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.
“The latest sales results confirm the Fuso Canter’s growing popularity on the European market,” says Alexander Müller, Head of Sales & Marketing Mitsubishi Fuso Truck Europe. “The Fuso Canter is manufactured in Portugal with a local sourcing rate of over 70 percent. In view of the events in Japan, we of course have to reassess the availability of vehicle parts every day, but so far we don’t expect to suffer from any supply bottlenecks.”
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.
In Japan, North America and Australia, Fuso has already introduced a new generation of the Canter light truck, with Australia being the third major market in which the eighth generation Canter (3.5 to 7.5 tons GVW) is being offered. The truck is to be introduced in Europe in late 2011.