Archive, Product News

Isuzu’s 20 straight years at the top

Isuzu celebrates 20 consecutive years of Australian truck market leadership.

Isuzu Trucks secured its 20th consecutive year of Australian truck market leadership at the end of December, 2008, a unique achievement that is unlikely to ever be repeated, according to Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) Director and Chief Operating Officer, Phil Taylor.

“The company has focused on achieving this milestone for several years now,” Taylor says. “There are very few brands anywhere in the world that can boast sales leadership for the extended period of time the likes of which we are enjoying in Australia.

“It’s a notable milestone in our brand’s history and has been accomplished by providing Australian truck buyers with a range of quality vehicles and support services well suited to delivering their trucking solutions – it’s a simple formula we aim to employ for continued market success,” he says.

According to official ERG Truck Tracker industry standard figures, Isuzu Trucks finished 2008 with a record total of 9,223 truck sales, surpassing the company’s 2007 record sales of 8,420 units. This result was achieved in a declining overall truck market with total volume down from 38,131 units in 2007 to 36,662 units in 2008.

Isuzu’s market share also improved, up just over three percent from 22.1 percent at end December, 2007 to 25.2 percent at end December, 2008 — one in four trucks sold over the year was an Isuzu.

In 2008, Isuzu Trucks again dominated the light segment, almost doubling its nearest competitor in units delivered and market share, with sales of 4,109 units for 38.2 percent segment share. Performance in the medium segment was also strong with Isuzu holding the number one spot with 3,943 units and 41.1 percent share, up just under six percent on Isuzu’s 2007 medium segment share of 35.3 percent.

The brand has also made significant inroads into the heavy duty truck market, a segment that until recently was dominated by North American and European makes.

At the end of December, Isuzu Trucks recorded its best ever result in the segment finishing with sales of 1,171 units and market share of 9.9 percent.

Isuzu’s outstanding sales results in 2008 followed an expansive new range introduction in late 2007 and into 2008 when over 130 ‘New Generation’ models were launched, including the 325 horsepower FX range which successfully filled the gap in the Isuzu product offering between Heavy Duty F Series and Giga models.

Isuzu says all truck models meet strict Euro 4 emissions standards as a minimum with the heavy duty FX and Giga ranges meeting even more stringent Japanese New Long Term 05 (Euro 5 equivalent), well ahead of the introduction of ADR 80/03 emissions regulations in 2011.

As well as introducing new benchmarks in environmental performance, Isuzu’s latest models offer standard active and passive safety features across the model line-up along with the wider availability of its enhanced Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).

Previous ArticleNext Article
Send this to a friend