Mercedes-Mergers-Mitsubishi

[Howard R Pletcher <n9ads@xxxxxxxx>]

As a followup on last week's discussion, I found the following in an
article on Freightliner's medium truck plans in a trucking magazine:

"As in it's earlier acquisitions and alliances, DaimlerChrysler will
blend its two new Asian-based truck-making partners into the company's
commercial truck family.

DaimlerChrysler recently completed the purchase of 43 percent of
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus, a separate truck-making company split off
from Mitsubihsi Motors Corp.  MMC also owns a part of MFT&B, but
DaimlerChrysler has controlling interest.....  Mitsubishi sells cabover
trucks here through Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America.

DaimlerChrysler aslo has a joint venture partnership with Hyundai Truck
to build medium-duty Mercedes-Benz diesel engines in a plant in Korea. 
When production begins sometime in 2004, the engines will be used in
Hyundai trucks, including those bound for North America."

Sales figures in the magazine for medium-duty trucks, Class 3 thru 7,
showed Ford leading with 35% of the market, International second with
19%, Freightliner third with 13%, Dodge-11%, GM-10%, and numerous brands
at 1 to 2% of the market.  I'm not sure exactly what GVW's this includes,
but it would probably be from about the 1 Ton model range up thru 25 or
30,000# GVW's as only a few KW, Peterbilt, and Sterling models qualify.  


Howard