Road Tests

DAF Trucks

12 October 2007

DAF CF85 4x2 tractor

DAF Trucks is one of the seven major truck manufacturers in Western Europe (along with Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Scania and Volvo).

History

Wim van Doorne founded a general engineering company in 1928 in Einhoven, Holland, which became Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagen Fabriek (‘Van Doorne’s Trailer Factory’) or DAF in the 1930s.

After the Second World War the firm diversified into car and truck production, and the name changed to Van Doorne’s Automobiel Fabriek – again DAF.

In 1975 the car division was sold to Volvo, and in 1987 DAF Trucks took over the Leyland Trucks division of Austin Rover, including the Freight Rover van-making division.

The collapse

In February 1993 DAF NV went into administration; soon after, a management buyout saw DAF Trucks created in Holland, while separate MBOs gave rise to van-maker LDV in Birmingham and Leyland Trucks in Lancashire.

DAF Trucks continued to build models from the 7.5-tonne 45 Series to the 95 Series at its Eindhoven plant, and to market trucks under the Leyland DAF brand in the UK.

PACCAR

DAF Trucks was bought by US firm PACCAR in 1996. PACCAR is a family firm which already owned US truck manufacturers Peterbilt and Kenworth and (since 1981) UK heavy truck builder Foden.

Leyland Trucks

PACCAR went on to buy Leyland Trucks in 1998: although the ‘Leyland DAF’ name has been dropped, DAF retains strong links to the UK thanks to a formidable dealer network and the retention of the Leyland Trucks factory in Leyland, Lancashire. This is one of the most efficient truck production plants in the world, and regularly wins awards for its quality standards, within PACCAR and externally.

The Leyland facility produces the LF series, the CF65 and right-hand-drive versions of the CF75, CF85, XF95and XF105.