VW buys 55.9% stake in MAN, aims for Daimler’s top spot

VW buys 55.9% stake in MAN, aims for Daimler’s top spot

Volkswagen wants to be the world’s largest carmaker by 2015, selling 10 million cars in the process. But it now looks like the German company has similar ambitions in the truck market. Last week saw VW finalise the purchase of a majority stake in MAN, the truck and bus company from Munich.

The 55.9% majority stake allows VW to determine seats on the supervisory board, and this could be a fast way to accelerate cooperation between MAN and Swedish truck brand Scania, which VW already owns.

Between them, Scania and MAN produced 172,000 trucks (above six tonnes in weight) in 2010, compared with Daimler’s 274,000 units. Three pointed star trucks account for about 10% of global truck output. With 171,000 units, Volvo holds 6.2%, according to data from IHS Global Insight. It won’t take a genius to guess that Euro truck leadership is what VW is gunning for.

“Volkswagen is more than pleased with the result. As a result, our objective of realising substantial synergies between MAN, Scania and Volkswagen in the interest of all shareholders, employees and customers is moving closer,” said Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn.

Who’s next to be gobbled up?

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • confused on Jul 12, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    Hicom Isuzu.. lol..

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    • i wonder why never a lorry to be designed with aerodynamic intention..certainly it could saves a lot more fuel than the conventional boxy shape..hmmm..any idea guys why?

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      • Space and cost.

        And they’re not meant to travel at 200kph.

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      • Because the total length of a lorry with trailer is limited by law. It doesn’t make sense to save fuel if you need two lorries for the same load…

        This is the reason why lorries with an engine bonnet like the Mercedes 911 or the old Nissan Diesel are out of production now. Even in Australia ‘road trains’ with three or four trailers are only allowed in the outback.

        BTW: The fuel consumption of a 40t lorry is 3km/liter which is not that bad. The i.e. new Myvi has a consumption of 17,4km/liter and it’s weight is only around 1t. If you only take the weight into account, a Myvi should do 120km/liter to get the same fuel consumption as a lorry… ;)

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  • azrai on Jul 12, 2011 at 1:36 pm

    Modenas the next? :-)

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  • jules on Jul 12, 2011 at 1:50 pm

    No matter how big it is… they cannot gobble up Proton.

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    • Expatriate VN on Jul 12, 2011 at 4:06 pm

      Idiocrasy of highest order!

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    • Patriot on Jul 12, 2011 at 4:09 pm

      Proton ego is too big.

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      • Kumar san on Jul 12, 2011 at 8:19 pm

        Exactly.Spot on.They need to learn how to swallow their battered pride.Then only will things move at a supercharged steadfast rate.Until then,apalling news is all we will hear.

        Cheers.

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    • MoFaz on Jul 12, 2011 at 7:06 pm

      because Proton don’t want to be “dijajah”. they want to do it themselves, they want to do it japanese and korean way. if japanese and korean easily surrender to GM, Ford & Chrysler, there won’t be any Honda, Toyota or Hyundai today!!

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      • Ok, then have a better QC. Dun tell us you don’t have time to check the quality of parts from supplier. Instead of checking 10 items out of 100, check 20 or even more!

        I don’t absolutely blame them but having the knowledge of faulty/low quality parts from supplier, they could have done more. Cannot see, cannot hear, cannot speak.

        World class assembly factory building cars using sheety blocks.. Even lego blocks quality are better.

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  • Expatriate VN on Jul 12, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    “Who’s next to be gobbled up?”

    – Sure not Potong, VW is ambitious and want to be no. one in the world in term of qty and quality! Potong does’t fit in this bill. VW can sell more truck than Potong in term of no.

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  • Batman on Jul 12, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Daimler is going to build…..OPTIMUS PRIME….:drool:

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  • i tot its the new autobots.

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  • PakAbu on Jul 12, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    VW should buy Saab’s aeroplane business… if it’s still available :mrgreen:

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  • Kambing Gurun on Jul 12, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    Sometimes I think I should have bought a lorry instead of a car. Those look nice.

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    • If you ever have the chance to have a look into a cabin of a modern MAN, SCANIA, Mercedes or VOLVO, do it:

      Horsepower from 440hp upwards, aircondition, GPS, climate seat with air cushioning, refrigerator, sound system, hands-free mobile telephone system, Email, 16 gears with ‘splitgears’ (32 gears alltogether) and not to forget a comfortable bed… ;)

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  • VW keep buying more companies as their own group!but i think VW should buy Poton as their toy :)

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  • Samsung sold to Renault.
    Daewoo Sold to GM.
    Ssanyong sold to Mahindra.

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  • civicEK on Jul 13, 2011 at 12:21 am

    i just shoot their newly launch truck here in Malaysia last weekend, im their official photographer on dat day~ :)

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  • kamaji on Jul 13, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    VW will never gobble up Potong as long as the miles of red tape & kroni vendors still exist.

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  • Have to bear in mind that majority of Daimler 3 Star sales came from MFTBC (mainly Mitsubishi Fuso Canter)…it’s the leading brand for the group…without it, Daimler is nothing in heavy vehicle sector…Fuso itself is a Japanese co. which had to be sacrifies by MMC as a result of ‘big issues’ in late 90es & early 2000…if MMC didn’t sacrified MFTBC at that time, there’s very high possibality MMC itself will collapse..luckily they survive & managed to claw back…btw in early 90es…Volvo almost buy Scania..but it was block by EU Anti-monopoly policies…i don’t know whether Volks + MAN + Scania case will have to go through the scenario once again….anybody out there…do you have any related stories? pls share…it’s interesting..very hard to came across truck stories over here…

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    • ‘without it, Daimler is nothing in heavy vehicle sector’

      To my knowledge, the only ‘heavy’ truck from Fuso is the FP/FV series (max. 320hp).

      The Mercedes Actros on the other hand is available with engines from 320hp to 653hp… ;)

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      • Only in M’sia Fuso offered FP 320HP…pls check their main corporate web..nowadays they had offered beyond that, like up to 460HP…the main reason i guess why they didn’t bring those model because of our diesel quality…we’re just E2….while in SG already E4/5…not compatible…btw thanks 4 sharing the info..:)

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        • Hm, Fuso can’t offer more than 320hp because of our diesel quality? Why Volvo, MAN, SCANIA and Mercedes don’t have any problems with our fuel quality then? ;)

          Do they still build their own engines anyway? In the ‘Canter’ light truck Fuso is using FIAT engines since 2009:

          http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2007/06/22/127675/Mitsubishi-Fuso-Canter-to-get-Fiat-engine.htm

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          • Dear Mohd,

            1)I did’t mentioned ‘can’t’ but i mentioned ‘didn’t’..there must be reason of
            it..that 1 you need to ask MFTBC…otherwise how come they are willing to
            bring Fuso to thailand & SG in E3 & E4 standards? bcoz Thai Diesel is in
            E3 & SG in E4 standards…compatible…that’s the common sense answer

            2) why don’t you ask Volvo, MAN, Scania & Mercedes..they’re bringing which
            specs? Is it E3, E4 or E5?the 1 that i can recalled…the highest specs that
            we’ve over here is E3…becoz they no longer produce E2 specs engines
            for this region..infact all their buses also running on E3 standards
            (unless some recond vehicles which other parties are bringing in here)…
            compared to Japanese which still produce E2 specs for the region…are
            you very sure they don’t ‘have any problems’? my answer..simple..go ask
            them…they had highlighted the diesel issues to our govt many times…but
            the actions is very slow…btw are we ready for adBlue costs & etc issues?

            3) Yes…they still manufacture their own engines…The 1 you highlighted
            above is the newer version engines..where’s the engines for ‘Canter’ in
            SEA is different…if not mistaken it has been produce by MFTBC since
            2006..nothing to do with the ‘Fiat’ engines…:)

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  • Leonardo on Jul 13, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    If VW can acquire Volvo, they could overtake Diamler in the truck and Prime mover sector. Maybe they are already negotiating?

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