Specifically designed for the market in China.
Guangzhou, November 18, 2008.
Volvo Car Corporation proudly presented the Volvo S80L at the 6th Guangzhou Motor Show in south China. The S80L, a long wheelbase version of the popular S80 sedan, has been locally tailored and specifically designed for the market in China. Furthermore, the Volvo S80L will be locally produced in China. The new design was unveiled by Dr. Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Car China, and marks the acceleration of its localization plan.
Volvo Cars has enjoyed stable growth since entering China. It released its first locally built model, the Volvo S40, in 2006, to better address the Chinese market and the particular demands of Chinese consumers. The valuable experience which followed the S40's success further enhanced Volvo's confidence in promoting a strategy of local manufacture.
"Therefore, Volvo made a decision to produce its flagship sedan, the S80, in China, with upgrades to suit the tastes of Chinese consumers' and to meet the increasing demand for premium cars in China," said Dr. Klose.
Throughout its long history, Volvo has made safety its core value. Eighty years' of refinement and the accumulation of meticulous car-making techniques has enabled Volvo's flagship S80 to attain a leading market position. With top-level safety, quality, and design, the S80 has consolidated Volvo's strength and status among luxury car brands, maintaining its unique competitive advantages within the fiercely competed Chinese luxury car market. The all-new long wheelbase S80L is expected to further enhance the perception of Volvo's premium among Chinese consumers.
Bigger Space, More Luxurious Appointments.
The long wheelbase S80L is to be built at the CFMA Chongqing plant in China. And it is specially designed for Chinese consumers, with larger and more comfortable rear seat space. In addition, the S80L boasts top-level features and equipment. Volvo's world-leading innovative technology, guarantees premium appointments, a comfortable driving experience and unsurpassed safety. The S80L targets successful mature achievers who have a strong sense of responsibility for their families and the society.
Reflecting Volvo's Premium Quality, Technology and Safety.
To ensure the success of S80L's local production in China, Volvo has done a huge amount of preparatory work. Before the project even kicked off, technical experts and senior executives from Volvo visited China many times to inspect local suppliers and ensure the quality of locally produced parts and components. They also issued concrete and detailed requirements for every part used by Volvo.
Since 2000, Volvo Cars Safety Centre in Sweden, which boasts the most advanced testing facility in the world, has conducted over 2,000 crash tests. Many of Volvo's leading preventive safety technologies were invented there, resulting in the S80 and S80L's top performance in comprehensive safety protection.
The S80 has enjoyed critical success, resulting in many international awards, cementing its position in the premium car sector. The S80L shares all the features and qualities of the S80 sedan and it exceeds its sibling by being 14 cm longer and all this extra length appears in the rear seat creating an outstanding comfort for the passengers. The popularity of the S80 sedan has set a solid foundation for the introduction of the S80L in China. Volvo believe S80L's world leading safety technology, premium quality, and luxurious design will give it powerful market competitiveness and win the S80L a significant share of the luxury car segment in China.
(source: Volvo)
Volvo logo (2006). In March of 2006, Volvo introduced a reworked identity as part of widespread changes to the way it markets itself.
The Swedish motor vehicle manufacturer has appointed branding agency Bite to develop its logo as part of a plan to elevate the marque's iron symbol to give it the same level of prominence as the Volvo mark.
The changes, which are the brand's most significant in 75 years, are intended to eradicate inconsistencies in the application of the Volvo identity across its models and communications.
The company also wants to make greater use of the iron symbol, which it claims is recognised as a good illustration of the strength and endurance of its vehicles.
The changes to the logo are subtle, with the iron mark now more curved and thicker bevelled edges. The shape of the arrow has also been changed slightly. The blue of the "Volvo" script is retained, but the silver used for the iron mark is now a softer matt shade in an attempt to give it a more luxurious feel.
The new look will be introduced across all the brand's promotional activity -- previously it had used only the word "Volvo".
The reworked logo will first appear on the C30 model, which is due to be launched at the Paris Motor Show in September, and international promotional material for the model. Volvo hopes the C30 will rid it of its traditional association as a safe choice of family car and make it appeal to a younger and broader audience.
The changes follow Volvo's decision to relaunch its customer magazine, which is produced by Redwood Publishing.
