Volvo Cars Archives

Volvo wins Car Technology Brand of the Year award

Volvo’s latest technology innovations have not gone unnoticed. Through them, the automaker was named Car Technology Brand of the Year for the second year running. The Volvo XC60 was awarded Best Safety Technology for its Steering Support system, Best Navigation, and Best Safest Car due to its exceptional Euro NCAP safety rating.

The Car Tech Awards honours manufactures with the best in-car technology launched over the year. The Winner of each category is chosen by a jury of experts from buyer’s guide Carbuyer and technology website Alphr. It should come as no surprise that cars like the XC60 are lavished with such praise when safety is the criteria.

It is fitted with Volvo’s Steering Support technology that automatically provides steering assistance to drivers during an emergency to help avoid a potential collision. Working in tandem with its city stop function, the car will be able to decrease the risk of avoidable collisions or accidents significantly.

Speaking of the award, Stuart Milne, Editor of Carbuyer, said, “Volvo’s success in the Car Tech Awards is remarkable. The company scooped Car Technology Brand of the Year for the second year in succession.”

“Our judges were impressed by the way Volvo refuses to rest on its laurels, developing a series of products and philosophies that build on its Vision 2020, that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020,” he added.

Volvo’s XC60 almost scored full marks in its Euro NCAP crash test results. It received a 98% rating adult occupant protection and 95% for its safety assistance features. Adding to that, its intuitive and easy to use navigation system as well as a number of other features have made it the complete package.

SISMA Auto launches new Volvo Showroom in Bukit Bintang

Malaysia’s newly appointed authorised dealer for Volvo Car Malaysia that is SISMA Auto has just launched the all-new showroom located at Menara Worldwide on Jalan Bukit Bintang. The brand new city centre showroom is strategically placed just a stone’s throw away from the Pavillion shopping centre.

Offering the best of what Swedish motoring has to offer, the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s premier and residential district has been ‘blessed’ with the finest Swedish luxury and Scandinavian appeal dubbed the “Volvo Retail Experience” or VRE for short.

According to Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Lennart Stegland, “VRE is designed to reflect our Scandinavian-inspired values of calm with clean lines that exude a cool and refreshing visual exterior appeal whilst the interior offers customers a warm and inviting feeling.”

In addition to the new showroom that’ll help to boost the brand’s presence in the country with their wide range of luxury vehicles, SISMA Auto Managing Director, Syed Khalid Syed Ibrahim also added “We are very proud to be associated with Volvo, a brand that is clearly on the ascent after releasing an amazing range of new models.”

He then added, “The range that include the XC90 to the new S90 T8 Twin Engine. With this new showroom, we hope to bring the Volvo experience closer to those who live or work in the city.”

To add yet another premium touch to the Volvo ownership experience, the showroom also features SISMA Auto’s Concierge Service. As one of SISMA Auto’s key signature, this service offers great ease for customers with its home or office vehicle pick-up and drop-off.

In conjunction with the new Volvo showroom launch, customers will stand a chance to win a premium all-expense paid for two to Sweden when they purchase any new Volvo from SISMA Auto.

To know more about the new SISMA Auto Volvo showroom, head on over to the ground floor of Menara Worldwide which is located at 198, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, Kuala Lumpur. Operation hours are from 9am to 7pm on weekdays and 10am to 5pm on weekends.

Article by Sepp Iran

Production begins in Belgium for XC40

Production of the first ever Volvo compact SUV, the XC40, has just started in Belgium. The newest addition to the Swedish automaker’s line-up is being assembled at its Ghent plant. It’s one of two manufacturing sites that the automaker has in Europe and it has been operational since 1965.

Extensive retooling and modifications were conducted to accomdate the production of the XC40. In fact, a total of 363 robots have been installed including one that is nicknamed ‘The Beast’. This machine, is used to lift lower car bodies to a conveyor belt close to the ceiling of the plant.

“This is a proud day for Ghent, the company and all our employees here,” said Mr Samuelsson. “Our people have put in long days and many hours to prepare the plant for the start of XC40 production and they have done a great job. The XC40 represents a bright future for Ghent and for Volvo Cars.”

The modifications have also turned the facility into a global export hub for CMA-based cars, including an 8,000 square metre addition to the body shop. It will complement the other manufacturing site located in Volvo’s home country. The company also operates two vehicle manufacturing plants in China, while a US plant is still under construction.

The XC40 will join the rest of the family including the XC60 and XC90 on the production line at Gent, where they will probably need to ramp up production to fulfill the more than 13,000 bookings. Unlike its bigger siblings, the Xc40 is built on the CMA platform or Compact Modular Architecture. CMA will be used to underpin all future 40 series vehicles, moving forward.

It was joinly developed with Volvo’s parent company, Geely for necessary synergies and economies of scale for the small premium car segment. This type of technology, which is employed by other automakers as well, reduces the amount of time needed for a vehicle to go from, inception to production.

Volvo to develop self-driving cars for Uber

Volvo has signed a framework agreement with Uber, which will see the ride-sharing company purchase several thousand vehicles between 2019 and 2021. This non-exclusive agreement will enhance the strategic partnership that was announced between the two parties back in August 2016.

These vehicles will be based on Volvo’s fully modular platform that it calls Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). It serves as a base for current and future vehicles from the Swedish automaker. Currently, it underpins cars the like the S90 series and the new XC60 SUV.

Since its scalable, SPA can be used to develop a variety of different Volvos from a compact hatchback to a full-blown SUV. Volvo claims that it is one of the most advanced car architectures in the world, but Volkswagen employ a similar strategy with its own modular platform.

Volvo’s engineers are working closely with those from Uber to jointly develop the XC90 to serve in the ride-sharing service’s car fleet. These base vehicles will be fitted with the necessary safety, redundancy and autonomous-driving technologies that will enable Uber to offer its customers a fully autonomous ride sharing service.

“The automotive industry is being disrupted by technology, and Volvo Cars chooses to be an active part of that disruption,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “Our aim is to be the supplier of choice for AD ride-sharing service providers globally. Today’s agreement with Uber is a primary example of that strategic direction.”

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Despite this, Volvo isn’t handing over the ‘keys to the kingdom’ to Uber, instead it will be developing its own independent autonomous-car strategy. This will be parallel and unrelated to that of Uber’s, with solid plans of introducing Volvo’s first fully autonomous car in 2021.

Geely to go on spending spree to benefit sub-brands

Geely is looking to spend big bucks to ensure its EV performance brand gets the head start it needs to become a global player in the electrified performance market. It, together with its subsidiary, Volvo Cars, have announced that they will jointly invest RM3.18 billion to support the initial phase of Polestar’s development.

This investment will ensure that the newly formed sub-brand (Polestar) of Geely will be able to develop a strong product portfolio as well as have a state-of-the-art facility to build these vehicles. Apart from this, Polestar will also benefit from being able
to rummage through the treasure trove that is Volvo designs and technology.

Volvo Cars and Polestar will continue to enjoy a symbiotic relationship that will see them working together on next-generation technologies, bear shared procurement costs, joint development and economies of scale. Unlike Volvo, Polestar has been chosen to spearhead Geely’s charge for EV dominance by producing enticing EV products.

Rather than start from scratch, Polestar will benefit from Volvo Cars’ technology and take it to the next level, at least that is what they hope to do. But based on what we know so far, Polestar vehicles will closely resemble that from Volvo, albeit they will feature high performance electrified drivetrains rather than the current petrol and diesel ones.

Volvo records global surge in demand for its vehicles

The once ailing Swedish automaker is doing quite well in 2017 by announcing impressive sales figures compared to the same period last year. This September alone, Volvo managed to sell 53,674 cars, which is a 11.2% increase compared to the same month last year.

Until the end of September, the company has managed to sell 413,472 vehicles this year alone,which is a steady 9% climb compared to last year’s figures. Volvo has partly attributed this rise in demand to customers interest in its new 90 series vehicles and its newly launched XC60 SUV.

Speaking for the UK market, Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said, “These impressive figures show that we are well on track for another record year of sales for Volvo. They are a result of the desirability of our cars, and of all the hard work from everyone at Volvo Car and the dealer network.”

Volvo’s largest market, China, recorded an exceptionally good 29.8% sales growth this September compared to the same month last year with 11,544 cars sold. In Asia pacific, sales were up 23.7% in September compared to the same period in 2017, which is said to to be the strongest growth for the brand.

The Swedish automaker says that the Chinese assembled XC60, S60L and S90 models contributed quite a bit to the surge in demand in that particular market. This is understandable considering that its latest crop of vehicles are equipped with the company’s latest tech and incredibly beautiful design language.

https://youtu.be/fatNLD6m21E

In the US, Volvo reported that it achieved a 40.7% increase year-on-year sales for the month of September due to strong demand for the XC90, S90 sedan and XC60. For other regions in the Americas as a whole, demand grew by 36.3% for the month of September.

Since Geely’s acquisition of Volvo, the Swedish marque has been able to turn things around. Thanks to an influx of cash from the Chinese automotive giant, it has managed to throw more capital investment into new technology and vehicles that are able to rival offerings from the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

That said, Volvo aren’t done yet, because it has plans of electriying its upcoming models while gradually phasing out its fully fossil fuel-dependent ones by 2019.

Volvo update Polestar edition S60 and V60 cars

Volvo has released aero updates for its S60 and V60 Polestar variants that improve their general aerodynamics. According to Polestar, Volvo’s performance arm, this is a culmination of research and development honed on the racetrack with its Motorsport partner, Cyan Racing.

A lot of this data and feedback was learnt from Volvo and Cyan Motorsports involvement in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), where the brand has been a dominant force these past few years.

“The Model Year 18 S60 and V60 Polestar models are the pinnacle of our road car programmes that we have been developing successfully since our first road car was launched in 2013,” said Jörgen Ronstad, Vice President, Product Strategy & Management at Polestar.

Polestar, modest as they are, managed to incorporate a lot of what they had learnt after completing the ‘infamous’ secret Nürburgring test. This was where a Polestar S60 claimed the record for the fastest four-door road legal car around the infamous Nordschleife circuit.

These aerodynamic tweaks include a new front splitter, side sills and a rear spoiler extension, which are made from carbon fibre. Not only is this material considerably stronger than steel, but is significantly lighter too.

Working together, the aero kit provide the vehicle with an increased downforce of 30 per cent. They also increase grip and high-speed stability, which allow for the cars be comfortable daily drivers but sharp enough to be enjoyed around a racetrack.

It has been said that more than 250 components have been changed compared to the ‘standard’ Volvo models. But the most noteworthy changes of the lot are the adjustable Öhlins shock absorber system and six-piston Brembo brake calipers with 371 millimeter discs.

Besides these, other visual changes include high-gloss black Polestar diamond cut wheels, carbon fibre door mirror casings and a new colour, Bursting Blue Metallic. On the inside, the interior has been updated with a new seat upholstery with blue contrast stitching and Polestar embroidering.

As such, gone are the days when Volvo cars used to be boxy and relatively slow compared to their German rivals. Today, the Swedish automaker produces some of the best vehicles on the road right now.

Volvo and Geely sign agreement for technology sharing platform

Volvo cars and its parent company Geely, have completed an agreement that will see two new entities created for the sharing of existing and future technologies. they will provide economics of scale that will allow Volvo and Geely to rapidly develop next generation EV technology.

The first will be a new technology joint venture that will be called GV Automobile Technology Co. Ltd. which will be headquartered in China with a subsidiary in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo and Geely will each hold a 50 percent stake in the company that will improve the synergy of technology sharing between them.

The second entity will be for the LYNK & CO company, jointly owned by Volvo Cars, Geely Holding and Geely Auto, with a newly constituted board of directors. Volvo will hold a 30 percent stake here while Geely Auto and Geely Holding will hold a 50 and 20 percent stake respectively.

Cong Hui, President and CEO of Geely Auto, has been named Chairman of the Board of LYNK & CO and Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars, will serve as board director alongside Daniel Li, Executive Vice President and CFO of Geely Holding and Feng Qing Feng, Group Vice President and CTO of Geely Auto.

“These joint ventures will create significant value for our automotive brands. We aim to deliver global economies of scale by facilitating closer cooperation between our brands on shared vehicle architectures, powertrain development and electrification, while offering synergies that will enable LYNK & CO to achieve its full potential,” said Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding.

Both Volvo and Geely are utilizing the former’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which will be used to underpin the upcoming smaller range of 40 series cars as well as those from LYNK & Co. It’s unclear whether Proton, which recently became a member of the Geely family, will also benefit from this agreement.

But we do hope that our national automaker is able to incorporate more Volvo advanced safety tech into its future cars. Thanks to Lotus, Proton has managed to offer us cars with improved handling and we hope that its the same in terms of safety with Volvo.

XC60 optimised with Polestar powertrain

Polestar, Volvo cars’ performance arm has fitted an optimized powertrain to the XC60, which moves it inline with the XC90 T8 as the most powerful models the Swedish automaker produces at the moment. It’s engine now offers 421bhp, putting it in the big leagues of powerful 4×4 vehicles that you can buy today.

The work that Polestar did has resulted in improved engine performance and gearbox functionality specifically in the mid-range. The gear-hold function maintains the same gear when cornering with high lateral g-force in order to avoid unsettling the balance of the vehicle.

“Our goal is to create usable performance in everyday driving situations for Volvo owners who want an enhanced driving experience,” said Henrik Fries, Vice President, Research and Development at Polestar. “The new XC60 has provided us with an excellent base to work on with a dynamic chassis and a state of the art powertrain. With the Polestar optimization, it makes the new Volvo XC60 a true drivers’ car.”

Polestar’s expertise in making super Volvos, is a culmination of more than two decades’ worth of motorsport derived R&D with Cyan Racing, its on track partner. As such, the XC60 now has better engine performance, throttle response, off-throttle response, gearshift speed and hold.

In total, there are five variants of the XC60 that have been made available with the Polestar optimization option, which are the T8, T6, T5, D5, and D4. We don’t know if the option will be made available over here, but we are sure it will be welcomed with open arms.

Volvo to stop producing non-hybrid cars by 2019

Volvo has announced that from 2019 and onwards, all cars that it produces will have some form of electrification. This means that in two years time, Volvo will only be producing vehicles with hybrid or fully-electric propulsion systems.

This move confirms Volvo Cars’ commitment to minimizing its environmental impact on our planet and making the cities of the future, cleaner. Volvo Cars is focused on reducing the carbon emissions of both its products as well as its operations. It also aims to have manufacturing operations that have no detrimental effect to the climate situation, by 2025.

The company has also said that between 2019 and 2021, it would have produced five fully electric cars, three of which will be from Volvo and two from Polestar, which is currently the automaker’s performance arm. This confirms the earlier reported news that parent company, Geely, intends on turning Polestar into a separate brand that focuses on electrified global high-performance cars.

These five vehicles will be produced along with a range of petrol and diesel plug-in-hybrid and mild-hybrid 48-volt ones. And if it does manage to pull it off, it will make Volvo one of the first automakers to offer some form of electrification in its entire product portfolio.

This announcement signals an end to non-hybrid petrol and diesel powered Volvo vehicles, which is a significant and drastic shift in the current mindset. If Volvo does manage to keep its word, this could spur more automakers to join the bandwagon and push for a higher production volume of electrified vehicles.

That said, until there is a proper infrastructure in place around the world, it will take quite a while before electric vehicles win over the hearts and minds of people, globally. And as such, Volvo is taking a huge gamble by taking such a move, in such a short timeframe. If it doesn’t pay off for the Swedish marque, the automaker could find itself in a very tough situation.

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Volvo Cars

Volvo wins Car Technology Brand of the Year award

SISMA Auto launches new Volvo Showroom in Bukit Bintang

Production begins in Belgium for XC40

Geely to go on spending spree to benefit sub-brands

Volvo records global surge in demand for its vehicles

Volvo update Polestar edition S60 and V60 cars

Volvo and Geely sign agreement for technology sharing platform

XC60 optimised with Polestar powertrain

Volvo to stop producing non-hybrid cars by 2019

Volvo wins Car Technology Brand of the Year award

SISMA Auto launches new Volvo Showroom in Bukit Bintang

Production begins in Belgium for XC40

Geely to go on spending spree to benefit sub-brands

Volvo records global surge in demand for its vehicles

Volvo update Polestar edition S60 and V60 cars

Volvo and Geely sign agreement for technology sharing platform

XC60 optimised with Polestar powertrain

Volvo to stop producing non-hybrid cars by 2019

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