[Volvoforlife]

Re: You are correct (Orlando)

I can tell you that Fords influence on Volvo Finance has been great.

 

[VolvoMax]

Re: You are correct (Orlando)

Quote, originally posted by Orlando »

Hi there. I asked the nephew for some advice on this topic. He is a Latin scholar. Well Volvo certainly does mean "I roll". The symbol is certainly the ancient alchemical symbol for iron (http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/pages/alchemist/alc_iron.html - rather neatly the Royal Society of Chemistry acknowledging its now somewhat discredited roots). So together I think the story is plausible. It certainly is accepted as truth by some Volvo enthusiasts (http://www.volvospy.com/resources/humor/humor.php - rather a lot to read here, but search for iron and you'll get the reference). However your reference to the male sex symbol is also, of course, apt. And bear in mind the linkage between the symbols (iron,male,mars = war, compare with copper,female,venus), altogether these reinforce a strong masculine image. Perhaps, although not explicit, this was also passing through the creators minds? Note also in this egalitarian age, the symbol is much deprecated. You won't find it on the Volvo website for example. I guess my feeling is that a good symbol has many levels. I suspect this one has them all. As for the name, its best defining feature is almost certainly easy and unmistakeable pronunciation through Europe, and a good sound in Swedish, first, and a meaning afterwards.

It's plausible because it is true

The predecessor of Volvo Car was SKF, the ball bearing maker.
"Volvo" was an unused trademarked name.
Assar Gabrielson wanted something to symbolize that this new car was made of Swedish steel and parts.
Prior to Volvo, American cars were assembled from kits and were marketed as Swedish built.
Gabrielson wanted the symbol for steel on the car to remind consumers that this was a homegrown product. Sweden exported alot of steel in those days.

The symbol has made a comeback of sorts, its back on the steering wheels and its is prominent in the grill.

Finally, 60% of Volvo's customers are women and they don't bat an eye at the symbol. They are more interested in the substance of the car than in any symbolism.
I think the symbols on the German cars could be considered more objectionable. BMW's spinning propeller, symbolizing the WWII FW-190's and of course, the Benz star adorning every Nazi staff car.
Bottom line, they are just symbols get over it.

 

[Orlando]

My Apologises

Good morning.

Sorry I said anything.

Cheers

 

[Arnaud S40]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (Barry)

Ford's influence on Volvo has already crossed the line slightly

Look at the interior of the new S40 and V50: materials quality (have you seen those plastics??), leather aspect (and quality), etc.... all that looks very familiar with the new Ford Focus we have here in Europe... really cheap aspect!!

 

[VolvoMax]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (Arnaud S40)

Quote, originally posted by Arnaud S40 »

Ford's influence on Volvo has already crossed the line slightly Look at the interior of the new S40 and V50: materials quality (have you seen those plastics??), leather aspect (and quality), etc.... all that looks very familiar with the new Ford Focus we have here in Europe... really cheap aspect!!

I don't know. I like them better than what was in the old S40.
Or how bout those POS 340's and 440's??
Your not going to get luxury touches in a cheap car.

 

[Arnaud S40]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (VolvoMax)

Quote, originally posted by VolvoMax »

Your not going to get luxury touches in a cheap car.

In France, Volvo's are not considered as cheap cars, even the small S40.
I find that the quality of the materials (not the assembly level) in our 97' S40 is better than the ones in the new S40 (especially the plastics used on the doors).

The best for me would be the assembly level of the new S40 with the materials of the old one.

 

[VolvoMax]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (Arnaud S40)

Quote, originally posted by Arnaud S40 »

In France, Volvo's are not considered as cheap cars, even the small S40. I find that the quality of the materials (not the assembly level) in our 97' S40 is better than the ones in the new S40 (especially the plastics used on the doors). The best for me would be the assembly level of the new S40 with the materials of the old one.

I couldn't disagree more. I found the old S40 to be nowhere near as nice as the new one.

 

[v50xc90v70]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (Barry)

i think ford should let volvo go on it's own i want ot buy it from them

 

[cm]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (v50xc90v70)

I would like to share something that came direct from the President of Volvo, I cannot/will not say, who it was said to.

When Ford bought Volvo, they bought all the rights/property e.t.c.

However the Volvo Name/Branding was placed into a totally seperate newly formed company, meaning if Volvo ever produced anything Ford didn't like they could sue and block the Volvo name usage stopping it coming to market.

The same is also true of Volvo, if they think Ford have compromised on safety or standards e.t.c, Volvo can sue and block the car coming to market.

However Volvo are allowed to run on there own as a seperate entity, this was stressed very heavily on the deal, they do however help Ford massively with safety.

 

[MrTippy]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (cm)

http://www.brandchannel.com/fe...d=207

...(The Volvo brand name is owned by Volvo Trademark Holding AB, which is owned jointly by the Volvo Car Corporation and AB Volvo. In other words Volvo trucks and buses are an entirely separate entity, unrelated to Ford, but still using the Volvo name. This concept of dual brand stewardship is rather unusual-and in order to ensure that the interests of the brand are not diluted in any way a brand committee, consisting of both legal entities, meets regularly to ensure that both arms stay loyal to the Volvo heritage and are talking the same language in terms of overall strategy. In fact there is ample evidence of a mutually beneficial relationship having emerged. Tens of thousands of Volvo buses and trucks on the road provide good brand visibility, while Volvo Corporation manufactures luxury cars providing a certain cachet for the buses and trucks.)

...Kerssemakers (senior vice president of product and business strategy) knows perfectly well that the stakes are high for Volvo cars. Ford might well be underwriting future plans for investment and development, but it goes without saying that it is not part and parcel of today's business practice to hand over a blank trans-Atlantic check book. Volvo's strategy for sexing up its safety legacy had better be the right one.

"If we screw up," Kerssemakers admits, and get as much as one single car wrong, then we're dead in the water. Bankrupt. It's as simple as that."

 

[MrTippy]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (cm)

Good article about Ford Volvo relationship:

http://www.detnews.com/2004/au...6.htm

...gives an interesting statistic, as of 4/4/04: "Currently, Volvo retains only 32 percent of its U.S. customers." (maybe something to do with the long term durability?)

"This is the most successful acquisition I know of in the car industry," (Olsson, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corp)

 

[ScubaSteve]

I find no fault with the relationship between Ford and Volvo. If you look at the Ford umbrella, besides Volvo they have Mazda, Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin. Some pretty good company. The relationship until this point seems to be the sharing of platforms and some engine/transmission components in various vehicles. I believe that Ford has pretty much taken a hands off approach regarding Volvo's direction, and may have infused some money into the brands development. If you want to compare apples to apples, take a look and see what GM did to SAAB. Way to much plastic. But take things a step further and look at the Infinity, Lexus and Acura. I like my 05 S40 with sport package just the way it is.

 

[Orlando]

Down graded S80

You make some interesting remarks about Volvo. However, when Volvo was Volvo, my S80 had a telephone as standard equipment and red lights in all the doors. The new S80 does not have a telephone as standard equipment and the red lights in all the lights have been removed. (Just to mention a few of the down grades). Thus, the superior finish of my S80 has been down graded for the newer Ford inspired S80.

My remarks are nothing more than an observation. I think it is an overly benign view to have the idea that Volvo improved dramatically because of Ford involvement. I think Ford got a lot more from Volvo rather than Volvo got a lot more from Ford. Obviously, there must be some contribution which would help Volvo, but I doubt anybody would buy a Volvo because Ford owned it. http://********************/smile/emcocktl.gif

 

[eurotrash]

Re: Down graded S80 (Orlando)

Quote, originally posted by Orlando »

I think Ford got a lot more from Volvo rather than Volvo got a lot more from Ford. Obviously, there must be some contribution which would help Volvo, but I doubt anybody would buy a Volvo because Ford owned it. http://********************/smile/emcocktl.gif

Ford gets the technology from Volvo and it raises the prestige/profitability of Ford's PAG.

Volvo gets the secure financial backing of a huge automaker and they can lower costs by platform sharing like in the new S40.

 

[willyjp]

Re: Down graded S80 (eurotrash)

This thread is a little old, but I just got around to reading it and I didn't see any comment about one issue that recently excited comments in Torslanda

We spent some time in Torslanda with long time Swedish friends in May and June. Husband is just retired from 30+ years as an engineer with Volvo (he was my host "brother" when I was an exchange student in Sweden in 1959).

We also picked up a V70R and went to the Eur. GP race at the Nurburgring, hosted by Volvo OSD and FDC people. So we were exposed to a lot of conversation about Volvo and what was happening.

At that time almost every Volvo connected or interested Swede that we talked about the company with expressed some concern (or even alarm) about a recent marketing event involving Ford and a long time Volvo talking point.

It seems that a recent directive had come down from Ford, to the effect that Volvo was to no longer advertise their car's roll over strength (or, in one version, the special engineering and materials used to achieve it).

Different people presented different alleged rationales for this move and I am not clear that the "official facts" version of the story included a true reason, but it seems pretty clear that the nucleus of the story is true.

One might well imagine a number of reasons why Ford might not want one of its subsidiaries talking about cars rolling over, or claiming that they might have some unique advantage in that unfortunate event.

The one that I think most concerns me as a potential future Volvo customer is that Ford doesn't any longer want to spend the extra money on the "boron steel" or other items that contribute to this rollover protection. I hope that is not the case.

 

[Marmoset]

Re: Down graded S80 (willyjp)

I suspect that it's due to Ford's previous problems with rollovers (think Explorer) rather than a desire to make the cars less safe by cutting out the high strength steels - it takes decades to build up a reputation and Ford isn;t stupid enough to risk that by reducing car costs in such a safety critical area (for Volvo)

 

[hastee]

Re: Down graded S80 (willyjp)

i in NO way think ford can have any positive influence on Volvo. period.

 

[networkguy]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (Barry)

I wish they would have more of a say on some things.

I am now considering what to buy when my S60 reaches 60k miles (somethime in the next 6 months) and am scared at what I am thinking.

Volvo want people to buy their cars as they are, use them and then buy another.

As soon as you show an interest and start asking questions no chance.

When I came to add a car kit to my S60 it took many months to get an "integrated" car kit. I tried to find out how the car was put together to see if I could fit a 3rd party kit and integrate it and was told this could not be done. After I got my Volvo kit, I found that it was really just a £50 kit that anybody could have fitted IF Volvo had released the information.

Then we have Bluetooth. I see a number of threads about this and also see that the dealers do nothave a clue. Yet you can fit a Nokia or Motorola car kit to the cars TODAY and get ALL the functionality of the Volvo kit however Volvo do not want you to know this.

MP3 playback... Same again

On cars like the S60 and V70 it is as if Volvo have made it difficult for owners to add things on purpose. Volvo do not want to sell cars to enthusiasts.

Yet if I go to BMW, I can get everything I want. Bluetooth, MP3 and even details (on their website) on how to hook into the car to install a 3rd party part.

Mercedes is the same.

But guess what.

In the UK Ford are the same. The new Mondeo estate is bigger than a V70, has a good range of engines, is built to the same standards, is safer and has more safety features than the Volvo and has all the toys. If I want a car kit I have more choice than I can shake a stick at. Likewise with MP3.

But the Mondeo is half the price new and even less used. With the Mondeo, I can afford to actually just trade it in each time it is due a service and still pay out less money each year than if I drove a Volvo.

Sure I have a Ford badge on the front but I have change in my pocket and a car that is as good or better than the Volvo in every way except for the image.

Having run Volvos for a number of years I never thought I would say this but having looked, looked again, had a drink and looked again, it's true.

So guess what my next car will be? Because at least Ford realise I can spend my money anywhere and just might do so if I am not happy.

 

[hastee]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (networkguy)

you have provided a great example of what i have been hearing from distant ford people. ford does not want the warranty exposure of enthusiasts.

very,very much of a rumor from a retired ford mid level exec is that r's will no longer be made, hp turbos might even go. the idiots at ford have not allowed the electronic evolution in their pag group to develop yet do so in the ford lines.

your example of the mondeo is brilliant.

it underlines my rumor mongors' thinking and makes me suspicious.

i know that i will not do an osd with volvo and probably look elsewhere for our next auto. probably honda or toyota, perhaps ford. i believe you are quite correct on the value of the mother brand as they are skimming the cream of the technologies while allowing the pag group to slip into a solidified 'phile group.

i agree that a drink, then, a look, then a drink again helps. i think my conclusion, before the endophine go home, is to use your analogy of what it is worth.

cheers;

jim

 

[VolvoMax]

Re: Ford and its influence on Volvo (hastee)

Quote, originally posted by hastee »

you have provided a great example of what i have been hearing from distant ford people. ford does not want the warranty exposure of enthusiasts. very,very much of a rumor from a retired ford mid level exec is that r's will no longer be made, hp turbos might even go. the idiots at ford have not allowed the electronic evolution in their pag group to develop yet do so in the ford lines. your example of the mondeo is brilliant. it underlines my rumor mongors' thinking and makes me suspicious. i know that i will not do an osd with volvo and probably look elsewhere for our next auto. probably honda or toyota, perhaps ford. i believe you are quite correct on the value of the mother brand as they are skimming the cream of the technologies while allowing the pag group to slip into a solidified 'phile group. i agree that a drink, then, a look, then a drink again helps. i think my conclusion, before the endophine go home, is to use your analogy of what it is worth. cheers; jim

I wouldn't take thw word of a Ford exec, esp a retired one seriously when it comes to Volvo's product future