bumper sales last month, with registrations of CVs in June rising by 26%, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
In the all-important trucks and artic sector above 3.5 tonnes, CV sales increased by 3.6% during the first six months of 1987 to 29,255.
Leyland Daf has kept hold of its lead with a 23.1% stake (6,765 vehicles sold). Sales of Leyland trucks continue to increase, providing greatest contribution to the company's sales figures.
Iveco Ford is in the number two spot with a 22.9% share (6,705 trucks), and is chasing Leyland Daf hard. IFT's registrations have grown by 28% during the first six months of '87 compared to the same period last year. Iveco Ford also appears to have benefited the most from Bedford's demise, taking some 60% of Bedford's previous share.
Mercedes-Benz is still in third position, with a littlechanged 13.5% stake (3,976), followed by an ever-improving Volvo with 10.2% (2,994), and Renault Truck Industries which finished the first six months of this year with an 8.8% stake having sold 2,592 trucks.
Holding steady
Scania is holding steady with a 4.99% share (1,462), followed by MAN-VW, which suffered a drop in its sales up until the end of June, finishing with a 4.07% stake (1,192).
As Bedford's heavy truck stock finally runs out ERF has moved up into seventh place with an impressive 3.6% (1,061) — up 38% compared with the same six months last year.
Bedford truck registrations up until the end of June amounted to 956, giving GM a 3.26% stake. Seddon Atkinson is next with an improved 2.99% share, with sales of 876 trucks up until the end of June. Foden keeps its 1.03% stake with a slightlyreduced six month sales total of 304 vehicles.
In the lucrative panel van sector up to 3.5 tonnes, Ford maintained its stranglehold on the market, with a seemingly unassailable 42.5% stake (29,210). Freight Rover is slowly improving and finished the first six months of '87 with a 12.9% share (8,915).
The absence of a longoverdue replacement for the ageing CF van has not helped Bedford, which has seen its sales fall this year. It is still in third place, however, with a 7.8% share (5,396), but being pushed hard by Renault UK which sold 5,097 Trafic and Master vans up until the end of June, giving it a 7.4% share.
Soaring sales
Ford is also enjoying soaring sales in the light commercial (up to 1.8 tonnes GVW) market, keeping the company firmly placed in the number one position. In the first six months of 1987, it sold 17,378 car-derived vans — an increase of more than 23% on the equivalent figure for the first half of 1986. In June, the company recorded 2,987 registrations of light vans, an increase of more than 1,000 on the figure for June 1986.
Despite the current uncertainties at Bedford's van plant, its light van sales remain buoyant in the UK. To Jtme this year, Bedford's sales reached 13,303, up 2.5% on the figure for the first half of 1986, and giving the company second place in light commercial vehicles sales in the UK.
Though Rover Group sales rose by 15.5% in June compared with the same month last year, the state-owned manufacturer has had a miserable first half year in the light van market with sales down almost 24% compared with the same period last year to 9,286.