The fog clears a bit with reference to Iveco's announcement that it is to open a new R&D facility in Brazil at the Fiat Sete Lagoas plant at a cost of some $15 million.

This is Iveco's second major investment in Brazil this year. Back in January it announced plans to increase its share of the truck market to 10 per cent from the current level of 4.2 per cent, and committed an extra US$68 million to its Brazilian operations.

Due to open by the end of May, the new centre will focus on the development of both a light and a heavy truck platform for the Latin American market. Sources at Iveco tell us that it has nothing to do with - at least for the moment - Tata.