Volvo Takes Pride in Reducing its CO2 Emissions the Most Among European Manufacturers

According to the data collected from the European Federation for Transport and Environment for its annual analysis, the European car manufacturer that has managed the greatest reduction in average CO2 emissions across its range in 2010 is Volvo.

The study shows that last year, Europe’s eight biggest automakers reduced their average CO2 emissions by 2 to 6 percent. Volvo, on the other hand, managed a 9 percent reduction topping the relative charts thanks to models such as the 99 g/km V50 DRIVe and the 119 g/km V70 DRIVe.

Read more »

Official: New Volvo V60 Plug-In Diesel Hybrid to go on Sale in 2012

Volvo announced today that the plug-in hybrid version of its V60 estate, which was developed in cooperation with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall and revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, will go on sale in select markets in 2012.

The new V60 plug-in hybrid combines a 215HP 2.4-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel with a 70HP electric motor that draws energy from a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The internal combustion engine motivates the front wheels while the electric motor transfers power to the rear wheels.

Read more »

U SPY: 2014 Volvo V30 Scooped on Film as Well

Carscoop commentator Paul tipped us off about a short video he took of a 2014 Volvo V30 prototype that he discovered at a McDonalds parking lot in the Dutch city of Oldenzaal. And yes, it's the same test car we showed you on Wednesday in our scoop pictures.

As a refresher for those of you that missed our previous story, the V30 is the five-door version of the next generation C30. It is expected to launch within the next two years providing the Swedish firm with direct rival to the Audi A3 Sportback and its kind in the premium hatchback category.

Read more »

SPIED: New Volvo V30 5-Door Hatchback Spotted Hanging Around a Parking Lot

Our spies caught up with a five-door prototype version of the next generation C30 in one of the least expected places: a McDonald's parking lot in Amsterdam, Holland. It seems that the Volvo engineers were taking a break, leaving our photographers a small window to take a few shots.

The five-door version of the C30 hatchback will likely carry the V30 nameplate and will go against the likes of the Audi A3 Sportback and the new BMW 1-Series.

Read more »

China's Geely, Owner of Volvo, Denies Interest in Buying Saab

Saab is in a crisis indeed. One day it is rescued, and the next it is on the brink of destruction. And this has been happening over and over again, like an automotive version of The Groundhog Day.

Yesterday we reported that Saab has not yet received the funds promised by Pang Da and Youngman as a bridge loan to keep the Swedish carmaker in business until the deal is approved by Chinese authorities.

Today, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter published an article claiming that another Chinese automaker, Geely Automobile, which bought Volvo from Ford in 2010, is interested in acquiring Saab as well.

Read more »

Volvo to Shut Down Plant that Builds C70 Convertible in 2013

Volvo's automotive division has announced that it will close its Uddevalla plant in Sweden in 2013 once it takes sole ownership of the factory. “The low volumes in the Uddevalla plant do not justify continued production”, said Volvo CEO, Stefan Jacoby.

The Uddevalla factory is currently run by Volvo and Pininfarina under a joint-venture agreement that was established in 2005 for the production of the C70 hardtop-convertible. The plant employs 600 workers and in 2010, production reached 10,000 units, which represents only 65% of its full capacity.

Read more »

Volvo Says Dankeschön to Germans for Ranking the Brand First in Customer Satisfaction

We'll have to wait and see if and when an American carmaker will provide an appropriate answer to Audi's new A6 commercial, but meanwhile here's a fresh and rather witty TV spot from Volvo that thanks German drivers for making the Swedish company the number 1 brand for customer satisfaction in Germany.

Cleverly, the Swedes also say Dankeschön (thank you in German) to the country's car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Opel, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Porsche for their...participation, and all this under the beautiful sounds of Bert Kaempfert's famous tune, "Danke Schoen".

Read more »

IAA 2011: Concept You Previews Volvo’s Next Large Sedan

True to its word, Volvo hosted the world premiere of its new concept model at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The oddly named Concept You was created not only to give us a glimpse of the Swedish firm's evolving design DNA and showcase its new platform architecture, but it also hints at Volvo's next generation large sedan. Read more »

Frankfurt Motor Show Premiere for Heico Sportiv’s Customized Volvo V60

Renowned Volvo tuner Heico Sportiv is heading to the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt with a specially modified V60 featuring a customized interior, exterior goods and performance upgrades. Read more »

2012 MY Volvo XC90 Receives Mild Updates in Europe

Despite being launched way back in 2002, the XC90 is still holding on in the sales front –even recording its best-ever year in the UK in 2010 with 7,000 units, and global sales of 37,000 cars. Now Volvo has decided to introduce some mild updates for the 2012MY.

Exterior modifications of the 2012 XC90, which will be available in October, include new LED day running lights in the lower front bumper, LED rear brake lights, a redesigned bumper bar, new six-spoke 18-inch alloys and, finally, the addition of roof rails to the standard specification of all trim models.

Read more »

Video: Volvo…960…Stretch…Limousine…Slow…Burn…Out

A Volvo and especially a 960 that has been transformed into a stretch limousine is a very unlikely candidate for a wild burnout. And true enough, as you can see in the video clip after the break, it's like watching the entire scene in slow moooooootion…

Read more »

IAA 2011: New Volvo Concept You Teased through Video

We are not sure what Volvo is trying to tell us about its Frankfurt Motor Show-bound conceptual study by naming it Concept You, but following an announcement on Monday, the Swedish company issued a teaser video that shows bits and pieces of the car without, however, revealing it. Read more »

New Volvo Concept Heading to Frankfurt to Showcase Engine and and Platform Tech

[Volvo Universe Concept from the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show Pictured Above]

Volvo announced today that it plans to reveal a new concept car at next week's Frankfurt Motor show. This new study, pictures of which have not yet been released, will highlight the Swedish company’s new downsized engine range, which will feature only four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

“It’s time to stop counting cylinders”, said Volvo’s Senior Vice President for Research and Development, Peter Martens. “The concept we will reveal at Frankfurt proves that downsized engines can go hand in hand with our customers’ expectations on luxury and driving pleasure.”

Read more »

Volvo and Siemens Form Partnership for Electric Vehicle Development

Volvo Car Corporation and Siemens, Europe's largest engineering company, will join forces for the development of electric vehicles through an extensive strategic cooperation.

The partnership between the two companies will focus on electric drive technology, power electronics, charging technology and the integration of all those systems in Volvo’s existing C30 Electric project.

Read more »

Study Shows Volvo’s Active Safety Systems Reduce Accidents

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a study showing that Volvo’s XC60 active safety systems contribute to it being engaged in 27% fewer damage accidents and 51% fewer bodily injury accidents than other mid-size luxury SUVs.

Always according to the study, the XC60 is also 19% less likely to be involved in accidents compared to other models in Volvo’s range. IIHS said that this is due to the SUV's standard low-speed collision avoidance system called City Safety.

Read more »

Volvo Aims to Boost Sales in China, Become Known for More than Safety

Volvo wants to increase its sales in China by at least 60% this year, to 50,000 cars, and to 200,000 by 2015. And how does the Swedish carmaker, which is owned by China’s Geely, intend to do so? By adding user-friendly comforts and a touch of luxury, according to Volvo’s CEO, Stefan Jacoby.

The reason for this shift is that Volvo’s greatest asset, safety, is not a unique selling point any more now that most rivals have made similar advances in this sector.

Read more »

Buying a New Car? Why Not Bundle A European Holiday

Did you know that there are holiday packages that bundle airfares, accommodation and cosmetic surgery? It’s a sort of incentive program for women (and some men) to have their surgery done overseas and is especially popular in Britain and Australia. Well, as some of you may already know, there are similar programs for people who want to buy a new car.

These so-called, “European Delivery Programs” are offered by companies as diverse as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volvo. Effectively you’re bundling a discount European vacation with your new car purchase.

Read more »

Volvo to Extend Driving Range of its EVs by Going the Way of the Chevy Volt

Electric Vehicles, or EVs, are the future. Or so the automakers say. And they would be correct, if it wasn’t for a significant disadvantage over petrol or diesel powered models: their abysmal range which makes them suitable only for limited city use.

Volvo is taking measures to solve this problem and make its EVs attractive to the public by adding an extra 1,000 km (621 miles) to their range. The solution, which has also been adopted by other models such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Audi A1 E-Tron concept, is the addition of a “range extender” internal combustion engine.

Read more »

Volvo Unveils S60 Performance Concept with 330HP

Volvo’s Australian arm has pulled the wraps off a conceptual performance version of its S60 sedan. Based on the S60 T6 R Design, the S60 Performance Concept is an Australian initiative and utilizes two partnerships within the Volvo family - Polestar and Heico - for some very discreet upgrades.

Read more »

Junk TV: Netherland’s Worst Driver Confirms his Credentials

From the imaginative world of TV reality shows comes our next story. The show in question is “Wie wordt De Allerslechtste Chauffeur Van Nederland?” which is Dutch for “Who is the Worst Driver in The Netherlands?”

However, once you watch the video after the break, you may considering an alternative title in the likes of “Who is the Most Idiotic Reality TV Show Producer in the World” since the enlightened creators of the show came up with the fabulous idea of testing Netherlands' most incompetent drivers on an unsafe course.

Read more »