News on Volvo
by EVANDER KLUM
The automotive market is as fickle as a woman��s head. The trends keep changing and models for whatever reason are being dropped. In fact there is this one rumor saying that Volvo��s introductory sedan, the S40 with quality Volvo fuel filters is heading to the chopping block but of course since it��s a rumor it has yet to be confirmed.
According to Volvo the S40 sedan will remain as part of the lineup for at least three years and after that period production of the S40 will be dropped. There are also reportedly plans to make the V50 to stay longer in the lineup. The Swedish-based automaker is also not sure if it still needs three-sedan lineup of which include the small S40, midsize S60, and large S80 particularly since the S60 and the S80 have basically similar sizes. But of the three, the S40 is likely to be dropped since the company is planning to launch a scaled-down version of the current S60 to cover the market of the S40 while leaving the upper end to the S80.
According to Joe Phillippi of AutoTrends, an automotive consulting firm, "It makes sense to consolidate because everyone else in the auto industry is consolidating. Volvo doesn't need three sedans. The new C30 can serve the purpose of attracting younger, less-affluent buyers than the S40 now does. It costs a lot of money to refresh a car like the S40 every five years, though at Volvo it's more like six years, and money is very important to Volvo and any eventual partner. Any new partner may not want to invest the money it would take to support three sedans, which is a very expensive proposition."
Volvo is the Swedish subsidiary of Ford which is expected to be sold to accommodate funds that will aid in the company��s North American turnaround.
Volvo Cars�� Children and Cars Volvo��s Children and Cars manual which is all about child safety has been awarded as ��The Best Information Manual in Sweden�� for this year. The awarding was done last Thursday night and the book with Volvo Cars�� crash test dummies won the Swedish Publishing Award 2007 at a ceremony held in Stockholm. The jury said that the Volvo��s Children and cars manual ��conveys a vital message with an ingenious metaphor��.
Malin Persson Safety Communicator at Volvo Cars and editor of the book said, "Brilliant news! And it is especially nice that the important message of the manual - how children may travel safer in cars - is being highlighted."
The design of the manual was created by the agency Studio Desktop while the photographs of the crash test dummies shown in real life situation were photographed by Lars Ardarve.
The Children and Cars Manual was launched by Volvo Cars earlier this year and has been translated into ten different languages. It is now being distributed to dealers all over the world with the objective of protection children in cars. Volvo Cars also recommends for all children to travel in rear-facing child seats particularly for children aging three to four years old.
It was the Popular Kommunikation that founded the Swedish Publishing Award and is now on its 15th year. Awards were presented in 21 different categories. Aside from the Child Safety Manual, Volvo Life which is the magazine for Swedish Volvo customers was also nominated in the Customer Magazine category. The Agenda magazine was also nominated in the In-House Magazine category.
