Autoblog

Fans of stylishly-curvy Gothenburg-based meatballs bricks now have another outlet to get their Swedish fish fix. On YouTube, where else? The automaker has actually had its own station since August 11, but just decided to announce it to the public with a press release, which is pasted after the break. As you might imagine, safety takes a front page spot on Volvo Cars News, as do the automaker's rally racing efforts. How cool are the animal avoidance tests of its new crossover utility vehicle, the XC60? Where else can you watch the official Elk-less Elk Avoidance Test? Hey, wait a minute... that camel test isn't what we were expecting.

Our absolute favorite videos, though, are of the Volvo Jakob Hot Rod. That's some Scandinavian design we can really get behind. According to Volvo, breaking news will also be posted on the video channel, so now we've got yet another source to check out every day.


[Source: Volvo]

One of the perks Aston Martin enjoyed while under the ownership of Ford was the use of the Blue Oval's parts bin to cut costs. Save for some switchgear and nav systems, only a few items were visible to the customer. At least that's the idea. Edward Legge, general manager of Rio Prestige hire, received a damaged key fob from a rented V8 Vantage that gave him and his team quite a surprise. The person borrowing the luxury GT somehow damaged the rich leather covering the fob, revealing a Volvo logo underneath. It wasn't a Volvo stamp in the plastic or a small, blocked out Volvo logo. Nope, this was a fully decorated Volvo key that nobody bothered to disguise. That's not something the owner of a $120,000 V8 Vantage wants to see.

The new owners of Aston Martin will point out that they're switching to the fancy shmancy "Emotion Control Unit" glass-block keys from the DBS. We'd say that's a pretty good idea, considering people wait in line for months or even years for the chance to own a car that can cost upwards of $300,000. But as far as we're concerned, every Aston could be started with one of those colored keys from the local hardware store and it wouldn't much matter to us. It's still an Aston Martin and it's still automotive porn.

[Source: CAR Magazine]

Volvo sales have been flat-out tanking in the U.S., as Swedish metal moved in September 2008 at a 51% lower rate than it did in the same month of 2007. New product should help Ford's (for now) Swedish unit reverse that precipitous slide, the first sample of which will be seen as an S60 concept to be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January. We're a couple months away from seeing Volvo's midsize concept, but the Swedes are showing us a sneak peak at the interior to pique our interest.

Orrefors Crystal is the designer of choice to give Volvo a new take on its trademark waterfall center stack. Designers decided on a real crystal surface that stretches from the navigation screen all the way to the back seats. The look is very high-end and definitely draws the eye, but Volvo states the obvious in saying the heavy and expensive crystal is concept-only. One interesting feature of the S60 concept interior is that its uniquely shaped shifter and center stack buttons detach to become a remote control.

We'd guess that the center stack won't stretch all the way to the back seats in production from, as any back seat in the midsize class needs seating for three in order to survive. Speaking of survival, Volvo really needs a terrific S60 to continue in this brutal automotive market, so the concept reveal in Detroit will be highly anticipated.


[Source: Volvo]

Another day, another rumor of the sale of Volvo's automobile operations. Of course, Ford is the current owner of the Swedish maker of shapely bricks, and the Blue Oval could definitely use the money as it tries to regains its shaky footing in its home market. A sale of Volvo has been spoken of for the last few years, and industry talk has seemed to pick up steam as Ford unloaded the other automakers that used to make up its now defunct Premium Auto Group. BMW has been mentioned as a possible suitor for Volvo in the past and its name has popped up yet again. At some point, we have to wonder if there's some truth to these rumors, despite the fact the both automakers have continued to deny the possible sale. Still, it wouldn't seem to be the ideal fit, as Volvo's reputation of building safe but somewhat dowdy vehicles clashes with BMW's sporty intentions.

[Source: Times Online]

Okay, we know automotive merchandizing has grown into a big business these days, but surely this has gone too far. After Volvo trucks came out with their own fashion line (in case you missed that), Volvo cars has introduced... a purse. Perfect for all those soccer moms rolling around in Swedish station wagons, sure, but where does it end?

The handbag was designed by Ilse Crawford – we're supposed to know who that is – and is made of the same perforated white leather available in the S80, V70, XC70 (um, those are all different versions of the same car) and the XC90 sport-ute. Don't expect to see too many of these on the arms of mothers picking up their kids from the local school in the afternoon, though, as they've only made 100 examples, costing the equivalent of $685 apiece. Feel free to check out the images in the gallery below if, you know... that's your bag.

[Source: CarScoop]

One of the last bastions of contentment for wagon lovers may be over as reports indicate that Volvo is considering abandoning the classic long and low shape for something a bit more modern. Of course, that means a higher roof-line, ground clearance and seating position, along with a slightly trimmed footprint. In fact, the Swedish automaker seriously considered making a change to its current V70 model before it was released to the public. The true test will come when the new XC60 crossover hits the market, as its sales figures will determine how Volvo designs its next V50 and V70.

Ford's Flex might offer a preview of the shape of things to come from the Swedish automaker, as its design is similar to what may be on offer from Volvo if it scraps the traditional wagon. We wouldn't expect anything too 'trucky' though, as sales of traditional SUVs have fallen off dramatically in the last two years.

Redesigns of the mid-sized S60 and XC90 have also reportedly been pushed a bit further into the future as the automaker struggles to reign in its recent lack of profits. The latest timetable puts the new sedan's appearance in 2010 while the 'ute's redesign isn't expected until 2012, though a refresh could spice things up a bit in 2010 with a possible hybrid drivetrain.

[Source: Autocar]

Times are tough for Sweden's safest automaker. Ford-owned Volvo has seen its sales decline by alarming amounts so far this year. In fact, in last month's By The Numbers post, the automaker's 51.8% drop in U.S. sales trailed only HUMMER's stratospheric plunge. Fewer cars produced means fewer workers are needed, and with numbers like that, it's no wonder that Volvo needs to cut the rank and file a bit. Volvo announced today that 4,000 jobs worldwide will be cut. That figure includes some 2,230 employees at Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg, Sweden as well as 1,300 people, including contractors, outside its home country. After all is said and done, the total number of job cuts, including those already announced before today, will be about 6,000. The sober-sounding press release is pasted after the break.

[Source: Volvo]

Diesels and hybrids are currently fighting it out on sales floors across the world, with diesels taking claiming early victory in Europe, while hybrids hold their own in America. Volvo plans to combine the two fuel-saving technologies by 2012 in both the U.S. and across the pond. According to early reports, the system used by the Swedish automaker will be an advanced full-hybrid, with either the electric motors or an oil-burning engine capable of moving the vehicle independently. All-wheel drive will also be part of the package, as the front wheels would be powered by the diesel engine while the rears would be electrically motivated. Shortly thereafter, the automaker would release a plug-in version of its hybrid.

Before any of this takes place, Volvo will take a few hybrid baby-steps in the form of stop/start technology on its smaller models before spreading across the line. In contrast, the diesel hybrids will begin at the top, equipped in larger sedans and SUVs. Considering that Volvo's been able to get up to 76 mpg from its non-hybrid diesel DRIVe models, we will have high expectations for its diesel hybrids.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

In the wake of Paul Newman's passing just over a week ago, we've seen countless, wonderful tributes to the man written from different points of view. He's remembered as an actor, a colleague, a racer, and most importantly, a towering philanthropist. One of the best non-written remembrances, however, comes from the mouth of David Letterman, who paid respect to Newman in one of his monologues on The Late Show last week.

The whole thing's worth watching, but at around 3:45 in, Dave gets to the story about when Newman called him up one day and talked him into buying a custom Volvo wagon (a 960) with a supercharged Ford V8 underhood. You see, Newman was having one made and was very pumped up about it, so he asked if Dave wanted one, too. And you know, how do you say no to Paul Newman? Dave recounts the whole affair beautifully, and of course, it's also funny.

After you watch the clip, head over to Swedespeed, where in 2003 they profiled a third car just like the ones built for Newman and Letterman, with even more background about Newman's car and what went into the build. This is the very definition of "sleeper."

[Source: The Sheila Variations]

Vehicle sales are brutal everywhere of late, but Volvo has been tanking long before any industry-wide slowdown took place. That makes the March 2009 arrival of the XC60 crossover that much more important, as it's the first all-new Volvo (besides the low volume C30) in many years. Since customers have been turning away from the Volvo brand of late, marketing will play a big part of the XC60's success. Volvo has unleashed its new campaign for the CUV already with the tagline, "The new Volvo XC60. From Sweden with löv." We get it. Volvo is stressing its Swedish roots in marketing its new vehicle. Hey, it works for IKEA, right? Volvo even utilized the Swedish spelling for 'love' to give its new crossover more Euro appeal.

Our tipster Caitlin didn't think it works at all. The reason? Löv means 'leaves' in Swedish and has nothing to do with that certain brand of affection that makes our cheeks blush. According to Caitlin, Lov without the umlaut means 'vacation' or 'break', which sounds like a better advertising angle for a CUV than leaves, but just doesn't look as "Swedish" in print. The proper translation of 'love' into Swedish is "kärlek", so when you begin seeing the XC60 on U.S. streets next March, just remember that it comes from Sweden with kärlek. Thanks for the tip, Caitlin!


[Source: Volvo]