I submit, yeronner, brain fade, the leap straight from summer holiday to Swedish presser and an exceptionally busy week for the delay in this column arriving in an inbox near you.
While the rest of the j-a team were enjoying a well deserved Last Bank Holiday of the Year, I was on a plane to Stockholm for a major new model ‘static reveal’; a look-but-no-driving-yet launch of the first fully redesigned Volvo XC90 in, count ’em, a dozen years.
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You can guess, at least partly, why the long wait, what with Ford apparently never really knowing quite what to do with the famous Swedish brand, apart from sliding shared platforms under models like the S/V40 and building it in a Ford/Mazda local joint venture plant in China, among other places, followed by The Sale in 2010 and the setting up of a new relationship with new owner Geely.
The excitement amongst Volvo UK’s own PRs, who hosted us, and the numerous Sweden-based execs and PRs I met during a hectic trip was palpable though, I have to say, when the new car was finally revealed during a very well choreographed presentation (using leading-edge audio-visual techniques, gear and, I believe, technicians from the recent U2 world tour), the audience reaction was muted. By now, you’ll have judged for yourself, from our reports and others’, but I thought it worthy but hardly a standard setter for styling, specification and equipment. In short, the popular old stager has been brought bang up to date for its new gig somewhat upmarket of the old (but short of premium monsters like the Range Rovers) but not really much more though the two claimed safety world firsts must be acknowledged. And those ‘Thor’s hammer’ DRLs (used to great effect during the reveal presentation) will surely soon be as recognisable as the likes of Jaguar’s and Audi’s on the road.
A decent choice of all-I4 petrol and diesel engines, topped off by an ‘up-to-400hp’ petrol-electric 4WD hybrid option (called T8 Twin Engine), the choice of manual or (new) eight-speed automatic transmissions, plus two- or four-wheel drive will surely be enough to at least lure some current and potential owners into showrooms around the globe. The top build and interior material quality, and standard or optional items like a killer 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, along with every other driver aid and passenger toy currently known to man should seal more than a few deals.
The event was also a good chance to sit down with several senior executives and learn more about the intriguing project to transfer assembly of the outgoing XC90 to China where the Geely-built XC Classic will be sold from later this year. I also talked with Volvo sales and marketing chief Alain Visser, a seasoned global industry veteran, and caught up with current Volvo activity in China, about to become the brand’s largest single market. Meanwhile, R&D chief Peter Mertens had some interesting thoughts to share on the use of aluminium and carbon fibre as alternatives to Volvo’s current preference for boron steel.
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By GlobalDataMeanwhile, thousands of miles away, Simon Warburton was back in Russia, for events including the Moscow auto show, and filed stories on sanctions, AvtoVAZ profitability, overall market incentives, and more. All confirming our long-held view that Russia is one of the more intriguing emerging markets to watch.
Finally (and back in Sweden), it is looking more and more like NEVS’ valiant attempt to revive Saab has failed. Deep pockets are needed to found (or revive) and run an automaker and it looks like suppliers – already burned by the last Saab meltdown – have run out of patience. Administration was court-approved on Friday.
Reports that NEVS has been refused financial investment by the likes of (recent Ssangyong rescuer) Mahindra and Mahindra perhaps serves only to highlight the problem Saab’s current owners face.
Sad, nonetheless.
Graeme Roberts, Deputy Editor, just-auto.com
