Thursday, October 16th, 2008
Swedish car maker Volvo launched another model its luxury SUV - XC90 R-Design , on Wednesday in India. The car is priced at Rs. 58 lakh and above (ex-showroom, Delhi). It is laden with 32 valve V8 4.4 litre petrol engine capable of delivering 315bhp. The Volvo is available in total five colours and marks the expansion of the company’s product portfolio in the country.
Volvo has sold 100 units since its foray in the Indian market last year. “The launch of the new variant of XC90 aims to broaden our model range to attract more customers with an active and urban lifestyle,” said Paul de Voijs, Managing Director, Volvo Car India.
“Not many people are affected at the top end by the ongoing global financial crisis and the luxury segment is picking up very fast. We are internally preparing for the homologation process and will launch the car accordingly then,” he commented on the ongoing credit crisis and financial turmoil across the world. This indicates that the company is not really worried about the economic crisis in the international market and foresees India as a promising market.
[Via: cartradeindia]
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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Volvo Bus India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sweden’s Volvo Bus Corporation, has announced the launch of the 9400 6×2 B9R luxury bus in India. The multi-axle configuration Volvo B9R comes in the 6×2 configuration, with a powerful, nine-litre rear-mounted engine. The bus, which costs Rs 85 lakh, is being manufactured at Hoskote (near Bangalore), in Karnataka.
The 13.70 metre long coach can accommodate 53 reclining seats, and with its high level of ride comfort and fuel efficiency, Volvo hopes the vehicle will do very well on long, inter-city routes in India. Indeed, with its electronically controlled air suspension, disc brakes all around, and on-board computer that keeps a check on various vehicle functions, the Volvo 9400 6×2 is a high-tech vehicle.
While Volvo has always manufactured its own bus chassis in India, the bodies were made by Jaico Automobiles. Now, Volvo bus bodies in India are being made by Volvo Bus Body Technologies India, in which Volvo holds 70% and Jaico Automobiles holds the remaining. This has provided Volvo with added flexibility with regard to production schedules, and an improvement in quality and consistency.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Volvo has launched a new variant of the XC90 SUV in India. The new variant - the XC90 R-Design - is powered by a 4.4-litre petrol V8, and the vehicle is priced at Rs 58 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.
Volvo believes that the luxury car segment in India is picking up very fast. ‘Not many people are affected at the top end by the ongoing global financial crisis, and the luxury segment is picking up very fast,’ says Paul de Voijs, MD, Volvo Car India.
Volvo, which has sold 100 cars in India over the last one year, currently has only two models in its India lineup - the S80 sedan and the XC90 SUV. The company is gearing up to increase the number of models in its lineup in India, and will launch a smaller SUV - the XC60 - next month.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
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Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Ford -owned carmaker Volvo Cars said Wednesday it will slash more than 13 percent of its work force because of falling global demand. Citing a “rapidly deteriorating market situation in the global car industry,” the Goteborg-based company said it would cut about 3,300 jobs, of which 2,000 would be blue-collar and 700 of them white-collar positions in Sweden.
Another 600 jobs would be eliminated abroad and some 700 contracts with consultants would be terminated. Including staff reductions already announced in June, Volvo Cars said total layoff numbers now come to around 6,000 people worldwide, of which about 1,200 are consultants.
“These are difficult times for the car industry in general, including Volvo. These actions are necessary to create a new and sustainable Volvo Car Corporation - a company with more focused operations and structure,” Volvo Car President and CEO Stephen Odell said.
“The unstable economic environment has resulted in a very unpredictable situation, and the downturn in the global car industry is more drastic than expected,” he said. In September, Volvo said it expected around 900 blue-collar employees to be affected by staff cuts, but, it said, “given the turbulence in the world economy over the last few weeks, however, it is clear that further costs saving actions are necessary for the company to manage the difficult market situation.”
[Via: ap]
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Monday, October 6th, 2008
Volvo is planning to showcase its special edition car models in India during its yachting race competition. Volvo Car India is hosting one of the biggest yachting race competitions, Volvo Ocean Race, at the Cochin port this year. There are seven yachts participating this year that will arrive in Kochi and will remain there for 10 days.
Volvo Car India managing director Paul De Voijs said Volvo special edition cars reflect active lifestyle, adventure and passion in them that Volvo customers seek in their cars. Thus these cars will truly reflect similar values at the event. The special edition cars will be showcased during the show to lend glamour and glitter to the whole event.
Volvo Car India, a Division of Ford Motor Company, will showcase its three models Volvo V70 , Volvo XC70 and Volvo XC90 in ocean blue and electric colours. Volvo has sold nearly 100 cars in India since they were first launched in September last year. Volvo Car India had launched Volvo S80 and Volvo XC90 last year in India.
[Via: cartradeindia]
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Saturday, September 27th, 2008
Volvo, which currently has a range of 10 models in its car lineup for India, has opened a new dealership in Hyderabad, in partnership with Talwar Cars. This dealership will start selling Volvo cars by the end of this year. Volvo, which now has dealers in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Hyderabad, plans to add dealers in Cochin, Bangalore and Pune by mid-2009.
Volvo sees a strong demand for its cars in the Indian market and may even set up a manufacturing facility in the country by mid-2010. The company already has a sales target for 400-500 cars for this fiscal and hopes to increase that number by many times over the next few years.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
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Saturday, September 20th, 2008
The Volvo Group has announced the introduction of its fourth-generation hybrid solution for buses, trucks and construction equipment. The Swedish company has been testing hybrid solutions for commercial vehicles since the 1980s, and unveiled the first commercially viable hybrid solution for CVs in 2006.
Volvo’s four-generation hybrid solution for commercial vehicles is based on the I-SAM (integrated starter, alternator motor) concept, which allows an electric motor and a diesel engine to work in parallel. Compared with older series hybrids, I-SAM reduces fuel consumption and improves driving characteristics, claims Volvo.
‘Our hybrid solution for heavy vehicles is completely different from anything that has existed in the market to date. As a result of our volumes and resources, we have succeeded in developing a more standardized platform solution, which is a prerequisite for the hybrid technology’s ability to have a widespread commercial impact in the market for heavy vehicles,’ says Leif Johansson, president and CEO, Volvo Group.
Volvo will also soon be launching its new hybrid bus, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid, in Europe. Production of this hybrid bus, which will provide fuel savings of up to 30%, will start next year.
[Via: Indiaautomotive]
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Thursday, September 18th, 2008
According to some reports in the media, German commercial vehicles manufacturer MAN Nutzfahrzeuge is not too happy with the performance of MAN Force Trucks, its joint venture company with Force Motors which was formed back in 2005. MAN currently holds 30 percent in the JV, but is said to be interested in acquiring a majority stakeholding in MAN Force Trucks, which has its manufacturing facility located at Pithampur (near Indore), in Madhya Pradesh.
On the other hand, Force Motors and MAN spokespersons refuse to comment, only saying that both companies are planning to jointly increase the share capital of the JV, by both promoters subscribing. The idea, they say, is to strengthen the company on a long-term basis.
It’s being said that MAN is worried about the entry of global players like Volvo and Daimler on the Indian commercial vehicles scenario. The German company feels it needs more control over its Indian operations in order to be able to take on other international commercial vehicle manufacturers.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
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Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
The Joint venture between Eicher Motors and Volvo group, VE Commerical Vehicles, has geared up their expansion plans in India. Eicher Motors currently holds about 2.5 percent market share of commercial vehicles in the country out of which 90 percent is dominated solely by Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland.
VECV also includes commercial vehicles, engineering components and solutions from Eicher Motors and truck sales and distribution network from Volvo. The joint venture company plans to launch two new vehicles, 6X4 tipper and 6X4 tractor trailor within in next 18-24 months.
Eicher Motors has its plant located at Pithampur, near Indore, MP that manufactures about 180 vehicles per day. Eicher products shall continue to be manufactured at Pithampur facility. Eicher Motors currently owns the Royal Enfield motorbike division and shall launch its two new models in coming few months.
[Via: Cartradeindia]
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Thursday, September 11th, 2008
At the Paris Motor Show coming up next month, Volvo will be presenting economical new diesel variants of the C30, S40 and V50 models. These cars will have fuel consumption figures of 23km/l for the C30, and 22km/l for the S40 and V50. Corresponding CO2 figures of 115 and 118g/km mean that the C30 and V50 have best-in-class CO2 emissions in their segments. All three models - the C30, S40 and V50 - are equipped with a special set of efficiency-enhancing features and marked with the DRIVe emblem to signal their uprated environmental properties.
The DRIVe models are based on the Volvo C30 Efficiency concept car that was shown at the Frankfurt motor show in October 2007. The measures adopted to reduce CO2 emissions that were presented then will be in production before the end of the year in the C30, S40 and the V50.
‘We wanted to demonstrate that low CO2 ratings are not solely the preserve of small diesel cars. By offering the Volvo V50 with emission levels below 120g CO2/km, we are also making it possible for families and other customers who require extra space to make an active pro-environmental choice,’ says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO, Volvo Cars.
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