VW Commercials, Owner of MAN and Scania Trucks Eyes US Expansion

With the focus on commercial vehicles and the creation of a revised commercial vehicles group within VW under the leadership of ex-Scania CEO Leif Oestling, reports are that the company is considering a foray into the US market in an attempt to compete with Daimler and Volvo.

Neither MAN nor Scania, which are now both under VW control, have a significant presence in the important US market. Favouring the forward control over the 'cab-over' design of trucks, the VW Commercial Vehicles group has no product to offer. Reports have been coming from Germany that the company is considering the acquisition of Navistar, the maker of International Trucks - MAN already supplies the company with engines.

This would give VW a better spread of risk in their worldwide commercial vehicles portfolio, although there have also been rumours that Fiat Industrial, soon to be listed in the US with the CNH business has eyes on involvement with Navistar.

If there were a straight fight for the business, VW would have to be the favourite to buy the business, since their recent acquisitions of Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, Ducati, MAN, Scania plus stakes in Suzuki and Porsche have given them the experience and financial clout to conquer the world!

Should Daimler, the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer and owner of Mitsubishi Fuso, Freightliner and BharatBenz be concerned? Probably.