There was a time when the Volvo title was intrinsically linked to boxy station wagons. Even now, point out the Gothenburg model and fanatics would instantly think about both a 240 GL longroof full of Ikea flat packs or a slammed 850 BTCC touring automotive flying throughout kerbs with Rickard Rydell behind the wheel.
However even Volvo is saying goodbye to all of that heritage, as a result of the times of the Swedish wagon are numbered. Subsequent to the reveal of the brand new ES90 electrical sedan – with the notable absence of an property equal (EV90?) – CEO Jim Rowan was requested by Auto Categorical if he may envision a future with no conventional Volvo wagon, to which he merely replied: “Sure. As a result of I believe [the market has] modified, proper?”
Price is unquestionably an element within the wagon’s culling, with Rowan saying that it’s costly to introduce new fashions and hold producing them, including that it will be higher (and cheaper) to launch completely different variations of present merchandise.
“We want to choose: fairly than deliver out a [new] V90 for instance, are we higher to place that automotive in a barely completely different manner? So now we have the Black Editions, now we have the Cross Nation editions – we now have completely different editions of the identical base automotive. It’s a lot, less expensive, and far less expensive for us to drive extra quantity by means of that very same platform and that very same kind issue,” he stated.
Rowan’s feedback come simply weeks after Volvo’s UK industrial director Robert Deane hinted that discontinuing wagons there – and willingly ceding the market to its German opponents – was a mistake. The corporate ended up reintroducing the V60 and V90 lower than a 12 months later, relenting to resurgent demand. Even in Malaysia, the place the wagon is intently related to hearses, Volvo Automobile Malaysia continues to promote the V60 – nonetheless CKD regionally assembled in Shah Alam.
However Rowan justified the beloved physique type’s axing, saying that the corporate is “making very aware selections” on the subject of market positioning. “The place we’re differentiating is with SUVs – good excessive journey top, very protected – and we predict we will defend that beachhead in opposition to the competitors. It’s a lot simpler than us changing into distracted by too many fashions.”
Volvo’s renewed give attention to producing derivatives of present fashions may give rise to efficiency variants to tackle scorching BMW M and Mercedes-AMG automobiles. “There may be at all times a distinct segment. The sporty household automotive; there’s somebody who needs to have the flexibility of a household automotive, but in addition the efficiency,” stated chief product and technique officer Erik Severinson.
“I believe there are niches inside your core segments the place you are able to do derivatives,” he stated. “However you may’t actually fully go into one other kind of…see what I imply?” he stated, alluding to completely different physique types.
Volvo’s product repositioning is clear within the electrical ES90 – a fastback sedan-crossover mashup with 5 doorways and a excessive floor clearance. The latter would make constructing a wagon model fairly redundant, as a result of such a mannequin already exists – it’s known as the EX90.
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