Owner/Driver #339
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continue to fill the void left at Mack until a<br />
suitable replacement is found.<br />
VP of UD, Lauren Downs, took the opportunity<br />
to further outline what the UD and Isuzu<br />
partnership will look like with the main theme<br />
being that it’s not a clear cut change of ownership<br />
of UD to Isuzu but a ‘strategic partnership’, which<br />
benefits both parties, stating how this strategic<br />
alliance works will be different for different<br />
markets.<br />
“Volvo Group Australia will be the sole importer<br />
and the sole distributor of the UD product here in<br />
Australia,” Downs says, adding: “The changes will<br />
be limited as both brands are successful in their<br />
own rights.”<br />
The partnership, which is slated to continue for<br />
20 years, will be overseen by a board with offices<br />
in both Sweden and Japan and filled with key<br />
members of both brands, including Volvo CEO<br />
Martin Lundstedt.<br />
“Isuzu will<br />
remain a direct<br />
competitor.”<br />
Downs went on to address the issue of UD<br />
and Isuzu competing for the same slice of the<br />
Australian truck market in segments that are<br />
already highly competitive.<br />
“There are currently no plans to change the UD<br />
product line up or strategy. We believe we have the<br />
best premium Japanese product,” Downs says.<br />
“Isuzu will remain a direct competitor, and in<br />
our minds it’s full steam ahead and there’s not<br />
much they can do.”<br />
For the new Volvo models the FL, FM, FH and<br />
newly introduced crew cab FM come with a host<br />
of safety features including adaptive high beam<br />
lighting, which senses an approaching vehicle<br />
and dims head lights on one side while retaining<br />
high beam on the offside, a blind spot camera<br />
activated by the left turn indicator and adaptive<br />
radar cruise control, which now works down<br />
to zero km/h from the previous low of 15km/h,<br />
which Volvo says is advantageous in stop/start city<br />
conditions.<br />
The adaptive cruise is also upgraded for greater<br />
connectivity, with vehicle systems allowing better<br />
downhill retardation of the truck.<br />
Top right: Paul Ilmer, VP of sales, strategy and support<br />
Above: UD vice president Lauren Downs<br />
Left: Volvo Trucks vice president Gary Bone<br />
78 APRIL 2021 ownerdriver.com.au
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