LDV will show its 3.5-tonne Maxus chassis cab at this year's CV Show, with full production expected in the summer. Its arrival comes more than 18 months after the demise of the Convoy chassis cab. Commenting on this long gap, LDV chief executive Steve Young says: "I don't think we've lost any customers as a result. In fact we are already getting enquiries from customers who stopped buying our chassis cabs a long time ago." Young expects the newcomer to take a 3% share of the chassis cab market this year, rising to between 15-20% in 2008. Young confirms to MT that there are plans to expand LDV's range, "although not in the immediate future. We certainly don't plan to remain a Maxus-only company for too long," he says. "We are considering products both lighter and heavier than the Maxus."
Young says one option could be to develop the prototype Cityvan that Gaz previewed at last year's Moscow Motor Show. "Gaz also has a product above 3.5 tonnes, which could be developed quickly," he says. LDV has aspirations to increase its European presence, and has just recruited both a dedicated export director in the and a commercial manager for the region. In the second half of this year it will enter the German market, and plans to appoint 12 dealers in and eight in and this year. In 2006 it sold just 200 Maxus in , and this year it is confident that the figure will grow ten-fold. Young says LDV is also concentrating on its used van sales business, and describes its fortnightly e-auctions and newly-launched website as successes. "If there's a chance to make two lots of profit on a van, then I'm all for it" he says.
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