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Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs , Volvo Details are scarce at the moment, but we have learned that Volvo's award-winning design director, Steve Mattin, has left the company. While no further details are immediately available (why he left, where he...
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Filed under: Volvo Click above for a high-res image gallery of the 2010 Volvo XC60 For years, Volvo has been pushing harder and harder to attract buyers of rival luxury automakers like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz by slowly ditching its stodgy, safe and reliable...
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Filed under: Trends , Japan , Marketing/Advertising , BMW , Mercedes-Benz , Volkswagen , Volvo , Earnings/Financials , Tokyo Auto Salon Although Volvo has already said that it would not participate in this October's Tokyo Motor Show, the Swedish automaker's German contemporaries are reportedly dragging their feet on similar public announcements in an effort to not be the first from their country to do so. According to a brief Automotive News item, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are "unlikely to participate" as part of an effort to limit expenditures, and Volkswagen AG and supplier Bosch are among those said to be on the fence. Speaking about the pullout possibilities, an unnamed Automobilwoche (AN's Germanic sister publication) source has said that "No one wants to be in the unpopular position of being the first to announce their exit." Perhaps, but that didn't stop Volvo from letting some air out of Tokyo's balloons, nor did it keep the Detroit 3 from doing...
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Filed under: China , Government/Legal , Volvo , Chery , Rumormill If, like us, you've been following the Volvo saga pretty closely, you'll remember that several Chinese companies are considered to be among the top bidders for the Swedish automaker when Ford officially opens the bidding. Although Geely has said they aren't interested, that didn't rule out other Chinese outfits. Well, today we have word via Chinese news reports that Chery, for one, has been given the greenlight to enter the Volvo lottery by the Chinese government. Other interested parties are rumored to be Dongfeng Motor Group and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, along with a "European constellation," whatever that means. Ford is looking to recoup the bulk of its initial $6.45 billion investment when it sells Volvo, so that might put it out of Chery's league. But who knows? Chery Auto just got a 10 billion yuan ($1.47 billion) loan to help it grow globally and was also given a line of credit...
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Filed under: Etc. , Euro , Saab , Volvo Saab and Volvo have been down this road before, back in the 1970s. In fact, the two Swedish automakers were a hair away from merging 240s and 900s back in the day, but instead followed separate paths. Now, with both brands facing difficult sales numbers and uncertain futures, Bob Lutz thinks a merger sounds good once again. Lutz thinks it'd be a way for Ford and General Motors to both rid themselves of problematic business units. The soon-to-be former Car Czar for GM offers no insight about how the merged companies might actually make money - both automakers have lots of red on the balance sheets - and while Volvo has secured a promise of $546 million from the European Investment Bank, Saab's been having a tougher go of it. In the end, a merger between Saab and Volvo would be great for their parent companies, but we're not yet clear on how exactly it would benefit the Swedish brands as they hold on for dear life. [Source: thelocal , Photo...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Euro , Volvo Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Volvo S80 Amidst the turmoil surrounding the future of Volvo, the Swedish automaker is plugging away on refreshing its current line-up and offering an updated range of start-stop-equipped models. Joining the new DRIVE models at the Geneva Motor Show will be a reworked version of the automaker's flagship, the 2010 Volvo S80 sedan. The exterior benefits from a new grille featuring an up-sized emblem, along with a splash of chrome on the lower front fascia, side skirts and underneath the rear tail lamps. A new steering wheel is fitted inside, joining a set of redesigned, XC60-inspired gauges and brushed faux-metal trim surrounding the start button and shifter. For the U.S., the engine options remain the same, with buyers able to choose from a 235-horsepower, 3.2-liter inline-six, a 281-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six or a 311-hp, 4.4-liter V8, the latter two equipped with...
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Filed under: Ford , Volvo Volvo has been struggling for a while now, and recently the Swedish automaker shed 6,000 jobs to stem the tide of red ink. To make matters more interesting, Volvo could soon be working with a new owner. Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri is quoting unnamed sources as saying Ford could rid itself of Volvo by Easter weekend. The interested parties are rumored to be Dongfeng Motor Group and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, along with a "European constellation," whatever that means. Ford originally purchased Volvo in 1999 for $6.45 billion, but many industry analysts are predicting the Blue Oval won't get that much money in a sale during a global recession. The move would still bring Ford some desperately needed financial relief to help the 105-year-old automaker weather the recession. For the near term, Volvo is still losing money by the bucket, and it's working with the European Investment Bank to obtain a $568 million loan that would be backed by...
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Filed under: China , Volvo , Earnings/Financials Of the many suitors who have reportedly had at least a passing interest in acquiring the Volvo brand from Ford Motor Company, the Volvo Group , BMW and Daimler have all publicly decided to pass on the opportunity. Many believe that a Chinese automaker will step up to the plate and purchase the Swedish brand known for safety, but now Geely has withdrawn its name from the proceedings with the statement, "We don't have plans to buy Volvo as some media have reported." Well, fine then. With Geely dropping out, SAIC remains a possible Chinese suitor along with Changan Automobile Group, Dongfeng Motor Group and Chery Automobile, all of which have said that they are monitoring the situation, whatever that means. Renault has recently emerged as a possible bidder as well. Ford is rumored to be looking to get about $6 billion for Volvo, which is just about what the Blue Oval paid for it in 1999. [Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd...
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