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What about Volvo's future?

240 messages,  Last post on Dec 03, 2012 at 6:21 PM

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#1 of 240 What about Volvo's future ???? by rockylee

Apr 16, 2006 (12:49 am)

How many of you think Volvo will be a major player in the future ?

#2 of 240 What do ya'll think...... by rockylee

Apr 16, 2006 (12:53 am)

How many of you like/love the new Volvo S80 ?
 
Any of you considering a purchase/lease of this car ?
 
Do you think we'll see a Type R version with a stick ?
 
When will the S80 be available for purchase ?
 
Do any of you think Volvo is a benefit or negative brand for Ford ?
 
Will Volvo add profitability to the Ford line-up ?
 
Is Volvo the safest automobile company on the road today ?
 
These are just a few questions I would like answered with facts and opinions on this forum.
 
Happy Easter
 
Rocky

#3 of 240 Volvo.......lost in the identy shuffle by rocketman67

Apr 17, 2006 (4:01 am)

Volvo had a following of loyal die had customers. Now it's following a list of brands that have an identity crisis:Sab,Saturn,Buick,Mercury,Jaguar.
My brother and sister-n-law and now my sister have second thoughts about buying another Volvo because it's owned by Ford. This is contrary to the fact that they like their cars and have had good reliability experience. Go figure!

#4 of 240 Does being owned... by lemko

Apr 17, 2006 (5:10 am)

...by Ford hurt Volvo and does being owned by Mercedes help Chrysler? Unlike GM toward Saab, I think Ford as a parent keeps its nose out of its child's affairs. Certainly Volvo styling hasn't been more attractive. Would have Volvo survived without Ford? I'm sure Jaguar would've expired around 1990 without them as would've Saab without GM.

#5 of 240 Re: What do ya'll think...... [rockylee] by au1994

Apr 17, 2006 (6:04 am)

Replying to: rockylee (Apr 16, 2006 12:53 am)
In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that we have a Volvo S40 so I'm slightly biased.
 
I do like the S80, I think it is a beautiful design and would be interested to see a road test to learn more. That said, it's out of my price range so it won't be on my shopping list any time soon.
 
The engineering strength of Volvo is a bonus for Ford. They have already used this in marketing campaigns and I think they are a profit center for Ford already. Thats something Ford needs a lot of right now.
 
I think Volvo will continue to have a solid presence here. As has been said, they do have a loyal following and the new designs are attracting more interest. Quality must continue to improve. There are just too many choices out there now in the premium lux-performance area to get by with sub par quality.
 
Let me explain why we chose our S40 and maybe that will help explain why I think they will continue with sucess here.
 
We liked the distinct design and "uniqueness" of the Volvo. In this class, BMW 3 series, Acura TSX's, Infiniti G35's and the like have become very common. We did not want to see ourselves at every traffic light.
 
Bang for the buck performance wise and luxury wise. 218 hp, full leather, pwr driver and passenger seat for well under 30k. A comparable BMW could not be had for under 30.
 
The safety of the cars was considered a bonus.
 
I think they have an opportunity to market their wagons during this time of rising gas prices. Drove one as a loaner while the car was in for service and loved it. Does not have the ride height as an SUV, but had every bit as much room as my 4Runner and a much much better ride and fuel economy.
 
Sorry for the ramble, just my .02.

#6 of 240 Re: What do ya'll think...... [rockylee] by volvomax

Apr 17, 2006 (3:31 pm)

Replying to: rockylee (Apr 16, 2006 12:53 am)
To answer your questions
 
i like the new S80, I would love to have seen the first version that was rejected though.
There won't be a manual version for the US, and likely no R spec version either.
 
The S80 will be available in the US the end of the year
 
Ford needs to fix its own issues first, Volvo's profitability is nice, but won't sustain Ford.
 
Volovo safest, no doubt. Other car companies make safe cars, but no one maker has all the advantages Volvo has.

#7 of 240 Re: What do ya'll think...... [volvomax] by rockylee

Apr 17, 2006 (11:40 pm)

Replying to: volvomax (Apr 17, 2006 3:31 pm)
There won't be a manual version for the US, and likely no R spec version either.
 
That stinks....
 
The S80 will be available in the US the end of the year
  
As a 2007 or 2008 model ?
 
Volovo safest, no doubt. Other car companies make safe cars, but no one maker has all the advantages Volvo has.
 
Saab comes pretty darn close. One thin when I think of Scandinavian cars, is SAFETY Volvo and Saab sure deliver. Both have good reputations for quality and make cars that are like no other. I'm hoping GM will be more Volvo-ish since I love the new S80.
 
Volvomax, do you know how much a loaded out new S80 might cost me ?
 
Thanx,
 
Rocky
 
P.S. Thanx folks for contributing. Keep up the good work. Volvo is a great car company. I wish their dealerships were a little easier to work with.
 
Rocky

#8 of 240 Volvo vs. Saab by prosa

Apr 18, 2006 (8:15 am)

Saab comes pretty darn close. One thin when I think of Scandinavian cars, is SAFETY Volvo and Saab sure deliver. Both have good reputations for quality and make cars that are like no other.
 
Saab has a reputation in the United States as being a vehicle for quirky nonconformist types. While it exploits its niche quite well, when all is said and done it's still a small niche. Volvo is more mainstream, especially among those buyers who focus on safety. These differing perceptions may make it difficult for Saab to ever reach the same sales levels as Volvo, even ignoring the differences in corporate ownership.

#9 of 240 Prognosis for Volvo by lweiss

Apr 18, 2006 (8:46 am)

I own a 1998 Volvo S-70 base model (107K) and my sister has a 2000 Volvo S-80 (90K), both our first Volvos and both have the same opinions- nice cars, great features, long lasting, wonderful seats, good safety- but neither of us would buy another one. Why? Because they are very expensive to maintain and are subject to frequent nuisance maintenance (electrical, etc), which is typical of most European makes. And their acquisition prices are pretty high. Thing is Volvo used to have a wonderful market for affluent people that were safety conscious but guess what- the Asian manufacturers make vehicles with good safety ratings too now, with wonderful features and better price points. If you look at the sales figures for Volvo in the U.S. over the past year, the trend is not good. Lots of Volvo buyers going to the lower end Acura/Lexus/Infinity lines. I am not optimistic for Volvo.

#10 of 240 Re: What do ya'll think...... [rockylee] by volvomax

Apr 18, 2006 (10:14 am)

Replying to: rockylee (Apr 17, 2006 11:40 pm)
The S80 will probably be a 2007 model.
 
Look for a loaded V8 to sticker somewhere in the mid $50's.

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