TIC data shows bumper month for Scania in heavy duty division, while Kenworth retains its lead
Almost half of all the vans sold in Australia in May were made by Mercedes-Benz, according to sales data released by the Truck Industry Council (TIC).
In what was a bumper month for the industry, vehicle sales were higher in all divisions.
The data shows 3,913 vehicles were sold in total in May, up 762 from the 3,151 sold in April this year and up 676 on the 3,237 sold in May 2017.
Most of this increase was in the light duty trucks division, with 288 more vehicles sold than in April, but sales were also higher in vans (229), heavy duty vehicles (172) and medium duty vehicles (73) during May.
Mercedes-Benz more than doubled the number of vans it sold in May, up to 307 from 146 in April, and accounting for 49.3 per cent of all vans sold during the month.
While helping to consolidate its lead, its closest competitors were stronger too, with 109 Renaults sold, up from 81, and 80 Fords sold in May, up from 68.
Scania was the month’s biggest mover in heavy duty truck sales, with 127 heavy vehicles sold, up from 69 in the previous month, making up 9.6 per cent of all heavy vehicles sold in May.
Iveco also had a bumper month, doubling its sales from 31 in April to 62 in May, while both Volvo and Mack reported respectable increases, Volvo up 39 to 211 and Mack up 31 to 110.
Mercedes-Benz showed its April sales spike was no fluke with the company selling 106 vehicles in May, close to the April sales spike of 115, which was up from the 71 it sold in March.
Segment leaders Isuzu and Hino consolidated their positions in the medium duty truck sales ladders, with Isuzu selling 323 vehicles in May, up 50 from its April total, while Hino sold 36 more vehicles to take its monthly total to 207.
UD Trucks also saw a benefit in the month, with 49 medium duty trucks sold in May, up from 34 in April.
Fuso outsold Hino in the light duty segment in May, with the 269 Fuso trucks sold in May ahead of Hino’s 241, and well above the 187 Fuso trucks it sold in April.
But market leader Isuzu was able to further strengthen its lead in the sector, with the company taking its sales from 330 in April to 446 in May, up 116, and accounting for 36.7 per cent of all vehicles sold in the segment.