About Volvo

Glady Reign asked:



Volvo was founded in the 1920’s by Assar Gabrielson and Gustav Larson, and 80 years later, the Volvo is now a global company employing thousands of people in different parts of the world.

What started as a subsidiary of ball bearing manufacturer SKF is now the leading manufacturer of safety oriented vehicle in the world. Volvo Cars, previously a part of AB Volvo, is now owned by the Ford Motor Company.

But before the Michigan based automaker got their hands on the car manufacturing segment of Volvo, the company has faced numerous challenges and has come out as one of the more popular high end vehicle producers in the industry. During the 1990’s, before the turn of the century, Volvo made a great leap by modernizing their lineup to cope with the changing times and the changing needs of the consumers.

In the autumn of 1990, Volvo released the Volvo 960 a midsize luxury car. The said vehicle was released for the 1991 model year. The 960 is the successor of the Volvo 760. A major changes made in the 960 as compared to the 760 is the direct overhead cam, 24-valve inline six-cylinder engine which is complemented by high performance Volvo 960 parts.

Throughout the 90’s, the Volvo 960 received upgrades for the 1992, 1993, and 1994 model years. The revision of the 960 shows Volvo’s dedication to cope with the changing demands by consumers of the auto industry. Some of the changes made in the 960 are the curvy seats, and the redesigned seatbelts equipped with hydraulic pretensioners which shows Volvo’s dedication to producing safe cars. Dual front airbags were made as standard in some market for the 1994 model year in the Volvo 960.

In 1998, before Volvo Cars was sold to the Ford Motor Company, Volvo launched the S80. The midsize luxury executive car S80 is the successor of the Volvo 960. The first S80 rolled out of Volvo’s assembly plant on May 6, 1998. All S80 units are produced in Volvo’s plant in Torslanda in Gothenburg, Sweden.

During the early existence of the S80, Volvo did not offer a wagon version for it. Only more recently did Volvo markets a wagon version of the S80, the third generation V70.

After Ford acquired Volvo Cars, the brand has managed to get a hold on auto markets all over the world. The European brand currently has 2,500 dealerships scattered over 100 markets in the globe. The company’s biggest sales come from Europe with 60 percent of their sales coming from the continent. Thirty percent of their sales come from North America, particularly the United States, and the remaining ten percent is divided by different countries all over the world, most notably in the Asian continent.

Carl

dishafisha asked:


Can you please tell me the official website for “Volvo” buses?
How can I register online for the bus tickets and/or know if they are available?

Warren

Glady Reign asked:



In the past, Volvo has been known to use five or four cylinder engines and not much with the use of huge V8 engines. The company’s preference of smaller engines is, of course, the safety of its consumers. The Swedish car company is also known for the boxy design of their cars, the reason for which is of course safety.

But as time changes, Volvo see it fit that they must attract the younger car buyers and thus they should be able to match what their competitors offer. That is why Volvo has moved away from boxy designs and has started using V8 engines on their vehicles.

The first ever Volvo to be equipped with a V8 is the award winning XC90 which is incidentally is the prize to be given away by Volvo in this year’s partnership with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean film. The XC90 is also the living proof that Volvo has done well in using a V8 engine for their vehicle.

The company has made the XC90 a success because they have taken their time in producing a V8 powered vehicle. By learning what to do and what not to do in the use of V8 engines has made the XC90 an instant hit in the auto market. For the coming years, Volvo XC90’s competitors will surely undergo improvements and Volvo appears to be ready to improve the XC90 for it to remain as one of the leaders in its segment.

For the new model year, the XC90 will be still equipped with the V8 developed by Yamaha for the Ford Motor Company. Partnering with the Japanese company, Volvo has developed an engine capable of producing 311 horsepower at 3900 revolutions per minute. This power is enough to give the XC90 good amount of power for normal uses. The engine is 754 mm in length and 635 mm across. The relatively smaller engine tips the scale at 190 kilograms and is considered as one of the cleanest gasoline engines today.

The engine is transversely mounted onto the engine compartment of the Volvo XC90. Initially, one of the problems faced by Volvo in the use of V8 engines on the XC90 is the space on its engine bay. The XC90’s predecessors are equipped with in-line engines and therefore occupy less space than the V8. While Volvo may have increased the engine bay of the XC90, it opts to use the V8 engine developed by Yamaha for Ford. The smaller V8 engine uses the same angle commonly found on V6 engines. This configuration allowed Volvo to fit a V8 engine on the XC90’s engine compartment.

In terms of safety, the placement of the engine is thought about thoroughly. While other car manufacturers use a 50-50 weight distribution of the two banks of V8 engines, Volvo compromised the balance to give the XC90 a better crash protection. The reasoning behind the compromise is that the slightly out of balance placement of the engine will affect the vehicle’s ride comfort in a very small way that it is almost negligible.

Another step taken by Volvo in fitting the V8 engine onto the XC90’s engine bay is the elimination of brackets. For example, the vehicle’s starter motor is mounted on top of the transmission thus giving space around the engine. The transmission used by Volvo in the XC90 to be mated with the V8 engine is a six-speed Geartronic automatic gear box. One of the most notable features of this gear box is its overdrive gear. This means that the vehicle can have a quieter cruising operation while providing a good fuel efficiency. Shifting the gears can be done manually as Volvo integrated a feature into the transmission which allows driver to do so.

With the high power output offered by the engine and the Volvo XC90’s respectable off-road driving capabilities, it is set to once again dominate its segment. Not only does the XC90 posses a highly efficient engine, the exemplary vehicle also exhibits what Volvo calls Scandinavian luxury. The interior of the XC90 offers good comfort to its occupants with a highly efficient cooling system for hot weathers and an equally efficient Volvo heater core for those cold winter driving. Being a Volvo of course means that the XC90 will be loaded with the most advanced safety features developed.

Carolyn

Glady Reign asked:



Volvo, Ford’s Swedish luxury brand has earlier introduced a new sport utility vehicle that marks the beginning of a new design concept that would be employed for future Volvo cars. Steve Mattin, Volvo Cars Design Director said that the car represent “the DNA of future Volvos”. He further stated, “We’re about to elevate Volvo’s DNA to new levels by pumping up the volume. It takes the emotion of the C30 a step further.”

The XC60 that made its debut at the recently held North American International Auto Show in Detroit was said to exude brand new styling and design that reflects the forthcoming lineup of the automaker.

The XC60 is an addition to the SUV lineup of Volvo. Its features include a glass roof, mechanical tailgate, 20-inch rims, new shifting mechanism and newly styled grille. Its large Volvo logo has also made it look bolder and meaner. As an added feature, it was given a distinct rear end to further emphasize the tailgate and the Volvo logo.

This is precisely what Steve Mattin meant when he said, “If you can recognize a Volvo from 50 meters today, I want to get to the point where people will be able to spot one from twice the distance in the future. We need to be recognizable as Volvo. We’re still about Scandinavian simplicity; we can’t be playful or do styling for the sake of styling. Volvos last a long time, so our design must have legs. But we can’t be too simple or we’d edge toward blandness. And we can’t just change; we must be fresh. I want to broaden our design and have more variation between car lines.”

Volvo Car President Fredrik Arp has also added that the XC60 is likely to become “the C30 owner’s next car”. Arp also added that the production version of the SUV would be very much identical to the concept. Mattin said that XC60 was designed like a “giant iPod”.

The vehicle has undergone meticulous engineering so as not to compromise the traditional Volvo safety features. Volvo enthusiasts could still get to see the Volvo auto care feature that the loved like the low-speed adaptive braking system called the City Safety. This safety feature prevents the XC60 from running and crashing into the car in front that is running at low speed. The SUV is also given Volvo’s 3-liter 6-cylinder flex-fuel engine which allows the used of ethanol instead of the petrol. The new engine also reduces emissions by up to eighty percent.

“Our V8 package feels immensely solid. When it comes to power and performance, we’re in the same class as the very best in the segment. What’s more, we’re sure that a large proportion of these customers will appreciate the fact that the power and driveability can be combined with high safety and good environmental properties. It’s important that we can launch a V8 without compromising on our core values,” said Hans-Olov Olsson, Volvo Cars President and CEO.

The XC60 is Volvo’s entry to the fastest-growing sector of the automotive market. The automaker is also expecting for its XC60 to boost sales by seventy-five percent or 443,000 units of vehicles sold expected in the next couple of years. Volvo is also expecting that a great number of its buyers will come from the young and active urbanities. Arp also added that the XC60 will be as important as the C30 in expanding the brand’s sales. He further stated that the concept is a good indicator of what the production model will look like. It should be noted that Arp has previously made a statement confirming that the production will be identical to the concept.

Volvo has high hopes for its XC60 same as its other models. The XC60 SUV just like the other Volvo models are equipped with top-of-the-line auto parts from its most complicated parts down to bitsy parts like the Volvo ignition coil. This simply goes to show that the automaker is really serious when it comes to their cars.

About Volvo

Volvo is a medium size premier car maker in Sweden with a production of around 400,000 cars per year. It has been able to topple down Saab which was then the largest Swedish car maker. Unfortunately the volume of its manufactured cars was not enough to support the company and that was when Volvo industrial group, the mother company, decided to sell the car division to Ford in 1998 for $6.42 Billion USD. Volvo industrial has used the money in financing further its truck business.

Volvo Cars was then integrated into Ford’s premier Automotive Group (PAG) which consists of Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin (which Ford will also sell). Volvo has always kept its distinct design and R&D independent from the rest of other PAG members but shares platforms and components with Ford Europe and Mazda.

Volvo is recognized for producing the safest cars in the world and to keep up with this image the automaker has always made research and development its top most priority. The S40 and S80 manufactured by Volvo have scored the highest marks in the European NCAP crash test. Many innovations on car safety were also developed by Volvo such as the SIPS (Side Impact Protection System), inflatable curtain air bag, WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) and the City Safety. Volvo is also the very first automaker to really take pedestrian protection seriously.

In the early 90’s the automaker has been building vehicles that are designed to lure younger buyers. It started by launching high-performance versions of the 850 sedan (T5 and T5R). This was succeeded by the introduction of a new breed of vehicles which includes the S80, V70 and S60 said to reflect the automaker’s new design direction. Volvo under Ford was able to expand its range to five model lines which includes the trend-setting XC90.

Marian

Glady Reign asked:



At the 2006 Paris Motor Show, Volvo unveiled their smallest car to date - the three-door, four-seater hatchback C30. The vehicle also became one of the reasons for Volvo’s reentry to the 2007 Montreal Auto Show. Currently, the C30 is about to be launched in the United Kingdom and Volvo is about to commence their biggest ad campaign in more than ten years.

The Volvo C30 is aimed at the younger generation of car buyers and the said ad campaign will be aimed at the mentioned age bracket. The C30 needs all the push it can give especially since it is going up against popular brands such as Alfa Romeo, Audi and Volkswagen.

The ad campaign is now seen as one of the most radical steps that Volvo has taken in recent memory. With a national advertising campaign, it seems that Volvo has pulled all the stops to give the C30 significant boost going into the UK car market. Volvo will us the “What do you think?” tagline in their ad campaign which will cover television, print, outdoor, and digital mediums. The ad campaign will be launched on May 4 and is primarily aimed to gauge the opinion of the motoring public concerning the Volvo C30.

The first 18 days of the ad campaign will see Volvo covering different mediums in order to promote the C30. After that initial salvo, Volvo will then start to design the four and a half months of advertising the special model features found on the Volvo C30. At these ad campaigns, one of the attributes of the C30 that will be highlighted is its fuel efficiency. This is, of course, aimed at car buyers who are concerned about the increasing threat of global warming. Its small size, while giving the C30 good fuel economy also allows the vehicle to navigate around urban areas.

Anita Fox, the head of marketing communications for Volvo UK touts the C30 launch as the boldest advertising endeavor ever taken by Volvo. “The C30 launch heralds Volvo’s most radical marketing campaign ever. It had been designed to captivate a much younger, marketing savvy, target audience, and breakout of the traditional Volvo values that are not relevant to this audience,” says Fox.

The ad campaign when launched can be likened to a Volvo clutch when engaged for it then unleashes the power of the engine. The same can be said for the ad campaign which when launched will unleash the advertising power of Volvo. The ad campaign will begin with 10 second television ads, then a longer 20 second ads will be shown all over UK. During the same time, Volvo will also use colored print ads will be posted on selected daily, weekly, and monthly publication. Outdoor posters will also be used by Volvo in the promotion of the C30. All of these will encourage consumers to visit Volvo’s Freewill website where they will be invited to post their comments on the C30.

Gene

Evander Klum asked:



There is no better way to improve on the looks of one’s Volvo than having a hand in the selection of one’s Volvo accessories from Volvo. Volvo Accessories are crafted exclusively for Volvo vehicles. They are designed to match the specifications of the Volvo vehicle to ensure perfect fit. Thus, when it comes to caring and enhancing one’s Volvo, investing in accessories will surely do the trick. A Volvo accessory is just the thing for anyone who wants to add that personal touch missing from one’s vehicle. Through the use of accessories, cars can easily reflect individual personality, customizing it to fit one’s tastes as well as whims. Aside from improving the car’s appearance, Volvo accessories also add comfort and convenience. The functionality of one’s Volvo car model is thus improved with the addition of a number of Volvo accessories, particularly those designed to increase engine power.

Since Volvo accessories are not created solely to serve aesthetic purposes but functional ones as well, availing of them smacks wholly of practicality. One can install the Volvo front and rear park assist, so backing into parking spaces between cars is easier to manage. This device also alerts the driver when the car is getting too close to an object in front. For bicycle lovers who like to set off during weekends, the Volvo bicycle holder and bicycle lift is the perfect add-on accessory for such trips. The Volvo bicycle holder is designed to let one carry up to two bicycles and an extra holder is also available in case one needs to take along more bicycles for a family outing.

Speaking of outings, one can also have a Volvo roof box “weekender” installed. It is a compact and ergonomic 370-litre roof box for additional luggage space. It is easy to secure to, as well as detach from, one’s Volvo and able to manage a maximum load of 50 kg. In order to help one’s Volvo carry extra-large objects, the load basket is the perfect solution. It is an aluminum roof rack basket sturdy enough to withstand heavy loads, bumpy roads, and long travels. When winter comes, getting snow chains is one effective protective measure to take against the slippery roads. So yes, rain or shine, sun or snow, Volvo accessories are always welcome additions to one’s vehicle.

Elizabeth

Glady Reign asked:



Coupes have come and gone in Volvo’s lineup for years. For example, in 1981, mass production of the Volvo 262C, which is a model of Volvo’s early coupe, was discontinued. After four years without a coupe in their lineup, the Sweden-based car manufacturer unveiled at the 1985 International Auto Show in Geneva, Switzerland their return to the two-door coupe market with the 4-seater Volvo 780.

The then newest coupe in the stable of Volvo was designed by the same designer of the defunct Volvo 262C - the designing house in Turin, Italy which is Carrozzeria Bertone. While the Volvo 262C and the Volvo 780 was designed and built by the same outfit, the Volvo 780 is given its own distinctive shape but is still identifiable as a Volvo.

The design of the car is prominently Volvo. It has a low profile that is common in the 700 series of the Volvo lineup. What separates this though from its cousins are its even lower hood, trunk and roof lines, making it the lowest profile car in the entire Volvo 700 series. But the lower profile of the car does not sacrifice space for the car’s occupants. In fact, the lowering of the roofline increases the headroom of the Volvo 780 over the Volvo 262C. The interior of the coupe rivals those of its toughest competition. Chrome dominates the design of the car in itself, from the bumper to the door handles to the side moldings. The window frames which had a black matte trim were also accented with chrome.

Through the car’s production days, it has undergone improvements to make its performance even better. In the coupe’s first two years in the global market, it came equipped with a B280F V6 engine and a live rear axle. In its third year, the coupe was equipped with improved Volvo 780 parts. This includes an independent rear suspension that gave the car better suspension and improved handling. The upgraded rear suspension system configuration is equipped with self-leveling Nivomat shocks which keeps the ride height of the vehicle at its correct level. The improvements made to the car increased its performance but the company is not done with its improvement to the car, while it uses a V6, power is still not at par with some of its competitors.

The B280F V6 engine employed at that time by the Volvo 780 can only cough out 150 horsepower which, primarily, is not enough to power the car efficiently through more than normal demands. The car, after all, weighs 3400 pounds and to drive something that heavy, a better performing power plant is needed. What the company came up with is the B230FT+, which is essentially a B230FT engine with a boost controller which is the Turbo+ developed by Volvo. The newer engine has a relatively higher output of 175 horsepower. This power is further increased to 188 horsepower the following year. The significant increase in the power output of the engine which the 780 employs made this a serious competitor in its class.

The coupe lasted in the market for five years when production of the coupe was ceased in 1990, through that time - Volvo has produced 8,518 cars although different sources estimated that the number of these cars produced is actually much higher. After the discontinuation of the coupe model of Volvo, the company would be absent again from the said market for another five years. Their absence in the coupe market is once again broken by the release of the Volvo C70 in 1995. Today though, Volvo is concentrating on the coupe market evident in their recent unveiling of the Volvo C30 at the Montreal International Auto Show.

Melvin

Glady Reign asked:



The Indian auto industry is booming and global automakers are taking advantage of the situation. Aside from being a growing market for automobiles, the country is fast becoming the favorite of car manufacturers in terms of sourcing auto components. Toyota and Nissan have already expressed their plans to purchase auto parts made in India. And recently, another carmaking company announced that they will be looking to buy more auto components in India.

Swedish automaker Volvo recently announced that they are going to procure auto parts from India. This means that the Swedish company’s assembly plants in France, United States, Brazil, Sweden and complete knock down plants all over the world will be supplied with auto component made in India in the near future.

Volvo has already ordered 80 million euro worth of auto parts from the prominent Indian auto parts maker. This auto parts manufacturer will start delivering Volvo’s order sometime this year.

“Global sourcing in India is undertaken by our purchasing organization located in Europe and the US,” says Volvo India managing director Eric Leblanc. “Volvo 3P, a Volvo business unit responsible for product development, purchase and product planning, provides the local support to our global organization for sourcing from Indian suppliers. At Volvo, we strongly believe India is increasingly becoming the global hub of auto components sourcing,” he added further.

The Volvo 3P’s task is to aid Volvo’s planed expansion in Asia. The business unit is also supposed to support the car company’s developmental sites in Allentown, Gothenburg, Greensboro, and Lyon. The other sites are in Brisbane, Curitiba, and in Shanghai.

Interestingly, the Volvo Group also sourced its components from India. This means that not only Volvo cars will be equipped with Indian-made auto components but Volvo trucks as well. Aside from Volvo Trucks, the Volvo Group also provides auto parts to Renault and Mack Trucks. Volvo Bus, Volvo Construction and Volvo Penta also use components from India.

Several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) are the ones who will provide Volvo with the auto parts they are in need of. Parts like drive axles, castings, sheet metal, rubber parts, engine components, and transmission parts just like Volvo 940 parts will be supplied by Indian OEMs. “This portfolio will see further inclusion over time,” said Leblanc. Aside from India, Volvo also expressed their interest in purchasing auto parts from Mexico, Brazil, China, Turkey, and Eastern Europe.

“Volvo believes emerging markets have a strong potential to serve global demand. These markets have been identified as they are quality conscious besides offering a relative cost advantage,” said the Volvo India director.

The interest that car manufacturers are showing in the Indian auto parts industry will be beneficial to the economy of the country. With a better economy, more Indians would be able to buy cars which car manufacturers are happy to supply them with. Already, India is being considered as the fastest growing auto market in the world. With the investments poured into the country by ca manufacturers, it would be a win-win situation for the country and the carmakers.

The reason why car manufacturers like Toyota, Nissan and now, Volvo are interested in the auto parts industry in India is the lower wage in the country. By buying auto parts from India for less than what they would have to shell out if they will manufacture their own vehicles, they would be saving a lot and at the same time turning in a huge profit.

Courtney

lucdeluc asked:


I purchased a 2003 volvo s80 t6 with 120 000 kms on the clock. Soon i noticed that the car seemed to rattle and it has a hard suspension. The car does not handle or feel like a prestige car. The noise it makes on the road surface is irritating. Is this common to these cars?

Fernando

Sunshine asked:


I have to let my 1983 Volvo idle (for the first couple of minutes with my foot on the gas) for about 7-10 minutes before it will drive without stalling. After it gets past that point, it rides like a dream. What can I do to decrease the warm-up/idle time? Adjust the idle? Something with the throttle? Help!
I just bought the car last week, but I think it’s been at least a year since it had a tune-up. Would that help?

Suzanne