New commercial vehicle registrations strongest since 2008

Mercedes-Benz bounced back in style in the second quarter of 2017, taking the number two market-share spot - behind market-leader Daf and leap-frogging Scania - as registrations of new commercial vehicles remained robust with 6% year-on-year growth.

The three-pointed star led the way in an artic market that continues to grow - and the first six-months of 2017 have seen more trucks above 6t GVW registered than in any first half of the year since 2008.

In April, May and June 2017 some 11,771 new commercial vehicles over 6t GVW were registered in the UK, up 6% compared to the 11,071 vehicles registered in the same quarter last year. In the first quarter of the year 10,406 vehicles were registered, with a total of 22,177 vehicles registered so far in 2017.

The SMMT put the year-on-year rise down to the delivery of "several large orders to fleets".

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes, said that with all new trucks featuring low emission Euro VI diesel technology and some of the latest safety and autonomous features it was "great to see more of them joining British roads". 

"However," he added, "while manufacturers have benefited from an increase in orders in this particular quarter, given the varying nature of fleet renewal in the sector, it is vital that government works to maintain the conditions that will give operators confidence to invest.”

Mercedes-Benz was the best performer of the three-month period, taking a 19% market-share with 2,178 vehicles registered. With 1,306 units above 6t GVW in the first quarter, it's first half performance is up 57% compared to the first half of 2016.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK managing director Mike Belk told Commercialmotor.com: “It’s great that the UK truck market grew in Q2, and we’re delighted with our contribution. We’re happy with our market share, but we are more proud of our year-to-date results – we’re up 37%, against a market that has grown 3.5%. We’re pleased that more and more customers are trusting our proposition of low total costs, increased safety and maximised uptime, and our H1 performance is testament to the hard work of all our colleagues and dealer network. We’re now looking forward to continuing this momentum into Q3, and finishing the year as strongly as we have started.”

Daf remained top with a 28% market share in the quarter and 3,298 units registered. It's first half performance in 2017 is down 5% on 2016.

Scania, which does not have a range below 16t GVW, came third with a 16% market share equating to 1,856 units registered. Across the first half of the year its registrations are up 4% year-on-year.

Volvo took a 12% share in the quarter with 1,453 vehicles registered - and then there is a gap: MAN (893 units) and Iveco (883 units) were viturally tied in fifth place with an 8% market share. MANs year-on-year performance across the first half of the year has seen its registrations drop 14%.

Renault held on to seventh place and a 5% market-share, with Isuzu and Dennis-Eagle taking 2% shares, and Mitsubish Fuso taking 1%.
 

EVERYONE LOVES A THREE-AXLE ARTIC

Rigids accounted for 57% of all new vehicle registrations - 6,745 units - in the second quarter of 2017. Rigids between 6t GVW and 16t GVW stood at 2,470 or 20% of the market, while rigids over 16t GVW accounted for more than a third of the market (4,275 units or 37% market share).

Compared to the second quarter of 2016 the rigid market is static, down just 0.1%, but the artic market was particularly strong up 16% year-on-year.

Three-axle artics accounted for the vast majority of artic registrations - with 4,658 units accounting for 40% of the total market. Two-axle variants, primarily popular with standard international o-licence holders, account for just 3% of all new vehicle registrations - and the 368 vehicle registered are down 22% year-on-year.

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