Deals on Wheels #460

DEALS Data
moving on up
All sizes indicate it may well be time for new
truck sales to break free of pandemic slump
In racing terms, October might represent the start of the last
lap, with Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark commercial
vehicle sales figures confirming likely placings.
Some, such as Isuzu’s perennial front-running form, leads to a
foregone conclusion in total numbers and medium- and light-duty
segments, with the battle for minor placings perhaps pointing to
where momentum might lie.
Elsewhere, makes are looking for something akin to personal bests
in the struggle for higher ground.
And then there is the big picture for the whole sector, with hope
that a return to some sort of normality will come when an economic
rebound starts, well, now.
So, 10 months down the track, the numbers show a mixed bag.
Total year-to-date (YTD) sales are at 27,842 after October’s 3,011.
Heavy Vehicles – Monthly Sales
UD TRUCKS
33/3.3%
Paccar recently spruiked Hillmans Transport taking
delivery of two DAF CF 530 FTT prime movers
Of the most relevant – that is, non-spike – years, that is better than
2016’s 26,947 and 2,996 but below 2017’s 29,722 and 3,410.
Worth keeping in mind also that total sales are on something of a
tear these past three months at 2,616, 2,858 and 3,011, which is a fair
silver lining.
What stands out is Isuzu, at 726 units in all sizes, topping last year’s
distinctly non-COVID October total of 684. Though its YTD figure
of 6,833 trails last year’s 7,255, it speaks to confidence amongst
certain buyers.
But its nearest rival fared less well, with Hino also on this path at
402 for the month compared with last October’s 453 and YTD down
a couple of hundred at 4,206 against 4,546.
Worse, Hino-challenger Fuso is at 309 compared with 251 a year
earlier and YTD is two units up at 2,824.
HEAVY DUTY
It is hard to go past the heavyweights in any contest and the one
between Kenworth and Volvo this year has been a classic.
The segment total of 8,440 YTD and 1,013 for the month sits
almost equidistant between 2016’s 7,819/872 and 2017’s 9,450/1,188.
That month-on-month (MOM) tear mentioned above is here too:
821, 905 and 1,013.
But during a COVID-struck year in which Volvo sped to the lead
only to falter so far in the second half, Kenworth has displayed the
requisite staying power.
So much so that though its YTD 1,546 is a long way behind last
DAF DENNIS EAGLE
39/3.8% 3/0.3%
FREIGHTLINER
WESTERN STAR
19/1.9%
26/2.6%
FUSO
42/4.1%
HINO
42/4.1%
VOLVO
INTERNATIONAL
9/0.9%
143/14.1%
SCANIA
90/8.9%
OCTOBER
HEAVY DUTY
MARKET
SHARE
ISUZU
113/11.2%
IVECO
28/2.8%
Medium Vehicles – Monthly Sales
MERCEDES-BENZ
127/12.5%
MAN
24/2.4%
MACK
44/4.3%
KENWORTH
230/22.7%
UD TRUCKS
11/2.1% VOLVO
3/0.6%
MERCEDES-BENZ
DAF
4/0.7% 2/0.4%
MAN
DENNIS EAGLE
2/0.4%
1/0.2%
IVECO
17/3.2%
FUSO
84/15.7%
27/2.9%
MERCEDES-BENZ
29/3.1%
IVECO
67/7.2%
RENAULT VW
3/0.3%
FIAT
41/4.4%
FORD
6/0.6%
OCTOBER
MEDIUM VEHICLE
MARKET
SHARE
Light Vehicles – Monthly Sales
OCTOBER
LIGHT VEHICLE
MARKET
SHARE
FUSO
183/19.6%
ISUZU
253/47.2%
HINO
159/29.7%
ISUZU
360/38.5%
HINO
201/21.5%
14
HYUNDAI
17/1.8%