About Volvo

Lee C asked:


I have a 1995 Volvo 850 GLT and I recently drove about a half mile with the parking brake on. Will that damage the car in any way? Also, did the 850 GLT have an alternate set of rear brakes that acted as the parking brake?

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Glady Reign asked:


The sporty car segment of the auto industry has more to give. From sleek sedans to retro roadsters, the said segment has a wide variety of options to entice car aficionados. These sporty cars are priced from a minimum of around $16,000 to just over $40,000.

One of the stunning cars on the roads these days is the Pontiac Solstice, a roadster introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. The car uses the GM Kappa platform which it shares with the Opel GT and Saturn Sky. According to some enthusiasts, driving a Pontiac Solstice is like driving a sharpened pencil. This is how thrilling the Solstice could be. As a fact, the car has been a runaway success for Pontiac. In the first 10 days of availability there were already 7,000 recorded orders. In addition, before winter came, 6,000 more orders came in. Last year, the car was also nominated for the North American Car of the Year award and Design of the Year award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

One of Pontiac Solstice’s close rivals is the MX-5 Miata from Mazda. The Mazda MX-5 is a roadster famed for its lightweight materials and flexibility. The car was designed with a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and four-wheel independent double wishbone suspension. It comes with an enhanced interior and a brand new elegance.

When it comes to the futuristic interior in a sporty car, the Mitsubishi Eclipse would capture attention. The two-door, four-seat sport compact car was named after an 18th century racehorse which has won a total of 26 races in its entire racing career.

The iconic American sports car called the Corvette is Chevrolet’s pride entry. For more than 5 decades, Corvettes have combined powerful engines, simplicity and affordability. The long list of stunning sporty cars also includes the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Both of the cars received a minor facelift but still manage to tickle nostalgia.

Another great brand in the sporty car segment is Ford having the Mustang as its entry. The automaker’s ponies are known for their groundbreaking power and performance. The Ford Mustang is equipped with upgraded suspension, bigger stabilizers and a much improved security. The Ford Mustang sold more than 1 million units in its first 18 months in the market.

The long list does not end there because an enticing addition is delivered by Volvo. According to enthusiasts, Volvo XC90 epitomizes a classy family vehicle that is as safe as a tank. It is a luxury vehicle that offers a long list safety and convenience features. Aside from that Volvo, made it a lot sportier and futuristic this time.

The 2007 base model of the vehicle comes with a 3.2 liter, inline, six-cylinder engine that delivers 235 horsepower, considerably more than the previously available 2.5-liter, 211-horsepower, five-cylinder engine. The vehicle also comes with an even bigger 4.4-liter, 311-horsepower V8 that was first introduced in 2005. To boost the performance of the Volvo XC90, the automaker enhanced its Volvo power steering pump and other auto parts.

The Volvo XC90 with the six-cylinder engine costs $36,830. The vehicle with the V8 engine is priced at $47,120 while the Sport version which comes with a stiffer suspension and some special styling cues cost $49,995. Aside from sporty and futuristic design, another selling point of the vehicle is safety. It is one of the 13 vehicles that has been rated a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. All versions of the Volvo XC90 have antilock brakes, an electronic rollover prevention system, stability and traction control, and every kind of airbag around, including side-curtain airbags covering all three rows of seats.

The upgraded version of the Volvo XC90 is especially made for the younger market. This is the very reason behind the sizzling new appearance. According to the Power Information Network, a unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP), the typical buyer of the Volvo XC90 is a relatively youthful 44 years old, 5 years younger than the average for the segment and 61.5 per cent of Volvo XC90 buyers are between the ages of 36 and 55, as opposed to just 52 per cent for the segment.



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Kevin Anderson asked:


Come the early part of the following year, 2007, New Zealanders would now be able to glance at and personally view the new Volvo C30.

What’s the Volvo C30, you may ask?

Well, according to the chief executive officer and president of Volvo Cars, Fredrik Arp, “The new Volvo C30 is a cool car that aims for young singles, or couples with busy urban lives. These people prioritize excitement in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle.”

Sure enough, many customers in the auto market would be clamoring to take a first hand experience with this vehicle. Many have already seen it during its concept stage for the concept version of the Volvo C30 has been shown off a couple of months back. And it has already captured the minds and the attention of those who have seen it. According to auto experts, the Volvo C30 holds a good resemblance to the Volvo Design Concept which holds three doors and has been first shown during the Detroit Motor Show just this January.

Of course, you can say that this vehicle is unique in its own way. It is a combination of various auto technologies and auto features that works with a cool synergy which gives the vehicle a unique boost in appeal and performance. Of course, it would not come with Volvo 260 Series parts. It would be coming with its own auto parts and accessories that would give it a unique look.

The Volvo C30 is built on the C1 platform which has been a good base for various Ford vehicles. In fact, this platform is also used by the Volvo S40 and the Volvo V50, as well as the Ford Focus II, and the Ford C-Max. This platform has also been used by the new Mazda Mazda3, and the recently reloaded Land Rover Freelander. This just goes to show what kind of expectations you would be having with this new one.

This September, the Volvo C30 production version would be introduced to the public. The chosen event would be the Paris Motor Show. You certainly would be seeing a sporty vehicle that holds two doors. There are four seats inside plus a cool glass tailgate that would certainly remind you of classic Volvo vehicles.



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Glady Reign asked:


Back in the year 1998, the Volvo XC70 first made its debut and was introduced to the motoring public. And during that time, this particular vehicle was known to be the very first vehicle model in the Volvo line up that comes with four wheels that can be driven.

The Volvo XC70 was also the very first vehicle from the car maker to venture into the crossover and sport utility vehicle class. However, compared to most crossover vehicles and SUVs at present, the very first Volvo XC70 seemed to be more similar to the Volvo V70 which was a wagon. To make things different, the vehicle then was given a new badge, some padding, and a couple inches added for height.

Despite it being the very first vehicle to venture in a segment that was quite foreign to Volvo, experts in the industry have said that the Volvo XC70 was a success on its own. In fact, it has become quite so successful that it continues to be manufactured and sold. Just last year, Volvo has been able to pronounce that they were able to completely sell 35,000 units of this one.

For this time around, Volvo Cars is doing their best to prepare the Volvo XC70 for a re-launch and this time, the vehicle is going to be a part of the third generation. The unveiling already took place just during this year’s Geneva Auto Show.

What should we be expecting from this new 2007 Volvo XC70? According to Volvo, the vehicle would be coming with Volvo tune up parts, technical improvements, and more upgrades. The engine source would be changed for this time, the Volvo XC70 would have a 3.2 liter engine that holds six cylinders. This power source has the capacity to spurt out 235 units of horsepower for that added oomph.

The power source would also be mated with a six speed automatic transmission for a better performance and handling. The vehicle would also be enjoying the luxury of having an electronic all wheel drive system as part of the whole hullabaloo and this one would have the Hill Descent Control.



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N Baulch asked:


s have a long and amazing history that spans over years and decades. Starting from 1927, to today, they have been manufacturing cars for over eighty years. And over the years, they have only improved.

Volvo Company, founded by Assar Gabrielson and Gustaf Larsson, produced its first car in a small factory at Hisingen, Gothenburg on the 4th of April in the year 1927. It was an open car with a four- cylinder engine and was called the Volvo OV4. They also produced the PV4 saloon. However, they were not successes and only 297 models were sold in that year. This was followed by two successful years with the PV651, the TR671 and the TR672 being released. Also, a more luxurious version of the PV651, called the PV652 was released. Volvo also bought the Hinsingen Factory where the cars were made.

In 1932, they passed a manufacturing landmark when they manufactured the 10,000th car. They made the first Volvo bus as well, which was called the LV70B. From 1933 to 1943, many new cars, buses and taxis were released. These were more modern and had many features that are seen in cars today. However after this, there was a difficult period for Volvo. The Second World War had broken out and this restricted the production of cars. But the year 1944 saw a significant change in the form of the Volvo PV444 and PV544. These dominated the Volvo car production till around the mid 1960\’s and even caught the interest of the American market. They also released the popular Volvo 120 which was also called the Amazon.

These cars were far safer and security was even then, a main concern. The first car produced the Volvo company was the P1800, which rose to fame with Roger Moore. By 1964, the Volvo Company was pretty much booming. They had set up a company in Sweden that was capable of producing 200,000 cars a year. In 1966, the Volvo 140 family came into the market and the company hoped to secure their position with them. There were both saloon and estate models of these released, hoping to catch different people in the market.

The Volvo Company was also evolving and many new features like crumple zones, rear facing child seats, collapsible steering columns, side collision protection, and three way catalytic converter. In the 1970\’s, Volvo sales soared with the release of the Volvo 240 and Volvo 340 series. In 1982, the Volvo 700 took the company into an exclusive market. The Volvo 400 replaced the 340 series and was extremely popular as it had more interior space and excellent road handling facilities.

In 1991 a new Volvo was released called the Volvo 850. It was the first front-wheel executive car and had a five-cylinder engine. It was a pleasure to drive and won great praise. They had proposed a merger with Renault but that did not come through. However, this turned out to be a boon for Volvo. This allowed the Volvo Company to develop the sleeker and smoother S40 and V40, which were instant hits. They merged safety, style and comfort and all of the other traditional values of the Volvo Company. With the 1998 Volvo S80 sedan the 1999 V70 wagon, they brought new meaning for the phrase \’traveling in style\’. In 2000, the Volvo S60 came out and in 2002, the Volvo XC90 was released. In 2003, the Volvo S40 and V50 were produced and in 2005, the C70 was released. The year 2006 saw the release of the Volvo C30.

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Glady Reign asked:


For two consecutive years, Volvo has been a no-show at the Montreal International Auto Show, citing that the show is not part of their marketing strategy. But after the couple of years of absence, Volvo has come back to the auto show to unveil its new car, their entry to the compact car segment.

The car is the two-door hatchback Volvo C30 which is a departure from the original reputation of Volvo for producing boxy cars. It is a compact hatchback designed by Canadian born Simon Lamarre which aims to compete against the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series. Going against such tough competition, the company needs to send a strong impression about their car to the public, one strategy they have undertaken is their comeback to the Montreal International Auto Show to unveil the Volvo C30.

Its one thing to show your wares off at a motor show, and it is also another thing to advertise it to a much larger audience via television or the Web. The company’s strategy in advertising their new compact luxury car will have great implications on how well the public will accept their product. And since this is their first outing in the compact luxury class it will be crucial how the public will respond to their ad campaigns especially their target market which is the Generation Y or those on the 25-34 age range. The importance of successful advertisement could not be over emphasized since an advertisement can either make or break any product.

To attract the attention of their prospective buyers, Volvo has launched their Freewill Campaign on the Web and will soon be aired on televisions. The effect they want is just like the effect of a Volvo starter to its engine, which is to start a new generation of loyal Volvo consumers that will not only embrace the Volvo C30 but also other Volvo models. The advertisement is a quirky one which the company hopes would catch the attention of younger car buyers. Volvo moves away from the traditional promotion of cars which is to show the public why they should like their product. Instead they ask the public to assess every aspect of the car from its exterior design, to its interior and tell them whether they love the car or not.

While the use of this tactic in promoting the Volvo C30 is risky, the company is confident that the good qualities of their car will outnumber the characteristics some may find unacceptable. Whether the campaign will be a success or not still remains to be seen though the company is confident that the advertisements will give them good sales figure of the Volvo C30.



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