Germany's MAN unveils heavy truck for China

April 19, 2011 | 15:59

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German truckmaker MAN said Tuesday it was launching a new brand of heavy lorry aimed at China and other fast-growing emerging markets, to be showcased at the Shanghai auto show.

Via its partnership with Chinese firm Sinotruk, MAN plans to start production of the new brand, to be known worldwide as Sitrak but as Shandeka in China, late this year, with sales to begin in early 2012.

The Munich-based firm said it expected 200,000 of the new lorries to be sold annually by 2018.

The new brand "will now enable us to offer our customers a Chinese truck with state-of-the-art technology," said Chunji Ma, supervisory board chairman of Sinotruk.

MAN boss Georg Pachta-Reyhofen hailed the launch as "an important step" in what he called the firm's "global expansion."

The truckmaker is already the most-imported brand in Russia and plans significant expansion in Brazil.

The Shanghai auto show opened to the press Tuesday, with the world's top carmakers launching new products in a bid to grab a slice of the lucrative Chinese market.

World premieres at the show include Volkswagen's new retro-styled Beetle, General Motors' new Chevrolet Malibu and the new Citroen DS5, from France's PSA Group.

AFP

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