[navdeep]

Volvo is entering the Indian market and they are planning to launch their first car in India by December this year.

The company would compete with other global automakers in the Indian market like BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi.

Managing Director, Volvo Car India, Paul de Voijs spoke about their plans for India: “Looking at two previous races, we have seen that there’s fantastic image building associated with leisure activities. It very well coincides with the mentality and activity that our customers have.” Volvo is organizing the famous Volvo Ocean race in Chennai in December next year.

BMW plans to counter their move by showcasing their art cars. The German automaker would exhibit two cars from a treasured art car collection in Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery in September this year.

Volvo cars in India by December this year

[lurker]

Ford, Volvo to share synergies, not showrooms
SUMANT BANERJI


NEW DELHI, JUNE 24: Refuting reports of a possible marketing and dealer network tie up, Ford and Volvo India have said that they will remain independent of each other when the Volvo starts operations by the end of this year. The two auto majors will share synergies in logistics management, human resource development and IT but will have separate identities.

We will use Ford’s expertise in areas which do not affect the consumer and brand perceptions. But there will be no dealer or service network sharing and there will be no Volvo cars in Ford showrooms in India,” said Volvo Cars India managing director Paul De Voijs.


Volvo Cars was bought over by Ford Motor Company in 1999 and the Swedish company produces some of the famous luxury brand of cars and SUVs around the world. “Volvo is part of the global Ford family and hence we will share some synergies that does not affect the consumer. It does not matter to the consumer whether a Volvo car was brought in the same truck as a Ford car or whether we share the same software for administration. But our branding will be completely independent and separate,” Voijs said.


Volvo has been planning to enter India with its best selling SUV XC 90 and premium sedan S-80 by the year end. The homologation process for the two models will be complete by August end. Volvo may tap Ford’s knowledge base with regards to homologation processes for its other models.


Echoing Volvo’s stand, Ford India president and MD Arvind Mathew also said that though Volvo is a part of Ford worldwide there will not be common showrooms.

IndianExpress.com :: Ford, Volvo to share synergies, not showrooms

[GTO]

The most important task for Volvo will be to distinguish itself from the other brands. Its raining cars, and what is going to be Volvos USP? Value? Rugged nature? Gizmos? Safety? Strong engines (diesel)?

[navdeep]

I heard sometime back about Ford selling off Volvo

[tushky]

saw Both 2 cars near Boat Club Road, Pune. they were on test.

[whatcanthisbe]

NICE the xc90 is a great suv and the s 80 and 50 are gret cars, lets see what price point they enter on

[lurker]

Volvo S80 @Rs 39.6 lakh, XC90 @Rs47 lakh

Volvo Car Corporation (VCC), today announced the pricing of thier two models for India-S80 and XC90. The S80 petrol model is priced at Rs 40.7 lakh and the diesel model at Rs 39.6 lakh.

The petrol driven XC90 sport utility vehicle will carry a price tag of Rs 48 lakh with the diesel driven XC90 priced at Rs 47 lakh. All prices are Ex-showroom Mumbai.

Both the models will be directly imported from Sweden and will be available in 14 different colours at three dealerships in Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh.

The price of the cars will include the first two years warranty and factory schedules maintenance up to 60,000 km (which ever is earlier).

Volvo S80 @Rs 40.7 lakh, XC90 @Rs39.6 lakh

[Thad E Ginathom]

That's over £50,000 for the S80. We don't know what spec/model.

Take a look at this list of UK prices where the top-of-the-range S80, with an Eight-cylinder 4.4 litre petrol engine is shown with a starting price of £37,100

In UK Volvo has a reputation for being a company that used to have superb build and safety standards, but is not quite so good as it was. Here it has a reputation for making buses.

Will they sell any?

[iraghava]

Thad - There are some Volvo enthusiasts here too so they will sell them but how many depends on the final spec & on-road prices. People who like cars like the Pheaton should be more or less the target clintele for their cars.

[AMATMO]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Since in India the Volvo name has been cast in people's mindsets as the bus maker. They wouldnt know nor be able to make the cultural change with a non bus-maker car of the same name. Ford might want it recognized differently also. Even a famous car maker-Subaru had to rebadge the Forester as Chevrolet - not that it mattered in the end

Disclaimer: Before I'm asked abt the similarities with TELCO when it started cars, I dont have any short answer to that

i dont think that is true theMAG...cause volvo has been serving a luxury car maker in india for a long time..i have seen a lot of volvo cars and limo's in the country ...ofcource they have lost their market share today.but i would consider this case similar to that of jaguar xj/daimler super 8 in india


to be honest all th other volvos i have seen are older than 1997

but my point is that i dont think they need to change their name
anybody with that money has the knowledge and awareness of this brand i am sure...atleast those who have stayed abroad and those who have been rich since 1980
i am sure you must have seen them aswell ..right?

[raul]

Most Indian's have high regard for Volvo buses, they have redefined the Indian market in terms of comfort and technology for buses and I don't think this is lost on the general public. Also the buses cost a bomb and so launching premium cars and SUVs will not be affected by the buses, its not like they launched low end buses here, if anything there will be a positive effect in terms of technology.

Since at the price point they are launching is limited to the very affluent who are exposed to global markets and probably aware of Volvo and their products I don't think they will face a problem pushing these, probably competing for brand conscious consumers which is extremely accentuated at those price points with Mercedes and BMW will be tougher. Maybe the odd person will buy it to stand out from the crowd but beyond that a difficult scenario to predict.

Volvo has traditionally pushed itself as well built and safe vehicles but their competitors at that price are not perceived as unsafe so it will not be a factor. They need something else to create a market for these.

[moralfibre]

Update:

I have spy pics of the Volvo S80 that is to be launched in my phone now but don't have the cable with me. The SUV was under covers and there is another hatch lying in covers. All the cars are undergoing SUV tests and will be launched in association with Ford because thats where I spotted them .

[lurker]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Update:

and there is another hatch lying in covers.

C30 is scheduled to be launched in 2008

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by lurker

C30 is scheduled to be launched in 2008

Yes but it is already here for testing.

[samirsarkar]

Originally Posted by AMATMO

i dont think that is true theMAG...cause volvo has been serving a luxury car maker in india for a long time..i have seen a lot of volvo cars and limo's in the country ...ofcource they have lost their market share today.but i would consider this case similar to that of jaguar xj/daimler super 8 in india


to be honest all th other volvos i have seen are older than 1997

but my point is that i dont think they need to change their name
anybody with that money has the knowledge and awareness of this brand i am sure...atleast those who have stayed abroad and those who have been rich since 1980
i am sure you must have seen them aswell ..right?

Exactly. Volvo buses are extremely prevalent even abroad but that doesn't stop people there from branding it as a bus-maker company and asking questions like "Oh, they make cars too ??"

I am sure anybody wishing to even think of going in for a Volvo will be aware of this brand as a very safe, sturdy, comfortable, long lasting and reliable family sedan.

I have driven the 1.8 S40 Petrol in the UK (they should actually bring this one to India and pit it against the Civic/Corolla. The car feels so supremely planted on the road even at high speeds and feels so spacious and comfy, I was very impressed.