Volvo means "I'm rolling" 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 the 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 Jakob"
Creators of Volvo
Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson are the creators of Volvo. Assar Gabrielsson - son of Gabriel Gabrielsson, 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 Erebro. 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 creation of Volvo. From 1926 to 1952 - technical director and executive vice president Volvo.
The history of Volvo began with crayfish
As the book tells Volvo Cars", 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 had a short conversation, and Gabrielson proposed an idea 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 between 5,000 and 20,000 SEK, provided that production reached an industrial level - at least 100 cars a year by January 1, 1928. If the target level of production was 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 was the birth year of the automotive industry in Sweden. On that day, the gates of the factory on the island of Hisingen, Gothenburg, opened wide. First out of the gate Volvo car. It was an open top chaise and 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 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 gearbox rear axle was set 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 - OV4 and had an affectionate nickname Jacob (Jacob). The letters OV 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. The maximum speed of 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, 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 of the 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.
A new car with a phaeton body cost 4800 kroons, and a little later the PV4 sedan was introduced, and another 1000 kroons 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 quantity was the requirement for a very high level of 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, a new model is introduced - this is the 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, bumpers had not yet become standard equipment on the car.
It wasn't until two years later that the company was able to make its first modest profits. In 1929, Volvo sold 1,383 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 could compete with American cars. 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 chance meetings 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 capital share in Volvo was 200,000 Swedish kronor. SKF also made Volvo a controlled, but capable of growth, 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:
- Manufacture of 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 rail sector;
- Focus on exports. 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 engineering. The efforts of two people were based on determination and discipline - two qualities that were often the key to the success of business in industry during the first half of the 20th century. It was their common approach that laid the foundation for Volvo's first and most important value - quality.
Volvo name
SKF was a serious guarantor of the production of the first thousand cars: 500 convertibles and 500 hardtops. 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 - to launch into 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 start production of this model at the German company Karmann, owned by Volkswagen Group However, the disagreements that arose during the negotiation process led to the need to look for 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 powered by a 100 Horse power, however, 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 car's power does not drop 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 main fact this decade is the release of the 960 model, which was equipped with an automatic transmission. The new car was modified with the help of Japanese colleagues from Mitsubishi - a nice design appeared.
On this moment the Volvo brand is a safety brand. Popular models such as S40, S60, S80, V70, XC70, XC90 drive through the streets. 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 - Amazon brand launched.
1958 - Volvo exports reach 100,000.
1959 - an event occurred that later made Volvo considered the most safe car- The three-point seat belt was invented.
1960-1966 - new cars Volvo 1800 and Volvo P 144 are presented, which were rightfully considered the most safe cars in the world.
1967 - the child seat was modernized, now it can be placed against the movement.
1974 - the Volvo 240 model was released, which included all types 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 front-wheel drive car appears - the Volvo 480 ES sports car.
1990-1991 - Developed and installed on the Volvo 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 - the release of the famous cars Volvo S40 and V40.
1996 - Now Volvo pleases its customers with the beautiful Volvo C70.
1998 - release of Volvo S80 not only comfortable car, but also one of the safest cars in the world, thanks to whiplash protection.
1999 - Volvo buys out Ford, which still owns it to this day.
2000 - such "giants" of the car market as the Volvo V70 and Volvo S60 are released. Volvo is recognized as the most safe car in the world.
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 four-wheel drive vehicle- following the Volvo S60 and V70, the company's flagship received all-wheel drive, Volvo sedan S80. 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. New Volvo The S40 is 50 mm shorter than its predecessor, but despite this, Volvo offers the features and qualities of larger Volvo models.
When the famous Swedish automotive manufacturer Volvo, which at that time was after a break with Ford, is far from the most best form, bought by the Chinese (Geely), many were not so much surprised as upset. Although, let me remind you, at that moment even hits like the XC90 and XC70 were already sold quite somehow. And the leitmotif was the idea that it definitely won’t get worse, but with the quality it will be necessary to look.
The 11 billion dollars invested by the Chinese in Volvo allowed the Swedes to simply throw away all the old blueprints and recreate the model line. The first sign, literally "with a bang" accepted in the markets of Europe and the USA, was the completely new XC90 - a new platform, new engines, everything new - even the very concept of the car has changed, actively claiming the premium segment. And then came the renewal of the whole model line according to the new concept. S90, V90, V90 Cross Country - Volvo began to return to the global market. At the same time, changing the approach to the service, the structure dealer centers- well, how - the same premium. Yes, 12 years of production of obsolete models still hold the stereotypes of many potential buyers, but...
And here's the latest news - Volvo is moving the production of many models to China - the home of the parent company. No, the factory in Gothenburg is not closing, just production volumes are growing, and in Sweden it is a bit expensive to increase production capacity. Well, that's to be expected...
Volvo Group is significantly increasing its production capacity in China. Recently, it was announced that the production premium sedan The S90 will be moved from Sweden to Volvo's own factory in Daqing, China. Both standard and long versions will be produced in Daqing and exported to all markets. The Volvo S90 will be the highest-profile premium car currently produced in China.
The manufacturer also announced that the upcoming new generation of the S60 will also be produced in China at the Chengdu plant, while production of the upcoming new generation of the 40 series will be located at the Luqiao plant, south of Shanghai, and also in Ghent (Belgium). . At present, the Swedish company, completely Chinese-owned, manufactures 90 and 60 series vehicles at a plant in Gothenburg, Sweden.
"With three factories, and placing each model on a separate line, Volvo is creating an efficient manufacturing structure that provides excellent prospects for further growth," said Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson.
The Luqiao plant is owned by Volvo's parent company, Zhejiang Geely Holdings. It will also produce cars for the new car brand LYNK&CO. Volvo also builds new plant near the city of Ridgeville (South Carolina) for the production of cars on American market. It is scheduled to launch in 2018.
By the way, Volvo recently showed a luxurious version of the S90 sedan - S90 Excellence, the official presentation of which will take place at the Guangzhou Motor Show in November. This sedan implies the presence of a personal driver and the front passenger seat has been replaced by the so-called "Lounge Console", which is both a computer and a multimedia center.
Naturally, thanks to close cooperation with the company Apple latest years, the iMac will be the basis for this device.
There is also an almost horizontal folding rear seat, footrests, storage space for a spare set of clothes and shoes, as well as a mini-bar with champagne.
Russian Volvo sales this year, as with other auto brands, it still leaves much to be desired: after the collapse of the market, there are significantly fewer buyers in car dealerships. Sales of the new flagship model XC90, which were supposed to start in March, were eventually postponed and will start only now (the exact dates are still unknown). Along with a significant reduction in prices for the lineup, announced at the end of April, this should improve the company's business in Russia. However, despite the local Volvo problems, having passed into Chinese hands, has shown more than decent results in recent years, having managed to retain old customers and attract new ones.
In 2010, the Chinese did not just acquire the first European brand that came to hand. They bought a company best known for security technology. It was with this that Chinese auto companies had (and still remain) serious problems from the very beginning: many cars were absolutely uncompetitive in terms of European or American standards.
Five years ago, the global economic crisis forced the American concern to get rid of unnecessary assets, one of which was the passenger division of Volvo.
The Swedish manufacturer was making losses, and Ford did not want to invest in the company during the crisis. As a result, the Americans sold Volvo Chinese auto giant Geely for $1.8 billion. At the same time, in 1999, Volvo cost Americans 3.5 times more - $6.5 billion.
When Volvo was taken over by the Chinese, many auto experts and fans of the brand seriously expressed fear that Volvo would lose its image and that the Chinese, taking advantage of Swedish technology, would not invest heavily in it.
But new Volvo owner was quick to assure that the brand would be granted independence in a strategic perspective and the opportunity to work according to its own business plan.
“Cooperation with the Swedish brand is, first of all, safety technologies. Volvo has a very strong position in this aspect of the automotive industry, said Geely CEO Li Shufu at the end of April. “In addition, we are currently focusing on research and development work to create a new modular platform CMA (for the production of C-class cars). The C-class sedan will go into production in 2017 and will be the first car on the new platform for small models CMA shared by Geely and Volvo. The successor to the Volvo V40 will get the same platform.”
“Based on this modular architecture, Volvo develops some products, and Geely develops others, its own,
Shufu says. - They have different directions and completely different characteristics corresponding to positioning in their segments.
However, here it is worth recognizing that Volvo did not initially count on such a format of cooperation. Shortly after the deal, Volvo's then CEO made it clear that no technical cooperation Geely is out of the question.
“We understand ourselves as part of a financial, not an industrial holding, so we maintain independence, which is very important to us. Geely and I work in completely different areas of the automotive industry, which makes cooperation on a wide range of issues almost pointless, ”he said.
Well, a few years later the situation has changed, and it is not difficult to guess that the Chinese still managed to impose their vision of mutual cooperation on the Swedes.
For the star-struck Geely, the Volvo purchase opened up access to unique safety technologies and other developments. But at the same time, the deal allowed Geely to become the first Chinese car company to expand not only in Europe and the United States, but also in developing countries, becoming a global brand.
At least such plans are declared by Li Shufu, who is called the "Chinese Henry Ford." In the near future, Geely plans to start exporting Swedish brand cars from factories in China to other countries. Among the export destinations, in addition to the United States, experts also name Russia. Shipments will be made from a factory in Chengdu in southwest China.
The Swedish company also does not hide the fact that it is quite satisfied with the cooperation. The main criterion is the growing volume of world sales.
According to Lars Danielson, head of Volvo China, 2014 was one of the best years for Volvo Cars. “More than 466,000 vehicles have been sold, all models,” Larson said. —
Business was also going well in Western Europe, which is also an important market for us. 56 thousand cars were sold in the USA. Overall sales were good, with our profits up 17% to $2.2 million.
However, the margin is still low.
Here you need to keep in mind the context. We invest a lot in new products. It would be much easier to do what the whole industry does, and the profits would be different. But the plan is what it is."
The Chinese market for Volvo today is the largest - its share reached 17% of global sales last year. Sweden is in second place, the United States is third with 12%. Next come the UK (about 9%) and the rest European countries — 7%.
“I don’t think that Volvo, having become the property of Geele, could lose something,” says the general director of Strana radio, a well-known auto expert. — Quite the opposite: the brand has retained all its positions.
Yes, they had big plans to develop the brand on Chinese market, but no significant results have yet been achieved.
However, the fact that the Swedish brand is present in China, Europe and the US is already a good thing. Here we can cite as an example the fate of another Swedish manufacturer - Saab, which simply went bankrupt and ceased to exist.
According to the expert, when both companies announce joint technical developments, they are of a very specific nature.
“For Geely, buying Volvo was the fastest way to get modern automotive technology. They didn't really have any work of their own. Therefore, speaking about the joint development of two brands, one must understand that all technical base only Europeans provide, and the Chinese side provides funding. Therefore, it is logical that the combined technical Center two companies are located in Sweden,” he said.
According to Denis Eremenko, General Director of PodborAvto, the perception of the brand by Russian consumers has not changed since the moment it came under the wing of a Chinese company. “If the build quality of cars, the design and positioning of the brand as a whole do not change, then the consumer does not think at all about who owns the brand,” Yeremenko shared his opinion with Gazeta.Ru. - The purchase of Volvo by the Chinese is just such a case, therefore, on demand from Russian buyers this circumstance had no effect."
The example of Volvo is not the only one. On account of the Chinese - the purchase by Dongfeng Motor Group of a 14% stake in the French concern PSA, which is experiencing difficult times, the acquisition of BAIC from Saab technologies. It is impossible not to recall the failed deal to sell the Hummer brand to the Chinese. In addition, it recently became known that the Chinese state-owned chemical corporation ChemChina plans to acquire the Pirelli tire brand for 7.1 billion euros.
But the same tactics are used not only by the Chinese. Indian has been fluent in British for years Jaguar Land Rover does its best not to be associated with the legendary premium brand among ordinary buyers.
Swedish car company Volvo is now owned by the Chinese automaker Geely. An agreement to buy a well-known car brand from American giant Ford was 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 deal is to find a new owner who shares Ford's vision for the future of Volvo. We needed to find a new owner who can grow the business while also taking special care of the unique features of the Swedish brand. And who also treats employees responsibly." company and the society we work in. We have found, and I am pleased to announce 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 300,000 cars a year - a 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 set a goal to achieve the production of two million cars a year by 2015. This is Geely's strategic plan. Our positions are strongest in Russia and Ukraine. In Ukraine, in particular, we launched the assembly of one of our company's models there," says Zhang Nenger , a Geely employee.
The acquisition of a well-known brand raises the prestige of the Chinese auto 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, 16,000 people work at Volvo factories, and another 6,000 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 Hummer brand. 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 was founded in 1915 in the Swiss city of Gothenburg as affiliated undertaking bearings manufacturer SKF. It was founded by former college classmates Assar Gabrielson, an SKF employee, and Gustav Larson. The idea to go into the car business came to young engineers in a restaurant, drinking beer and crayfish. Some time later, SKF management approved their idea and allocated funds for the development and production of the first cars.
The name Volvo is derived from the Latin verb volvete, which means "I roll." The Volvo emblem is a symbol of iron and the god of war Mars, who fought exclusively with iron weapons. The associations that this emblem is supposed to give rise to are reliability and durability.
In 1927, the first Volvo car appeared - an open-top phaeton with a four-cylinder engine. It was called OV4, and also had an unofficial name - Jacob. It was not just the first Volvo car, but the first car made in Sweden. The Volvo Jacob had a powerful beech and ash chassis and sprung seats, a rarity in cars of the 1930s. Engine power of 28 hp could accelerate the car up to 90 km / h.
In 1928, Volvo released its first sedan - PV4, and two years later - its modification PV651, with six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 55 liters. With. This model was used as a taxi in Sweden. In the same year, the first Volvo truck– Type 1.
At the Stockholm Motor Show in 1944, Volvo introduced the PV444. This light model has become " people's car» in Sweden, which was due to high quality at low cost. It was originally planned to assemble 8000 cars, however, due to great demand Volvo produced 200,000 vehicles. At the same exhibition, the first bus of the company was presented - PV60, with a diesel engine.
In 1951, Volvo moves to assembly line production. In the same year saw the release of the first family car Volvo Duete.
In the 1980s, the company began production of a new generation of cars. They featured modern design and more powerful engines, which were modified to reduce fuel consumption. The main model of the 80s was the 760 sedan, which was equipped with six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. Up to 100 km / h, it accelerated in 13 seconds.
Today, Volvo is owned by the Chinese concern Geely, which bought it from Ford in 2010 for $1.8 billion. However, Volvo's headquarters remained in Gothenburg.
TechnologiesVolvo
Throughout its Volvo history paid Special attention development of security technologies.
This Swedish manufacturer was the first to equip its cars with three-point belts security, laminated windshields triplex and lambda - probes - sensors that help reduce exhaust toxicity.
In the 1970s, Volvo developed the world's first child protection system - an extra pillow and a special child seat, which was installed against the movement of the car.
Much earlier than other companies, Volvo began to use its own innovative safety solutions on its cars, for example, City Safety, which prevents low-speed collisions.
Volvoin motorsport
Since 2007, the team has been taking part in the World Championship in road racing among touring cars. The best achievement is 11th place in the overall standings in 2011.
Periodically, Volvo exhibits its cars at the famous Dakar Rally. In 1983, the team won the small truck class.
Besides concern Volvo participates in the European Truck Racing Championship. Renault-branded cars, which are produced at Volvo factories, won in 2010 and 2011.
Interesting Facts
Volvo is the first company in the world to set up its own dedicated accident investigation team. Based on the data from this unit, new security systems for Swedish cars are being developed.
Volvo P1800, assembled in 1966, got into the Guinness Book of Records as the car with the most high mileage. It amounted to 4,200,000 km.
King Carl Gustaf of Sweden travels on the roads in a small hatchback.
Volvoin Russia
The history of Volvo in Russia began in 1973, when the state-owned company Sovtransavto purchased Swedish trucks for international transport. The representative office of the brand was opened in Russia in 1994. Especially popular in the 90s were the models and V40 KOMBI. In the 2000s, S-series sedans were running models in Russia. Swedish cars have become popular among Russian car enthusiasts due to their classic design, high quality and reliability. These factors even influenced the formation of such a concept among motorists as Volvo - the driver. That was the name of the one who was not in a hurry, observing the rules traffic, appreciating the comfort and safety of the motorist.
The machines were well suited for operation in difficult weather conditions countries. In addition, their low cost in comparison with cars of competing brands ensured their success.
Today on Russian market a large selection of Volvo cars is presented: the C70 hardtop coupe, sedans and , V60 and V80 station wagons, as well as all-wheel drive crossovers XC60, XC70 and . Over the past six years, Russians have been buying about 20,000 Swedish cars a year. most popular model is the XC90. Sales of this crossover account for about 30% of all models presented today.
The company has a small truck assembly plant in Zelenograd. In addition, in 2009 a plant was opened in the Kaluga region Volvo Trucks, which produces up to fifteen thousand trucks a year. Volvo does not plan to open factories for the production of passenger cars in Russia yet.
