Commercial vehicle manufacturers remained defiant at the Hanover Commercial vehicle show last week despite the gloomy financial forecast, with most predicting a rise in vehicle sales this year as opposed to a fall.
The market may be challenged throughout Europe, but sales remain strong in the BRIC markets of Brazil, Russia, India and Chin where business is booming.
Volkswagen have reported sales that are up 9.3 percent during the first eight months of 2008 thanks to the Eastern Europe and Latin America markets who are driving the rise. “In the booming Eastern European markets, we managed to grow our delivery numbers by nearly 30 percent,” said Stephan Schaller, CEO of V W Commercial Vehicles. “In Russia alone we sold 87 percent more vehicles than in the previous year.”
Deliveries of light and heavy commercial vehicles in South America has also increased by around 25 percent. Roberto Cortes, president of VW truck and bus, said: “Considering the favourable economy in Latin America, we expect to end 2008 with a sales volume close to 60,000 trucks and buses, representing a new all-time record.”
Iveco and Daimler have also reported similar sales patterns, with Iveco citing the increase is due to demand from the Latin America and Eastern Europe markets. Daimler’s CV sales are up 3 per cent for the rolling year so far thanks to a 60 per cent growth in Southeast Asia. They have recently launched trucks and buses in India and are preparing for market entry into China and Russia as well.
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