We like Daimler for this. KamAZ has - in addition to a good lump of the Russian market - some quite nice business in India through its relationship with Tatra-Vectra, and this would fit in rather nicely with Daimler's Hero JV.

Of the others, we're not sure about AB Volvo. It has already announced an expansion program for Russia through its Kaluga operation, and whilst KamAZ might offer it some additional infrastructure, we can envisage smoke coming from the collective ears of the 3P organisation should it be given yet another brand to integrate into the AB Volvo family.

Which leaves us with Iveco, which does seem a very long shot. It has quite enough to do in terms of sorting out exactly what - if anything - is to come from its MoU with Tata, as well as the vexed question of the North American market. Iveco already has a LCV JV through Samotlor-NN in Russia, whilst its HCV JV - Iveco-UralAZ has hardly stirred the imagination in recent times.

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