Volvo, 20 years ago launched the V70 CC, today that CC Range has been expanded to more models and bigger sales.

Volvo Cars’ instrumental role in defining the adventurous Cross Country segment is widely acknowledged. With the imminent reveal of the new V90 Cross Country, the Swedish car maker is set to cement its leading role as the most capable and comfortable premium all-roader on offer and complete its 90 series line-up.

“Cross Country has become the true expression of a Volvo car in many people’s eyes. It was a winning concept from the start, perfect for the tough climate and road conditions that we experience in Sweden,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Car Group.

Developed in 1996, the first Cross Country estate combined functional flexibility and rugged capability. Today, 20 years later, the Cross Country segment is a familiar sight across the premium car market, providing a capable yet comfortable driving experience.

Extreme climate capability

Designed to cope with the demanding requirements of an extreme Scandinavian climate, Cross Country models perform in all sorts of road conditions – from muddy tracks and knee-deep snow to long-distance motorway driving. 

Proving a popular choice with horse and boat owners thanks to its high ground clearance, pulling power and responsive All-Wheel Drive, Cross Country has cemented its position as a premium mainstay and a true all-weather alternative to the SUV.

“We were very careful from the very beginning to ensure that the Cross Country concept was not just an exercise in rugged styling. 

We placed high demands on real-world capability, and as we developed the segment, we added the comfort and convenience elements that Volvo drivers have come to expect,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

The eagerly awaited V90 Cross Country will be revealed in mid-September.

First generation, 1997 – 2000

Developed as a capable alternative to the SUV and front-wheel-drive cars, Volvo Cars’ first Cross Country – the V70 XC – grew in popularity as old-school SUVs began to morph into city jeeps. Cross Country offered a new, adventurous take on motoring that delivered a competent mix of capability, functionality and comfort. 

The V70 XC was an instant success, especially in the North American market.

Second generation, 2000 – 2007

In 2000, the second-generation V70 XC came with much bolder styling and higher ground clearance.

When Volvo’s first SUV – the XC90 – came in 2002, the V70 XC received a newer, more modern All-Wheel Drive system and changed its name to XC70 in order to align to its bigger brother.

Third generation, 2007 – 2016

The third-generation Volvo Cross Country arrived in 2007 with added elegance and luxury. The XC70 continued to be a North American love affair, accounting for almost half of the total volume produced.

In 2014, the XC70 gained recognition around the globe as Zlatan Ibrahimović’s car thanks to a Volvo Cars commercial featuring the Swedish footballer. Such was the impact that sales of the model grew markedly during its last years of production.

Volvo will recall 59,000 cars after their engines stopped and restarted while they were driving.

Volvo Car Group will recall 59,000 cars after some owners experienced their engines stopping and restarting while they were driving.

"The software issue may cause the engine and electronics to restart during the course of a second while driving," Volvo spokesman Stefan Elfstrom told Automotive News Europe in an email. "We have no reports of accidents."

Elfstrom said there was no information available yet regarding the exact conditions when the restart occurs.

The recall affects 2016 five-cylinder diesel versions of Volvo's 60- and 70-series models (see full list, below).

Elfstrom said 97 percent of the affected cars are in Europe. About 24,000 of the vehicles are in Sweden. The UK is second on the list with 7,000 models affected by the recall followed by Germany's 6,000. No models in the U.S. or China are included in the recall.

Volvo is asking owners of the cars to take their vehicles to dealers, where corrected software will be downloaded at no cost. "This takes no more than 30 minutes," Elfstrom said. "The first customer cars have already been updated with the new software."

The 2016 5-cylinder diesel Volvos affected by the recall:

S60, S60 Cross Country

V60, V60 Cross Country, XC60

V70, XC70

Automotive News

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Volvo announces income, sales and profits for the first half of 2015 - and the growth continues.

Volvo Car Group, the premium car maker, has reported an operating profit of SEK1,660m for the first half of 2015, compared to SEK968m* for the same period in 2014. Revenue for the first half was SEK75,215m, up from SEK66,982m* in the first half of 2014. 

Retail sales during the first six months of 2015 were 232,284 cars, up slightly compared to 229,013 in the same period last year, driven primarily by strong demand in Europe. Sales in China were flat while sales in the United States stabilized during the period.

“It has been a good first half of the year, with an improved financial performance,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive. 

“We have been implementing a transformation plan since 2010 and this financial result demonstrates that we continue to be on the right track. For the full year, we expect a substantial increase in profits."

Volvo is investing in a global transformation as part of its long term strategic ambition to enhance its position as a global premium car maker. Driven by the complete renewal of its product range, Volvo is aiming to almost double sales to around 800,000 cars a year in the medium term.

In the first six months of 2015, Volvo Cars took several important steps towards achieving these goals.

The company started production of the new Volvo XC90, the first of its new generation of cars on its SPA platform. So far, the company has received close to 57,000 orders and started delivering the car to customers in the spring. 

In May, a third shift was introduced at the Torslanda plant in Sweden, creating nearly 1,500 new manufacturing jobs.

In the first half, Volvo also announced it will build a new manufacturing facility in South Carolina. 

Construction on the USD500m plant near Charleston will start this fall and the new facility will have initial production of around 100,000 cars per year and be completed by 2018.

Full results for the first half of 2015 will be revealed today at 10:00 CET during a press conference at the Volvo Showroom in Kungsträdgården, Stockholm. 

* The comparative figures for 2014 are restated, as Volvo Cars gained control over the Chinese industrial entities and consolidated them into Volvo Car Group as of January 1, 2015. 

As the incorporation of these entities is a common control transaction, Volvo Car Group has elected to apply predecessor accounting, meaning that the comparative information is presented as if the incorporated entities had always been controlled by Volvo Car Group. 

More information can be found in the Group's Interim Report First Half Year 2015.

JD Power ranks VOLVO as best in customer satisfaction amongst the premium brands.

• J.D. Power Reports: Volvo Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Premium Brands, Honda Ranks Highest Among Volume Brands in Inaugural UK Study
• Highly  Satisfied  Service  Experience Drives Customers  Back  to  the  Dealer  for  Service and Sales

Volvo ranks highest among premium brands and Honda ranks highest among volume brands in UK customer satisfaction with vehicle service, according to the J.D. Power 2015 UK Customer Service Index (CSI) Study^SM released today.

The inaugural study measures UK customer satisfaction with their service experience at a franchised dealer facility for maintenance and repair work. 

The study explores customer satisfaction with their service dealer by examining five measures (listed in order of importance): service quality (26%); service initiation (23%); service advisor (19%); vehicle pick-up (17%); and service facility (16%). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

The CSI Study is a comprehensive analysis of the vehicle service experience and is conducted by J.D. Power in 16 countries worldwide, providing detailed after-sales solutions for automakers and dealerships. 

Volvo ranks highest among premium brands in satisfaction with a score of 779. Volvo is followed by Land Rover (767) and Audi (762). 

Honda ranks highest among volume brands in satisfaction with a score of 768.

 Suzuki and Toyota rank second in a tie (759 each), and Kia and Skoda rank fourth in a tie (758 each).

“The common perception is that the luxury brands are able to deliver a more satisfying customer experience, but the study shows this is not the case,” said Dr. Axel Sprenger, senior director of European automotive operations at J.D. Power.

“Any brand and any dealership can provide a consistently positive customer experience if they make it a priority and have the people and processes in place.  When they do, they likely will see an increase in revenue and will be able to build customer loyalty.”

The 2015 UK CSI Study finds that satisfaction with dealer service leads to customer loyalty and advocacy. 

Among the 20 percent of customers who are highly satisfied with their dealer service (overall satisfaction scores of 900 and above), 78 percent say they “definitely will” purchase their next vehicle from that dealer and 85 percent “definitely will” recommend the dealer to friends and family. 

In contrast, among customers less satisfied (scores of 700-899), only 36 percent indicate an intention to purchase their next vehicle from that dealer, and only 42 percent say they “definitely will” recommend the dealer to others.

KEY FINDINGS

• Satisfaction among the 93 percent of customers who are able to get an appointment on the day they desire averages 768, compared with 576 when an appointment is not available on their desired day.
• While 25 percent of customers would prefer to schedule a service appointment over the Internet, only 15 percent actually do. The Internet as a method to schedule an appointment is expected to increase with the emergence of mobile apps, which make the process faster and easier.
• The No. 1 reason for choosing a dealer for service is prior experience with the service department (35%), followed by location (34%) and prior experience with the sales department (32%). Fewer than 3 percent of customers indicate selecting their service facility due to advertising or promotions/coupons.
• Though only 31 percent of dealers recommend additional service work to their customers, when they do, 62 percent of customers have the recommended work done. Satisfaction is substantially higher among the 78 percent of customers who are recommended service and have it done, compared with those who do not have the recommended work done (760 vs. 693, respectively).
• On average, customers who accept additional work on their vehicle spend £347 on their service visit, compared with £189 among those who do not receive additional work recommendations. 
• Amenities offered at the dealership are key drivers of satisfaction with the service facility, as 24 percent of customers stay at the dealership while service is performed on their vehicle.

The 2015 UK Customer Service Index Study is based on 9,091 respondents who purchased their new vehicle between April 2012 and March 2014. The study was fielded between March and May 2015.

WORLDWIDE SALES JULY - VOLVO - The Chinese owned brand just keeps growing, and that's great news.

* Global retail sales of 38,128 cars in July

* Europe up 10.5 per cent boosted by Germany and Sweden

* More than 52,000 orders for the new Volvo XC90

Volvo Cars posted a 4.6 per cent increase in retail sales for the month of July, selling 38,128 cars globally. Europe as well as the US market were key drivers of growth. Both regions reported significant increases based on sales of the new Volvo XC90 and continued strong demand for Volvo’s ’60-series carlines.

Retail sales in Europe including Sweden grew 10.5 per cent where Germany and Sweden represented the key growth drivers. 

The new Volvo XC90 is behind a large part of the incremental sales while also the other XC-carlines are strong in Sweden. Looking at Europe as a whole, the popularity for Volvo’s best-seller XC60 continues to grow.

China was Volvo Cars’ largest market in July with 5,832 sold cars. The decline in in China reflects the current overall market uncertainty and instability. The locally produced XC60 and S60L models are the most sold Volvo models in China.

Sales in the US market amounted to 5,617 retail sold cars representing a 14.7 per cent increase versus the same month last year. The success for the new Volvo XC90 as well as demand for the Volvo V60 and XC60 models were the main factors behind the incremental sales.

“The success for the new Volvo XC90 is now starting to show in our sales performance but I am also happy to see that our ’60-series continues to grow in demand globally”, said Alain Visser, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars. 

“With growing sales in the US market and XC90 volumes ramping up I am confident of continued strong sales in the second half of this year”.

Retail sales status (deliveries to end customers) for Volvo Car Group is as follows:

	July				January – July
	2014	2015	Change		2014	2015	Change
China	6 882	5 832	-15,3%		45 633	44 124	-3,3%
USA	4 897	5 617	14,7%		34 228	34 984	2,2%
Sweden	4 100	4 782	16,6%		34 611	37 242	7,6%
Western Europe	14 429	15 693	8,8%		102 059	109 091	6,9%
Other markets	6 131	6 204	1,2%		48 921	44 971	-8,1%
TOTAL	36 439	38 128	4,6%		265 452	270 412	1,9%

The Volvo XC60 was the best-selling model in July with 12,933 sold cars (2014: 10,803), followed by the Volvo V40 and V40 Cross Country for which deliveries reached a total of 7,098 cars (2014: 9,006). The S60 and S60L models were third best selling at 4,533 cars (2014: 5,612).