Random Shots#20 and whither Mack

There are questions in the trucking industry now about where Mack trucks may be going under Volvo ownership. There are fears that it may go the way of Autocar, Reo and Diamond T and that would be sad indeed.

Autocar was a free standing eastern truck manufacturer. White took over Autocar, which was gradually subsumed into White, when White adopted the Autocar cab. White also used the Reo cab and nameplate and gradually Reo disappeared. They sold the Diamond T brand, but kept Autocar as an eastern truck and set up White Western Star as a western truck.

When Volvo took over White/GMC the Autocar was still a different truck, but eventually it became little more than a label and eventually the name was sold.

Now here is Mack, surviving pretty well under Renault ownership, but now with Volvo in control, the Mack engine-unique in the industry at one time- is disappearing.

If Mack and Volvo are competing for the same market, how long can Mack survive as a freestanding truck?