Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    near HD (FRG)
    Posts
    171

    Default Geely buys Volvo

    hd; '04 XC70 OSD, 2.5T, autom., silver/charcoal.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    near HD (FRG)
    Posts
    171

    Default

    update Mar 28, 2010

    March 28 (Bloomberg) -- Zhejiang Geely Holding Co. agreed to buy Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Co. for $1.8 billion in the biggest overseas acquisition by a Chinese automaker.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...Gu40d7oY&pos=1
    hd; '04 XC70 OSD, 2.5T, autom., silver/charcoal.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    241

    Default Spoken like a true Volvo owner

    current: 2001 XC70 207,000mi, original tranny

    past: 1987 740GLE tranny...bleh
    past: 1979 240DL head-on collision

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Vancouver, BC
    Posts
    2

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Vancouver, BC
    Posts
    2

    Lightbulb Here is my post in the "Readers' comments" section of the Economist article

    Congratulations to Mr. Geely for the acquisition of such a superb premium brand automobile company! That said, I hope Mr. Geely realizes that such a state-of-the-art and innovative company like Volvo, which not only makes the safest cars in the world but also makes them durable, stylish, practical and comfortable, is not a feat that was achieved over just a few years. Money was not the main motivating factor in Volvo acquiring its great reputation. Volvo has earned its well deserved reputation over decades of dedication by its engineers, designers, managers and production workers.

    I live in the greater Vancouver area, where it rains six months in the year. In this challenging climate, I am happy to see so many Volvo cars from the 1970s and 1980s still being proudly driven by their owners around Vancouver. Indeed in my own neighbourhood, I find several Volvo cars from the 1980s still looking fresh and well maintained. This is testimony to the durability of Volvo's products.

    Being the proud purchaser of a 2010 Volvo XC70, I wish the company success and hope it continues to innovate. I chose the Volvo over comparable BMW (X3, 5 series Wagon), Audi (A6 wagon) and Mercedes (G class), because not only was the cabin more roomier, but it also had the best leg room and most comfortable seats over the comparable BMW, Audi and Mercedes vehicles, and cost $10,000 less. Besides none of the other models had the same safety features as the Volvo.

    That said, and this is not to sound prejudiced, I would never buy a Volvo that is made in China! You may get costs down but you *will* compromise on Volvo's reputation. Therefore, I hope Mr. Li will spend his money where its needed most - to invest in improving the facilities in Sweden, marketing and international dealer and service networks. Do not rule with an iron hand as you do in China. And do not think that you will be able to innovate on the cheap. I love the fact that the Volvo is an over-engineered car that is easy to drive.

    Most of the Volvo owners I know are repeat buyers and have owned Volvos for the most part of their lives. Mr. Li, please keep your installed base of Volvo owners in mind and do not try to cut costs that would compromise long term growth over short term gains. Be like Apple Computers and spend the money where it is rightly needed.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    rochester,ny
    Posts
    180

    Red face


    Honestly speaking I have a very big doubts regardless Volvo future..As a man who had an opportunity to drove Geely I can politely say that it is a piece of"...".One thought about seeing the label "MADE IN CHINA" on Volvo make me feel bad.I came from the post Soviet Union background and clearly remember and admire the days when such labels like" MADE IN USA" MADE IN JAPAN" "MADE IN GERMANY" rely mean something! The item cost a lot but the quality was superb.. We even develop a proverb" WE are not that rich to buy a cheap staff".

    Only a few month after the new ownership Volvo was able to fail at least 2 presentation of their safety systems.New owners without shame declared that it all was misunderstanding and etc..instead of saying yes we fail but we will make it right!
    Only time will show what is going to happened.But if the quality of the cars will drops even more(even during Ford ownership take a look on number of recalls!!!) I will definitely go to the Buick dealership and pick up "MADE IN USA" CAR!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
    Posts
    400

    Default

    A great deal of Buick's resurgence in popularity is the influence of their fantastic sales increase in China and the restyling that meets with Chinese market approval on their cars, ones also sold in the US.

    Any changes in Volvo you are seeing now are Ford ownership period changes. No cars or pieces of current cars have been touched since the sale process completed.
    The auto industry does not move fast. Any changes in product takes time that is measured in minimum of 6 months and bigger changes are measured in years.
    Paint colors are about the only thing that can be changed in weeks.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    rochester,ny
    Posts
    180

    Default

    Sure it could take years to make changes..And many of us here would hope for the best outcome for Volvo..But in my personal opinion, what we will see in a few years- the clones of Volvo's and Buick's..Those guys do not have any respect for the intellectual property..Just take a look at their auto complex..their jeeps are just 99% copies of Toyota's ,or soviet UAZ.. SUV`s are 50% BMW and 50% Porsche's..

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
    Posts
    400

    Default

    I know the future is questionable.
    I was really addressing the part of your post about failing safety tests only two months into Geely deal. That would imply Geely has already diminished the safety of Volvos. Geely had nothing to do with those crash ratings.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    rochester,ny
    Posts
    180

    Default

    I was not even thinking about recent crash tests..My post was addressed to the shame that volvo faced after failing presentations of their passive safety systems such as automatic stopping in the city when human being unexpectedly for driver would appear in front of the car, and the system of reducing speed on the highway..Sorry I do not know exact name of those systems and do not want to waist time googling it..(Volvo built their reputation upon the fact that they are the safest cars on the planet and who in healthy mind would make a presentation without being 100% sure that everything works!) And honestly God do we rely need all this electronics in our cars? It will make the car only more expensive and with Volvo`s Unbelievable Resale Value...My point is simple why to spend money for the futures that are rely not needed? We are in the global crisis and with every day less and less people would be able to afford a new Volvo..And the more fancy electronic you have in your car the less reliable it would be and the more frequent would be visits to the dealer..And Volvo does not provide 10 years/100K warranty as some other manufactures..about the dealership prices i don`t even want to start to talk.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •