TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Australia - Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Debuts Down Under

[Photo: The new Fuso Canter]

Sydney,Australia -AutoEvolution, by Alina Dumitrache -13 May 2011:  --  Following Japan and North America, Australia is the third major market in which the eighth generation Canter light truck has been introduced. European markets are to follow in 2011, with more than 40 new countries to get it by the end of 2012...  The Fuso Canter is the first commercial truck to incorporate a dual-clutch transmission, the DUONICTM (6-speed automated dual clutch-type manual transmission). It also marks the first use of the BlueTec emissions reduction system in the Australian market...  The vehicle’s weight has been reduced by more than 150 kilograms. as compared to the predecessor models. The reductions mainly affect the chassis and allow the truck to carry a higher payload...

* Germany - Fuso Europe Continues to Boost Sales

Stuttgart,Germany –The FINANCIAL (Georgia,Europe) -12 May 2011: -- At 1,325 units, sales at Fuso in Europe were 31 percent higher in the first quarter than in the same period last year... In 2010 as a whole, the company sold about 5,900 trucks in Europe, an increase of 48.5 percent on the previous year... In 2010, Germany was the company’s main European sales market for the first time, with sales rising by approximately 30 percent to around 1,100 units. In addition, Fuso posted substantial sales increases in its other core European markets of France, Italy, and the UK... Fuso managed to gain market share in Europe, primarily due to the great demand for the new Euro 5-compliant Canter fitted with EEV exhaust gas treatment technology, which is now standard equipment in the light truck. As a result, the Canter’s market share of Europe’s light truck segment rose to 14.4 percent in 2010. This was the highest level ever reached in the vehicle’s history and represented an increase of one percentage point on the figure for the previous year...


* Germany - VW wants to take total control of MAN

Wolfsburg,Germany -Truck Europe, by Claude Yvens -10 May 2011: -- Car manufacturer Volkswagen has announced its intention to buy further shares in HGV manufacturer MAN to bring its shareholding up to 40%. Volkswagen has just passed the critical threshold of 30% beyond which it is obliged to make an offer for the remaining shares. VW has thus published an offer of 95 Euros per share... Volkswagen already holds 71.8 % of voting rights at Scania, but in order to arrive at a more profound collaboration between the two brands without falling foul of anti-trust laws, the shareholding structure of the two manufacturers has to be modified. Taking total control of MAN would open the way to constituting an integrated entity where synergies would principally arise in the domains of purchasing, research and development, and production. The two brands would thus be set to cohabit with their own sales networks, in accordance with competition law. Volkswagen already practices this with its seven car brands, and such an arrangement is already in place in the heavy trucks world, between Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks in Europe...

* Germany - Volkswagen To Have Five Seats On MAN SE Supervisory Board

Frankfurt,Germany -Dow Jones/Fox Business (USA), by Nico Schmidt -May 17, 2011: -- Car maker Volkswagen AG, will increase its number of seats on MAN SE's supervisory board to five, strengthening its influence over the Munich-based truck maker, in which it now holds a stake of more than 30%... Until now, Volkswagen only had two seats on the body with supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piech, who holds the same position at Volkswagen, sitting with Audi AG chief Rupert Stadler. Both executives are seeking reelection...

* Germany -  MAN turnover up

Munich,Germany -Truck Europe, by Michel Buckinx -5 May 2011: -- The first quarter of this year saw the MAN group increase its turnover by 19% compared to the same quarter in 2010, to 3.724 billion Euros. Operating profits were 154% up, reaching 325 million Euros. The utility vehicles branch was the most dynamic within the group, with orders up by almost 40% and turnover by 30%...

* Sweden - Volvo Group increases sales by 22 % in first quarter

Gothenburg,Sweden -Truck Europe, by Claude Yvens -27 April 2011: -- Sales by the Volvo Group have increased by 22% during the first quarter of 2011. The ‘trucks’ division put on an average of 25%, particularly thanks to the European and North American markets. In Europe, the long distance segment performed the best, while the ‘construction’ segment is still handicapped by weak demand in southern Europe. The Volvo Group has nevertheless increased its forecast for 2011 to 230/240,000 units, against 220,000 during the previous quarter...

* Sweden - Volvo’s April North American Deliveries More Than Double

Gothenburg,Sweden -Transport Topics (USA) -17 April 2011: -- Volvo AB’s North American truck deliveries more than doubled in April from a year ago, while worldwide sales heavy-duty sales improved 77% the company said Tuesday... North American deliveries rose 136% to 3,388 trucks, from 1,434 a year earlier, Volvo said in a statement... Global heavy-duty deliveries for the month jumped 77% to 14,766 units, while total truck deliveries including smaller classes rose 49% to 19,366 trucks for the month... Volvo AB, the parent company of Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks. Worldwide, also includes Renault, UD and Eicher brand trucks...

* Sweden - Truck maker Scania to make India investment

Stockholm,Sweden -Monsters and Critics -May 18, 2011 --  Swedish heavy-vehicle maker Scania Wednesday said it planned to invest in India and has set up a special sales company, due to growing demand in the Asian powerhouse...  'Within the next five years, we expect to be able to achieve annual sales of almost 2,000 trucks, 1,000 buses and 1,500 engines,' Martin Lundstedt, head of Scania sales and marketing, said...   The new sales company, Scania Commercial Vehicles, was also to establish a plant for bodywork and fitting out of complete vehicles as well as a parts depot, the statement said...  India's economic growth, rise in exports and expansion of motorways and logistic systems were cited as contributing factors to Scania's move...