Today, a brand such as Volvo (Volvo) is world famous. But how did it all start?
Vovlo: brand history
The history of Volvo (Volvo) began in 1924 with a meeting of college classmates Assar Gabrielson and Gustav Larson. Together they founded a car company. In this they were helped by the company SKF, which specialized in the production of bearings.
In 1927 their first offspring Volvo OV4/Jacob was created. It was a convertible equipped with a 4-cylinder engine running on gasoline fuel. A little later, they released a sedan and its extended version. As a result, about one and a half thousand cars were sold in two years.
When Gunnar Ingelau takes over as president of the group, the dawn of the company's operations begins. Things were going uphill. Swedish cars were exported to the United States of America.
The production also increased. Innovative technologies were introduced, such as the three-point seat belts by Niels Ivar Bolin. Has also been improved brake system and deformation zones.
Volvo: country of origin
The history of the Volvo brand began in Sweden. When polling passers-by to the question: “Volvo - whose car? Country of manufacture of this brand? the results were as follows:
70% - Germany;
20% - Sweden;
15% - USA;
5% do not know the answer to this question.
Volvo concern today
In 1999, the concern sells factories to Ford to produce cars. And even later, in 2010, Ford motor sells the brand Chinese company Geely. The history of Volvo has gone through more than one crisis. But, having survived them, the brand expanded production. In the automotive industry, it was re-profiled and left the production of passenger cars. Today on the market you can see a wide range of products and services under the Volvo brand:
vehicles (trucks, buses, etc.);
engines;
automotive equipment;
construction equipment;
space components.
The Volvo car brand is now associated by many with good safety and build quality. Combines excellent style, power and reliability. "I'm rolling!" - this is how the brand name is translated, which fully justifies it. Anyone who already is or was the owner of a car of this brand recommends it to others.
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Volvo means "I roll" in Latin, and the circle of arrows is just a convenient symbol for steel, Sweden's biggest industry before iKEA. The circle and arrow symbolize the shield and spear of Mars, which are also alchemical symbols for iron.
In 1924, in the Stockholm restaurant Sturehof on July 25 - the day that is called Jacob's Day in the Swedish calendar - Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson decided to create Volvo.
Volvo's birthday is April 14, 1927, the day the first car, called the Jakob, left the factory in Gothenburg. However real story The development of the concern began a few years later. The 1920s are characterized by the beginning of the real development of the automotive industry simultaneously in the USA and Europe. In Sweden, they really became interested in cars in 1923 after an exhibition in Gothenburg. In the early 1920s, 12,000 cars were imported into the country. In 1925 their number reached 14.5 thousand. On international market manufacturers, in pursuit of increasing their volumes, did not always selectively approach components, so the quality of the final product often left much to be desired, and as a result, many of these manufacturers quickly went bankrupt. For the creators of Volvo, the issue of quality was fundamental. Therefore, their main task was to make right choice among suppliers. In addition, tests were carried out after assembly. To this day, Volvo follows this principle.
Let's find out the history of this brand in more detail...
1927
Volvo OV4 "The Jacob"
Creators of Volvo
Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson are the creators of Volvo. Assar Gabrielsson, the son of Gabriel Gabrielsson, the office manager, and Anna Larson, was born on August 13, 1891 in Kosberg, Skaraborg County. He graduated from the Higher Latin School Norra in Stockholm in 1909. He received a bachelor's degree in economics and business from the School of Economics in Stockholm in 1911. After working as an official and stenographer in the lower house of the Swedish Parliament, Gabrielsson got a job as a sales manager at SKF in 1916. He founded Volvo and served as president until 1956.
Gustaf Larson - the son of Lars Larson, a farmer, and Hilda Magnesson - was born on July 8, 1887 in Vintros, County of Jerebro. In 1911 he graduated from the technical primary school in Erebro; received an engineering degree from the Royal Institute of Technology in 1917. In England from 1913 to 1916 he worked as a design engineer for White and Popper Ltd.
After graduating from the Royal Institute of Technology, Gustaf Larson worked for SKF as manager and chief engineer of the firm's transmission department in Gothenburg and Katrinholm from 1917 to 1920. He worked as a plant manager and later as technical director and executive vice president of Nya AB Gaico with 1920 to 1926 Collaborated with Assar Gabrielsson to create Volvo. From 1926 to 1952 he was Technical Director and Executive Vice President of Volvo.
The history of Volvo began with crayfish
As the book "Volvo Cars" tells, the history of Volvo begins in June 1924, when Assar Gabrielson, the future managing director of the brand, accidentally met in a cafe with a former college classmate Gustav Larson, who would later become Volvo's technical director. That day in a cafe they talked for a short time, and Gabrielson proposed the idea of creating an enterprise for the production of cars. Gustav Larson agreed that they should have discussed this topic in more detail, but he considered the proposal itself hardly serious and did not give it special significance. Maybe this idea would not have developed if they had not met for the second time in August of that year.
This is how Gustav Larson describes this meeting, recalling Assar Gabrielson (the article was published in Volvo magazine after Gabrielson's death in 1962): "I happened to pass by the Sture-hof restaurant. I saw an advertisement for fresh crayfish, and decided to go inside, where I saw Gabriel sitting alone in front of a whole mountain of red crayfish. I joined him, and we set about the crayfish with great appetite." So they sat at the same table. Gabrielson had an excellent opportunity to re-discuss his idea. The verbal agreement that they reached in August 1924 took the form of a formalized document on December 16, 1925.
This document proclaimed the following: "I, Gabrielson, intending to create a car manufacturing company in Sweden, make an offer to G. Larson to cooperate with me as an engineer." "I, Larson, accept this offer." Gustav Larson had to develop a new car. The remuneration for this work would be from 5,000 to 20,000 SEK, provided that production reaches an industrial level - at least 100 cars a year by January 1, 1928. If the target level of production is not reached, Larson agreed not to claim any what payment. Drawings of the chassis of the new car were ready already six months before the signing of this agreement.
On April 14, 1927, the first stock car Volvo - it was the year of birth automotive industry in Sweden. On that day, the gates of the factory on the island of Hisingen, Gothenburg, opened wide. The first Volvo car drove out of the gate. It was a phaeton open top and a four-cylinder engine. Sales manager Hilmer Johansson was driving.
When designing it, the designer Mass-Olle (Mass-Olle) was guided by American methods. The car was equipped with a 1.9-liter 4-cylinder engine with side valves. Under the designation "OV-4" it was offered with an open body, the "PV-4" variant was a sedan.
The short drive to where the press was waiting for the car was uneventful. But the night before was not an easy one for those in charge of assembling the car. The last parts needed for assembly had arrived by train from Stockholm the previous evening. The haste that accompanied the assembly of the car made itself felt: when engineer Eric Carlberg decided to inspect and check the car in the morning, it turned out that he could only move backwards. The main component in the rear axle gearbox was installed incorrectly. Such a beginning was taken as a good omen: from now on, the movement should have been only in the forward direction.
The car was called simply and uncomplicated - ÖV4 and had an affectionate nickname Jacob (Jacob). The letters ÖV denoted that the model was an open-top car, and the number 4 denoted the number of engine cylinders. Volvo Jacob was American designed, had a powerful chassis and independent suspension with long leaf springs front and rear. The engine developed a power of 28 hp. at 2000 rpm. Max Speed the car was quite decent for that time - 90 km / h.
At first, Swedish buyers were not eager to snap up new cars.
The four-hole car body was painted in dark blue color, and black mudguards stood out against this background. Jacob's open 5-seater body had four doors and was constructed from sheet steel on an ash and copper beech frame. The upholstery was leather, the front panel was wood. Unlike the seats in many other cars, the seats first Volvo were sprung. The structure of the wheel of this car was a removable rim, which was mounted on varnished wooden spokes. Among the minor luxuries in the cabin could be seen small vase for flowers, an ashtray and (in the sedan modification) curtains on all windows.
New car with a phaeton body it cost 4800 crowns, and a little later the PV4 sedan was introduced, and another 1000 crowns were added to its price. According to plans, the plant should produce 500 cars of each model, however, contrary to expectations, Swedish buyers did not seek to buy up new cars. In the first year, only 297 cars were sold. One of the reasons for such a small number was the requirement for very high level the quality of the supplied components and its strict control by the manufacturer.
The top speed of the PV4 was quite decent - 90 km/h
A year later, presented new model is a Volvo Special, an extended version of the PV4 sedan. The Volvo Special featured a longer hood, thin A-pillars and a rectangular rear window. This car was already equipped with bumpers. At this time, the bumpers have not yet become standard equipment car.
It wasn't until two years later that the company was able to make its first modest profits. In 1929 Volvo sold 1383 cars. However, in the late 1920s the car made a real breakthrough, both in the European market and in America.
During several years at SKF, Assar Gabrielsson noted that Swedish ball bearings were inexpensive compared to international standard prices, and the idea of creating a production of Swedish cars that would be able to compete with American cars became stronger and stronger. Assar Gabrielsson worked with Gustaf Larson for several years at SKF and the two men, having also worked together for several years in the British automotive industry, learned to recognize and respect each other's experience and know-how.
Gustaf Larson also had plans to create his own, Swedish automotive industry. Their similar views and tasks led to cooperation after the first few random encounters in 1924. As a result, they decided to found a Swedish car company. While Gustaf Larson was hiring young mechanics to assemble cars, Assar Gabrielsson was exploring the economics of their vision. In the summer of 1925, Assar Gabrielsson was forced to use his own savings to fund a trial run of 10 passenger cars.
The cars were assembled at the Galco's Stockholm plant with the involvement of the interests of SKF, whose equity stake in Volvo was 200,000 SEK. SKF also made Volvo a controlled, but capable of growing, car company.
All work was moved to Gothenburg and neighboring Hisingen, and SKF equipment was eventually moved to Volvo's production site. Assar Gabrielsson singled out 4 basic criteria that contribute to the successful development of the Swedish automobile company: Sweden was a developed industrial country; low level wages in Sweden; Swedish steel had a strong reputation all over the world; there was a clear need for passenger cars on Swedish roads.
Gabrielsson and Larson's decision to start producing passenger cars in Sweden was clearly articulated and based on several business concepts:
— Production of passenger cars Volvo cars. Volvo will be responsible for both machine design and assembly, while materials and components will be sourced from other companies;
— Strategically secure key subcontractors. Volvo must find reliable support and, if necessary, partners in the field railway transport;
— Concentration on export. Export sales began a year after the start of assembly line production;
- Attention to quality.
Neither effort nor expense can be spared in the process of building a car. It's cheaper to get things going in the right direction at the beginning of the journey than it is to make mistakes and fix them at the end. This is one of the main postulates of Assar Gabrielsson. If Assar Gabrielsson was shrewd in business, then the brilliant financier and merchant Gustaf Larson was a mechanical genius. Together, Gabrielsson and Larson controlled Volvo's two main business areas, economics and mechanical engineering. The efforts of two people were based on determination and discipline, two qualities that were often the key to business success in industry throughout the first half of the 20th century. Such was their general approach that laid the foundation for Volvo's first and most important value: quality.
Volvo name
SKF company acted as a serious guarantor of the production of the first thousand cars: 500 from convertible and 500 - with hard. Since one of the main activities of SKF was the production of bearings, the name Volvo was proposed for cars, which means “I roll” in Latin. Thus, 1927 was the birth year of Volvo.
To characterize your child, a symbol was needed. They chose steel and Swedish heavy industry, since cars started being made from Swedish steel. The "Symbol of Iron" or "Symbol of Mars", as it was called after the Roman god of war, was placed in the center of the grille on the first Volvo passenger car, and later on all trucks Volvo mobiles. "Sign of Mars" tightly attached to the radiator the simplest method: The steel rim was attached diagonally across the grille. As a result, the diagonal strip has become reliable and well famous symbol Volvo and its products, in fact one of the strongest trademarks in the automotive industry.
When the Volvo P1800 sports car turned 50 years old, the Swedish automaker decided to “modernize” the car. True, only on paper - run in mass production upgraded version a model drawn by Volvo's chief designer Christopher Benjamin has yet to be assembled.
At the same time, some experts note that such a car could well find its buyer. The key to commercial success would be the glory of the original P1800 sports car, which was considered the most attractive Volvo in the history of its existence. swedish brand. The appearance of the Volvo P1800 coupe in 1957 was created by designer Pelle Pettersson, who at that time worked in the Italian studio Pietro Frua. At first, the Swedes were going to launch the production of this model at the German company Karmann, which belonged to the Volkswagen concern, but the disagreements that arose during the negotiations led to the need to find another partner. As a result, serial production of the car was started only in 1961, while cars were assembled in the UK, at the Jensen factory.
The first Volvo P1800s were equipped with gasoline engine with a capacity of 100 horsepower, but in 1966 he was replaced by a 115-horsepower unit. In addition to the coupe, the car could be ordered in cabriolet and station wagon bodies. The total circulation of P1800 for 13 years amounted to 37.5 thousand copies.
In parallel, Volvo begins to produce its first trucks, which were based on the same Jacob.
So, since the 30s of the twentieth century, Volvo has been introducing new introductions to mechanical engineering. A new six-cylinder engine was invented, tested and put into production, brake pads installed on all 4 wheels, interior soundproofing, a silencer is installed, a radiator grille appears - and after all these innovations, the power of the car does not fall in any way! No wonder the company weathers the global economic crisis. Before the Second World War, Volvo pleases its customers with an aerodynamic body.
The 40s passed under the sign of the World War. But Volvo does not lose ground, but on the contrary, it stays afloat, invents new innovations. After surviving the war and having completed the production of car modifications for military needs, Volvo returns to the production of civilian cars. Model PV444, after all the modifications, conquers the market. The company is increasing production and, consequently, the export of cars.
In the 50s, Volvo put a lot of emphasis on safety. Improved brakes, seat belts. A special committee is set up to study various accidents.
In the 60s - 70s. the company enters into agreements with DAF and Renault, which increases the performance and power of cars. New modifications and models are released - Amazone, models 240 and 345. In the 80s, car production per year reaches 400,000! We should not forget that the company continues to care about safety, as evidenced by the numerous awards for modifying the seat belt - the world's first three-point belt that improves safety by 50%.
The 90s again bring success to the company. Relations have been established with the French company Renault in the field of production of cars, trucks and buses; a lucrative agreement was signed with Mitsubishi and the Dutch government to create a new brand. But the main fact of this decade is the release of the 960 model, which was equipped with automatic transmission gears. The new car was modified with the help of Japanese colleagues from Mitsubishi - a nice design appeared.
At the moment, the Volvo brand is a safety brand. They go through the streets like this popular models like S40, S60, S80, V70, XC70, XC90. Cars are chosen for comfort, safety and reliability. Every year, the brand pleases with novelties and innovations, both in the field of safety and in the field of reliability of car robots. And besides this, Volvo produces reliable engines for boats and ships.
And now let's look at the history of Volvo in chronological order:
1924 - the idea of creating the first machine-building plant in Sweden.
1927 - after three years of preparation, the first car of the Volvo brand - OV4 "Jakob" is released into the world, 300 cars were assembled.
1937 - release of new similar models - PV51 and PV52, 1800 cars were produced.
1940s - modernization of cars for military needs, then a strike of workers, a lack of materials. Design and assembly of PV444, an average of 3000 cars are produced per year.
1953 - release of a new family-type car - Volvo Duett.
1954 - an unprecedented step of the company - a guarantee is issued for a car for as much as 5 years! The first Volvo sports car is produced, which never became fashionable.
1956 - The Amazon brand is launched.
1958 - Volvo exports reach 100,000.
1959 - an event occurred that later made Volvo considered the safest car - the three-point harness security.
1960-1966 — the new Volvo 1800 and Volvo P 144 cars are presented, which were rightfully considered the safest cars in the world.
1967 - modernized child seat, now it can be placed against the movement.
1974 - The Volvo 240 was released, which included all kinds of safety that existed at that time.
1976-1982 - the company produces Volvo 343 and Volvo 760, which conquer the market, Volvo is famous all over the world.
1985 - the first car with front-wheel drive appears - Sport Car Volvo 480ES.
1990-1991 - Developed and installed Volvo car 850 side impact protection. The production of the Volvo 960 model was launched, which had a 6-cylinder engine and a power of 240 hp.
1995 - exit famous cars Volvo S40 and V40.
1996 - Now Volvo pleases its customers with the beautiful Volvo C70.
1998 - release of the Volvo S80 not only comfortable car but also one of the most safe cars in the world, thanks to whiplash protection.
1999 - Volvo buys out Ford, which still owns it to this day.
2002 - A year of great changes in Volvo products. The first SUV XC90 was announced, the restyling of the s40, s80 models was carried out. Volvo has already taken a firm step into the super-powered car market with the S60R and V70R. The company's design studio has been developing its own SUV for some time now. All presenters European manufacturers, even Posrsche, have prepared or started producing their parquet "jeeps". And finally, in August 2002, mass production of the XC90 model was launched.
2003 - At the Geneva Motor Show, Volvo showcased its next concept car from the "Volvo Designers' Vision for the Cars of the Future" series. Concept car VCC (Versability Concept Car - "Adaptive Concept Car").
The model range of the Swedish company Volvo has replenished with one more all-wheel drive car - following the Volvo S60 and V70, the flagship of the company, the Volvo S80 sedan, also received all-wheel drive. This car uses a system similar to that of the Volvo S60.
2004 - The appearance of the long-awaited new products of the Swedish company: cars Volvo S40 and Volvo V50. The new Volvo S40 is 50 mm shorter than its predecessor, but despite this, Volvo offers the features and qualities of larger Volvo models.
2005 - Japanese company Yamaha has released the first engine for the new Volvo XC90 V8.
2007 - Volvo's anniversary year began with the Motor Show in Detroit, where it presents a new concept XC60. Looking back and looking at characteristic features cars that the company has produced over the past decades, in the new car you can hardly recognize Volvo. conceptual model XC60 is bright crossover. The car's design features unusual solutions that make the XC60 unique. appearance. In the same year, Volvo launches new versions of its flagship models, the V70 and XC70, which debuted at the Motor Show in Geneva.
Well, about modern models, you are all probably aware of advertising articles in the media.
sources
http://www.tneo.ru
http://www.swedmobil.ru
http://avtomarket.ru
http://volvo.infocar.com.ua
http://www.volvoclub.ru
Swedish car company Volvo is now owned by the Chinese automaker Geely. Acquisition agreement for a well-known car brand American giant Ford signed on Sunday. The deal amounted to almost two billion dollars.
1.8 billion dollars - this is the price of enterprises producing passenger cars under one of the most famous European brands. For the Swedes, this is unlikely to be a blow to national pride, because Volvo is not sold for the first time. In 1999, the company became part of the Ford Corporation, and it cost the Americans 3.5 times more than the Chinese - $6.5 billion. The crisis forced to dump excess assets - one of them was the Swedish brand.
"The main goal of the transaction is to find a new owner who shares the opinion concern Ford about the future of Volvo. We needed to find a new owner who can grow the business and at the same time take special care of the unique features. Swedish brand. And who is also responsible for the company's employees and the society in which we operate. We have found, and I am pleased to report this, such an owner in the person of Geely", says Lewis Booth, vice president of Ford.
It didn't take long to find it. There were talks about plans to sell Volvo back in 2008, but there was no buyer. Negotiations lasted almost two years, as a result, the Chinese promised to preserve the Swedish image of the car company as much as possible.
"Volvo will be managed by Volvo management. The company will be given independence in a strategic perspective. It will operate according to its own business plan. We are determined to maintain the brand identity and see Volvo as a Swedish company with strong Scandinavian traditions," assures Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely.
Executives will not have to pack their bags - the headquarters remains in Gothenburg. At first glance, according to the results of the transaction, Volvo will not decrease, but will increase. Factories in Sweden and Belgium will continue to assemble cars, but they will be joined by production in China.
Geely's plans are not ambitious, they are simply grandiose. Now the Swedish manufacturer assembles about 300 thousand cars a year - new plant in China should do the same. And this is only the Volvo brand - the total production of the concern will be in the millions.
"We are aiming to reach the production of two million cars a year by 2015. That is strategic plan Geely company. Our positions are strongest in Russia and Ukraine. In Ukraine, in particular, we launched the assembly of one of the models of our company there," says Zhang Nenger, an employee of Geely.
Acquisition famous brand raises prestige Chinese car industry. Volvo will open a more expensive segment of the European market, its sales network, to manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom. The Chinese even managed to persuade the union, at first it was categorically against the deal. But after lengthy discussions, trade unionists changed their anger to mercy. As they themselves explain, after having familiarized themselves with financial plans Geely.
“I believe the company has the strength and room to grow, and I look to the future positively. Geely is able to make Volvo a profitable enterprise again,” says Søren Carlson, head of the Volvo Workers Union local branch.
In Sweden on Volvo factories 16 thousand people work, another six thousand work outside the kingdom. The head of the company, Li Shufu, personally persuaded the leaders of the trade union. But now, after the signing, component suppliers got nervous, their technologies will become available to the Chinese, which probably means no explanation. Auto experts can only argue which is better - the future under the Chinese flag or the curtailment of production, as happens with the no less legendary brand Hummer. After all, after the collapse of the deal with representatives of the Chinese auto industry, in General Motors decided to say goodbye to this brand altogether.
Volvo (Volvo Aktiebolaget), a Swedish company that produces cars and trucks, as well as engines for various purposes, a variety of agricultural, forestry and household appliances. The headquarters is located in Gothenburg.
At the Stockholm restaurant Sturehof on July 25, 1924 - the day that is called Jacob's Day in the Swedish calendar - the decision was made to create Volvo. The first sample of the car, prepared by the founders of the company, Assar Gabrielsson (Assar Gabrielsson) and Gustaf Larson (Gustaf Larson) was called "Jakob" (Jakob), and was used in its creation maximum number components made in Sweden. The undertaking of enthusiasts turned out to be successful and since 1927, a company was founded to produce cars of the Volvo brand (from the Latin volvo - I roll). By 1935, 10,000 cars had been sold in Sweden.
The first trucks have been produced since 1928, and since 1931 the company has been the leader in Europe in the production of heavy trucks.
In the early 40s, the company developed the relatively inexpensive Volvo PV36 and Volvo PV51 models, which became popular in Sweden. The war prevented the sale of these models in Europe, but the first post-war years were powerful. advertising companies brought the company fame in Europe and America. The post-war model Volvo PV44 was the leader in Sweden in terms of sales until 1953 and became the basis of subsequent "hits" - PV 444 and PV 544. Presentation of the first mass car Volvo - PV 444 - held in 1944 on the famous Volvo exhibition at the Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm. Also presented were the PV60, the first bus with diesel engine and many other new products.
In 1953, the presentation of the first real Volvo station wagon, the Duett, took place. While probably more suited to small businesses, the Duett marked the beginning of Volvo's focus on family cars.
In 1956, the Volvo P 120 was released (sold in the Scandinavian countries under the name Amazon). This car was distinguished by a pronounced feminine outline. Soon the novelty bypassed the popularity of PV.
1958 Gunnar Andersson wins the European Rally Championship in a PV 544. In 1965, Volvo won the World Rally Championship.
Volvo was the first company in the world to install a three-point seat belt in a mass-produced car in 1959. The creator of the new seat belt, Nils Bohlen, has received many awards, but more importantly, this belt has saved millions of lives.
The product range expanded and in 1959 the Volvo P 1800 coupe sports car appeared.
In 1966, the Volvo 144 was released - "the safest car in the world", which received the title "Car of the Year" in the Scandinavian countries.
In 1974, the presentation of the Volvo 240 took place - more modern and safer than the 140 series cars. It remained on sale until 1993 and was produced in the amount of 2.8 million copies.
The Volvo 343 was launched in Holland in 1976, an important new model with a unique transmission called "Rem-Johan" (Belt-Johan). At first, the car had certain shortcomings, but over time, "childhood diseases" were cured, and the model gained popularity.
Volvo is the first car manufacturer in the world to introduce in 1976 catalytic converter and a lambda probe.
In 1982 I got worldwide success model Volvo 760. At this time, due to changing market trends, the company was experiencing difficulties. Following the Volvo 760, more massive, "democratic" 740 models appeared, which quickly conquered Sweden and other countries.
In 1985, the Volvo 480 ES was released in Holland - a spectacular sports coupe, which became the first front wheel drive car Volvo. It was followed in 1988 by the Volvo 440 and a little later by the Volvo 460 sedan.
The appearance of the Volvo 960 and 940 occurred in 1990. The Volvo 960 had an aluminum six-cylinder engine, which was assembled at a new engine plant in Skovda and developed at least 240 hp. The car quickly entered the fray with rivals from the luxury class - primarily German. Volvo 940 like more early models 740 and 240 became the people's car.
In 1991, the Volvo 850 family car entered the market, which was a great success. With the help of SIPS and other innovations, Volvo has shown what it looks like reliable system side impact protection.
In 1994, Volvo released a completely a new version Volvo 960.
In 1995, the Volvo plant in Born produced new contenders for success - the Volvo S40 and V40.
In 1996, the Volvo C70 Coupe was introduced to the public. This coupe, followed by the Volvo C70 Cab, was assembled at the Uddevalla plant, which was jointly owned by Volvo and Tom Walkinshaw Racing.
In 1997, the V70 Cross Country was released. In 2000, the second generation Volvo V70 2000 was released, built on a large platform. At the same time there was a car Volvo Cross country.
The Volvo S80, which was shown at 272 hp, had an IC inflatable curtain and a WHIPS whiplash protection system - the world's first safety features of this type and in 2000 this model was recognized as the most safe car peace.
In 1999, Volvo Cars' passenger car business was sold to Ford Motor Company.
In 2000, the third model was released, created on a large platform - sport Volvo S60.
In Detroit in 2002, the premiere of the SUV - Volvo XC90.
Volvo has gained a reputation for producing expensive, prestigious, reliable and safe cars(the role of the company in the development and implementation of modern systems security, for which the company has won international awards more than once).
