Navistar, Iveco end Aussi truck marketing deal

SYDNEY, Australia — Iveco Trucks and Navistar Australia have agreed to call it quits on their supply, technical assistance and license agreement on International brand trucks.

Come October 2010, Navistar products will be designed, manufactured and distributed by NC2, the global commercial truck joint venture between Navistar and Caterpillar Inc.

Under a separate agreement, Iveco will continue to provide authorized parts, service and support for International trucks in Australia for seven years and the Italian truckmaker will continue to build and sell its existing inventory of International trucks, which is currently estimated to extend through approximately June 2011.

Iveco, whose parent company Fiat acquired a 35 percent stake in Chrysler-Dodge last year, has been rumored to be considering a play in the North American commercial vehicle market.

Reportedly, the company could try to market its conventional Powerstar model here or perhaps supply a chassis to be marketed under Chrysler’s Ram Trucks brand.

Iveco is also building a new commercial van, which could displace the Daimler-built Sprinter van, currently marketed by Dodge.