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Truck sales surpass 4,000 mark in June

Volvo repeats heavy-duty dose as Benz charge continues

 

With the ink drying on EOFY and Brisbane Truck Show deals, Australian truck and van sales continue their seasonal climb – albeit on a slightly smaller scale than last year’s records.

Nonetheless, the figures have hit the 4,000 mark in June for the second year in a row, reaching 4,072, and taking the year’s tally to 18,889, according to Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark figures.

The numbers are healthy if not quite the 4,231 and 19,970 respectively in 2018, but above the levels of the previous boom year of 2008, which saw 3,671 vehicles sold in June and 18,218 year-to-date.

The figures also rise from May’s 3,556 and April’s 2,943 after March’s 3,296 and February’s 2,826.

Isuzu continues to steam ahead across all categories, becoming the first maker to hit four figures in a monthly cycle and increasing its ascendancy on the market.

Hino broke into the 500 mark for the first time, breaking a run of 400s for the past handful of months.

Mercedes-Benz had a notable jump in all sectors, from 163 to 271 month on month, taking its total market share from 3.9 per cent to 4.5 per cent for the year.

HEAVY DUTY

Following the general trend, heavy duty trucks enjoyed their most prosperous month to date, with June’s figure of 1,288 pipping May’s 1,212, and the tallies of 1,006, 1,186 in the months prior.

Again, it sits between 2018’s 1,433 and 2017’s 1,250 tallies for June.

The big news in this segment is that Volvo’s tilt at the top continues to gather pace, surpassing Kenworth for the second month in a row: 225 to 202 respectively.

It’s a closer margin than the 248 vs 206 in May, but the YTD gap continues to close, now down to 50 with Kenworth on 1,154 and Volvo on 1,104, adding another fascinating chapter to this battle.

The following pack all had productive months by their standards, with Isuzu’s 174, Mercedes-Benz’s 154 and Mack’s 113 all considerable bumps on last month.


Look back on May’s truck sales figures, here


Not so good for Scania, however, dropping back to under 100 after three months of triple-figure sales.

Down the lower end of the scale, Dennis Eagle had a big spike by its standards, with 35 of its 46 sales to date this year coming last month.

MEDIUM DUTY

Medium-duty sales reached 796, which is up on May’s 734 but nearly 100 down on 2018’s 895.

By now, YTD 2018 had exceeded 4,000 – 4,084 to be exact – with 2019’s 3,775 meaning that gap widens.

Still, in 2017 this figure was 3,321, and it all pales in comparison to 2008’s 4,635 in this segment.

Individually, the leading duo of Isuzu and Hino made June their best month, up from 303 to 347, and 219 to 255, respectively.

Third-place Fuso couldn’t continue the momentum, dropping to under 100, while MAN also eased to 50 after its bumper May of 72.

UD’s 34 was the underrated pick for the month, outdoing its previous best for the year: 28, which came all the way back in January.

LIGHT DUTY

June’s 1,274 is a significant jump on May’s 999, and nearly went pound-to-pound with the 1,304 at this time last year.

However, 5,518 some distance from 6,021, and is closer to 2017’s tallies of 1,233 for the month and 5,451 YTD, but at least that gap widened slightly.

The top three all held firm to record year’s best figures, with Isuzu nearly breaking the 500 mark for the second time in a row in June, but falling just short on 498, and Hino and Fuso following on 258 and 212 respectively.

However, last month in this column we sung the praises of Mercedes-Benz, “the nearest thing to a surprise packet … which more than doubled its month-on-month total this year to hit 69 units, even beating last May’s 60”.

It again nearly doubled up, hitting 113. Compare it to June 2018’s 77 and it’s a roaring light-duty jump.

 

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