[S.R.]

<B>Source:</B><BR><I>The AutoExtremist.Com<BR>Rants Section<BR>By: Peter M. DeLorenzo<BR>July 3, 2002</I><P><B><A HREF="http://www.autoextremist.com/page2.shtml#Rant2" TARGET=_blank>The Autoextremist Mid-Season Industry Report Card</B></A><P>Volvo got a B-, as they were not too harsh. If you have ever read their stuff, these guys tell it like it is, sort of. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"><P><B>Volvo</B><P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I'm breaking Volvo out of the Ford-PAG mix because Ford has just recently announced that they are going to spend a ton of money on Volvo, as much as $5 billion or so dollars, to introduce as many as five new models, increasing their sales by 50%. <P>I'm only bringing this up because Volvo is at least the tenth car company in the last 12 months to announce that they are going to increase their sales numbers by leaps and bounds because of new and better products, etc. It's not that Volvo doesn't make a good product, because they do.<P>The real problem is that there are too many manufacturers vying for the same patch of ground in the market. Everyone insists that their near luxury sedan/SUV/crossover vehicle will set "new standards" and redefine the segment. Well guess what? They're not all going to succeed. As a matter of fact, with the sheer number of nameplates crashing into each other at the "magic" $35,000 entry point - many of them will fail. <P>There will be more and more manufacturers taking a smaller and smaller slice out of the pie, and with the cost restraints every manufacturer is operating under, the kind of breakthrough performance that Volvo is dreaming about is just notgonnahappen.com. That said, Volvo is doing fairly well with what they do. If they don't get too greedy, they should be okay. I give them a "B-."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>-Drew

 

[T5 Dave]

I hate to say it, but he's right. They're saturating the market. The S60r will be made in such limited numbers that it won't be able to make a real difference in the Volvo image. <BR> I dont' know about you guys, but when I see a 'limited edition' item I won't even bother to look for one because I know the dealer will mark it up significantly. Sure the resale is higher, but I've already paid even more out the nose at the outset than I'll ever get back at the tail end of the deal. No thanks. But what that means is that I won't be inclined to trade in the T5 for the r--why even bother? I feel a tad abandoned by Volvo.<P>Not that I could get one anyway because the r comes with the sunroof, so there's another reason I wouldn't get one because I won't fit into it. Yet another reason to feel abandoned by Volvo.<P>Sigh.<P>When it comes out, tell me how it drives. . . .<P>

 

[[email protected]]

You're never going to let them live that sunroof thing down are you? <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/wink.gif">

 

[T5 Dave]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by [email protected]:<BR><B>You're never going to let them live that sunroof thing down are you? <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/wink.gif"></B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Nah. But they'll never listen to me, anyway, so I suppose it won't make any difference. I'm still miffed at 'em for putting the vinyl on the T5's stock seats (ever sit on hot vinyl when its been out in the desert sun for a few hours? Morons.)<P><BR>But even the folks at the TDS delivery coordination center in NJ were wondering about the sunroof decision; they said a lot of folks from Texas considered the sunroof pretty much useless. Tho there was a kid on the C&D Forum from Texas who'd actually open the sunroof and then turn on the A/C to maximum just so he wouldn't get totally fried. I'd hope that was the exception and not the rule (Unless the folks from TX are really and truly nuts).<P>I just wonder who Volvo's market is going to be if they keep steering guys like me away from 'em? My wife and I were squarely on their target market profile for the cars (college educated, don't want the Bimmer, etc.), yet they're now steering us away from their products. Oh well, that's not my worry. Hope Yannis and Phil can make a living. Best of luck, guys.

 

[vinmanC32]

I have to agree with you.... I too was steered away from another Volvo after owning one since 1983. Looking for another performance oriented 4 door cruiser, I was somewhat disappointed with the S80 and thus bought my first Mercedes. I am still the proud owner of a 940SE sedan which I truly enjoy driving but I dont see anything down the road that really excites me (except for the S60R). I wonder if they are really going to manufacture the S60R the way we all think.... meaning 300hp and AWD. I hope the rest of the chassis can hold it.<p>[This message has been edited by vinmanC32 (edited 07-10-2002).]