GUADALAJARA, MEXICO — The Mexican truck market has grown to 25,000 - 27,000 annual sales per year, according to Volvo, putting it on par with Canada and positioning it as one of the largest truck markets globally.

As a result, Volvo is expanding its presence in the country, officially launching the new VNL and for the first time, adding the VNR regional haul and VAH auto hauler truck models to the Mexican market.

“Expanding our product range makes Volvo Trucks even more competitive in the Mexican market,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America, in making the announcement at the Expo Transporte commercial vehicle show. “We now have innovative, leading products for regional haul, long-haul and autohauler operations.”

The company has also worked to provide more access to truck buyers in and around Mexico City, investing 6 million to bring its trucks to the Group Alden dealership network and bringing the total number of Volvo dealer locations in Mexico to 43. The company has a presence in 140 countries with manufacturing operations on each continent.

Distinguishing it from U.S. versions, the VNL series trucks sold in Mexico will be offered with the Volvo D11 and D13 engines certified at EPA 04/ Euro 4, the country’s current emissions standard. Volvo GHG 17 engines will be an available option for trucks that will operate in areas where they’re permissible and ultra-low-sulfur diesel and diesel exhaust fluid are available.

For the first time, Volvo also introduced the new VNR series for regional haul operations and an expansion of the VAH auto hauler series in the country. Previously Volvo Trucks was mostly only offering the VNL in the Mexican market. The VNR and VAH will also be offered with U.S. EPA 04/ Euro 4 engines and GHG17 engines will be available as an option.

All Volvo Trucks produced for the North American market are produced at the company’s Dublin, Virginia, manufacturing plant, and the number of vehicles being built is expected to increase.

Volvo now projects North America’s Class 8 market to reach 260,000 units next year, compared to 235,000 in 2017. That could even be a conservative number, according to Magnus Koeck, vice president of marketing and brand management at Volvo Trucks North America, who noted that some analysts are predicting as many as 309,000 units. “We will see if that will hold.”

John G. Smith of Today's Trucking contributed to this story.