Volvo's Clean Inside Clean Outside Philosophy

Volvo's Clean Inside Clean Outside Philosophy

by Glady Reign

It is common knowledge for car enthusiasts that the Swedish brand Volvo is known for the safety of their vehicles. Since the founding of the company 80 years ago, they have made safety their top priority when creating their products. But aside from developing safety features such as the BLIS, ROPS and WHIPS, the company is also devoting their effort to help protect the environment and at the same time provide comfortable and convenient consumer features. This concern for the environment is part of Volvo Cars' Clean Inside Clean Outside philosophy.

Clean Inside means that the development of fabrics, leathers, and other materials used for the interior of Volvo vehicles should be consumer and environment friendly. The company uses consumer friendly fabrics for the seats, carpets, and even safety belts of their vehicles. The OEKO-Tex 100 Textile standard, according to the company's website, is a benchmark used in the European industry. The said standard calls for the use of fabrics, threads, carpets and safety belts which do not have any amount of hazardous substance on it. This is made sure by checking that the process used in the production of the said materials has limited or no use of harmful substance. This step is made to ensure that the occupants of their vehicles will not risk their health by being exposed to the harmful element which could have been present in the said material if the standard was not upheld.

Another part of Volvo Cars' Clean Inside standard is the "Nose Team". According to the Ford Motor Company owned brand, a "Nose Team" tests the smell of the materials used on the interior of every Volvo auto model. This step is to find out whether the materials will be pleasant or not. The team tests these materials under several conditions. Volvo said that they even test the materials' smell after being heated under the sun. This shows how far the company would go to ensure that they will deliver the best vehicles for their consumers.

Under their Clean Outside program, the company is concerned about making their engines produce as little harmful gas emission as possible. With the use of different exhaust filters which treats the exhaust gases, Volvo Cars have reduced the emission of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon emissions by as much as 99 percent.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas which is regarded as the most common type of deadly poisoning in many countries. The gas affects the central nervous system and the heart, two of the most vital organs of the human body. The gas can also affect a fetus inside a pregnant woman. Nitrogen oxides are also toxic and contribute heavily to global warming since it is a greenhouse gas. The reduction of these emissions means that Volvo cars can meet the strict emission standard mandated by different countries. In the European Union, a harsher emission standard has already been approved and in the United States, the state of California is known for the strict emission laws.

One concrete evidence of the Clean Outside program for Volvo is the fact that the new Volvo XC90 has already met California's requirements for the ULEV or Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle classification.

Environment friendly vehicles can only be considered green cars if the manner they were produced did not produce substances or emissions which can damage the environment. Volvo is aware of this fact and it has the distinction of having the world's cleanest factory. The said facility is also part of Volvo's Clean Outside program. The company's paint shop in Torslanda, Sweden is given the distinction of being the cleanest factory since 1991. The said factory produces a limited amount of potentially hazardous materials and the company is still working to cut it down. This complements the flex-fuel vehicles that Volvo is producing which are made with high quality Volvo performance parts.

With Ford having clean factories, it is not a surprise that one of its subsidiaries is also working to make their vehicles and production facilities even cleaner.

Is BMW Going To Buy Volvo?

Is BMW Going To Buy Volvo?

by Glady Reign

Earlier this year, the auto industry saw the luxury brand Aston Martin being sold by its owner, the Ford Motor Company. The sale took place as Ford is seeking funding for its turn around plan. The past years have been tough for the Dearborn, Michigan-based car manufacturer as they incurred their biggest loss in their storied history.

After the sale of Aston Martin to a consortium of buyers led by David Richards of Team Prodrive, there were talks about whether Ford will sell another brand that it owns under the Premiere Automotive Group. While there were talks then that the Jaguar may be the next brand to be put on the auction block, Ford declined to comment. Recently though, a part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group (PAG) is being reported to be taken over by German car company BMW.

Word has it in the auto industry that BMW is interested in buying the biggest brand under the PAG - Volvo. The Swedish brand may be suffering from reduced sales in the United States but it is still one of the most valuable brands that Ford owns. Talks about the possible takeover of BMW at Volvo came after BMW is reported to have requested for a complete breakdown of Volvo's financial status from a European bank. The said inquiry has raised the issue that BMW may be interested in purchasing Volvo from the struggling company. Experts in the industry agreed that BMW may be looking to expand their offering to consumers.

Another reason for BMW's interest in Volvo is the reported plan to further expand the MINI brand by sharing Volvo's platform with the small cars of the MINI brand.

Some industry insiders are reported to have said that Volvo will be a welcome addition to BMW's portfolio. The reputation of Volvo being a producer of safe cars as well as for producing vehicles with reliable parts such as Volvo motor mounts, suspension assembly, steering systems, and the likes will surely complement BMW's image of being a producer of cars built for driving pleasure. Both brands are also known for their concern for the environment and the two brands making developments together is seen as one of the reasons for BMW's rumored interest on Volvo. Although the auto industry is filled with these talks, Ford, Volvo and BMW have yet to make a comment on the issue.

This silence from the camps concerned has led to speculations among industry trend followers. It is predicted that if indeed BMW will acquire Volvo from Ford, the Swedish brand's larger vehicles will be delegated to BMW to share platforms with. On the other hand, smaller Volvo vehicles will be sharing platforms with the MINI brand which BMW has so far successfully revived. As Volvo's larger vehicles are merged with BMW's, these vehicles will be introduced to the market with either a rear-wheel or a four-wheel drive configuration. For smaller vehicles, they are believed to continue using the front-wheel drive configuration.

While these are merely speculations, they have a ring of practicality in them. If indeed Volvo is sold to BMW, Ford will have an additional short-term financial boost while BMW will have a strong brand under its portfolio.

To this issue, online consumers affirmed that they could not see for selling Volvo to BMW. One point raised is the fact that Volvo has been helping Ford and Ford has been helping Volvo since the car maker from Dearborn has acquired the Swedish company. Some consumers pointed out that selling Volvo will not make sense for Ford since even if Volvo is posting reduced sale in the United States, the brand is turning a profit globally. It was also pointed out that Jaguar may be the one that Ford needs to sell although at the brand's state right now, it is hard to find a company willing to purchase a dying brand. No matter what BMW has in mind for requesting Volvo's financial status, the rest of the world needs only to wait since a sale such as this (if ever) will be hard to conceal from the rest of the industry.

Volvo Delivers Improved V8-Equipped XC90

Volvo Delivers Improved V8-Equipped XC90

by Glady Reign

In the past, Volvo has been known to use five or four cylinder engines and not much with the use of huge V8 engines. The company's preference of smaller engines is, of course, the safety of its consumers. The Swedish car company is also known for the boxy design of their cars, the reason for which is of course safety.

But as time changes, Volvo see it fit that they must attract the younger car buyers and thus they should be able to match what their competitors offer. That is why Volvo has moved away from boxy designs and has started using V8 engines on their vehicles.

The first ever Volvo to be equipped with a V8 is the award winning XC90 which is incidentally is the prize to be given away by Volvo in this year's partnership with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film. The XC90 is also the living proof that Volvo has done well in using a V8 engine for their vehicle.

The company has made the XC90 a success because they have taken their time in producing a V8 powered vehicle. By learning what to do and what not to do in the use of V8 engines has made the XC90 an instant hit in the auto market. For the coming years, Volvo XC90's competitors will surely undergo improvements and Volvo appears to be ready to improve the XC90 for it to remain as one of the leaders in its segment.

For the new model year, the XC90 will be still equipped with the V8 developed by Yamaha for the Ford Motor Company. Partnering with the Japanese company, Volvo has developed an engine capable of producing 311 horsepower at 3900 revolutions per minute. This power is enough to give the XC90 good amount of power for normal uses. The engine is 754 mm in length and 635 mm across. The relatively smaller engine tips the scale at 190 kilograms and is considered as one of the cleanest gasoline engines today.

The engine is transversely mounted onto the engine compartment of the Volvo XC90. Initially, one of the problems faced by Volvo in the use of V8 engines on the XC90 is the space on its engine bay. The XC90's predecessors are equipped with in-line engines and therefore occupy less space than the V8. While Volvo may have increased the engine bay of the XC90, it opts to use the V8 engine developed by Yamaha for Ford. The smaller V8 engine uses the same angle commonly found on V6 engines. This configuration allowed Volvo to fit a V8 engine on the XC90's engine compartment.

In terms of safety, the placement of the engine is thought about thoroughly. While other car manufacturers use a 50-50 weight distribution of the two banks of V8 engines, Volvo compromised the balance to give the XC90 a better crash protection. The reasoning behind the compromise is that the slightly out of balance placement of the engine will affect the vehicle's ride comfort in a very small way that it is almost negligible.

Another step taken by Volvo in fitting the V8 engine onto the XC90's engine bay is the elimination of brackets. For example, the vehicle's starter motor is mounted on top of the transmission thus giving space around the engine. The transmission used by Volvo in the XC90 to be mated with the V8 engine is a six-speed Geartronic automatic gear box. One of the most notable features of this gear box is its overdrive gear. This means that the vehicle can have a quieter cruising operation while providing a good fuel efficiency. Shifting the gears can be done manually as Volvo integrated a feature into the transmission which allows driver to do so.

With the high power output offered by the engine and the Volvo XC90's respectable off-road driving capabilities, it is set to once again dominate its segment. Not only does the XC90 posses a highly efficient engine, the exemplary vehicle also exhibits what Volvo calls Scandinavian luxury. The interior of the XC90 offers good comfort to its occupants with a highly efficient cooling system for hot weathers and an equally efficient Volvo heater core for those cold winter driving. Being a Volvo of course means that the XC90 will be loaded with the most advanced safety features developed.

Volvo C30: German's Readers' Choice For "The Best Cars of 2007"

Volvo C30: German's Readers' Choice For "The Best Cars of 2007"

by Glady Reign

When it rains, it pours. And it seems like Volvo Cars is getting the entire downpour. The first thing to be thankful about it is its amazing 80 years existence in the auto industry. Then, here comes the overwhelming awards.

For its latest addition - the Volvo C30 - alone, the model has received the Goldenes Lenkrad (Golden Steering Wheel) from one of the major Sunday papers, and the Auto Zeitung's Auto Trophy award in the best compact car class. But it did not stop there, the Volvo C30 is also the readers' choice feature "Die besten Autos 2007" ("The best cars of 2007") of the distinguished German trade journal "auto motor und sport" the Swedish manufacturer's first compact model came way out on top in the lower medium import class.

Success comes successively that it leaves the automaker jubilant and thrilled. The all-new S80 also yielded remarkable result, coming second in the upper medium import class. In the said competition, readers are given the opportunity to choose from 312 current car models. Over 100,000 readers chose their favorite cars in ten vehicle categories.

The 2007 Volvo C30 garnered 19.1 percent of the votes thus making it a dominant entry in its category. The said success is bolstered by its previously won awards like the "Das Goldene Lenkrad 2006", the "Auto Trophy 2006" and the "Design Award 2006."

The all-new S80 garnered 12.2 percent of readers' votes to put it on the second place in its category thus beating other popular rivals. The second generation of Volvo limousine blends Scandinavian design with the clear language of innovation and intelligent functions. It also boasts of superb driving dynamics and the outstanding Volvo safety reputation.

The new Volvo C30 from the automaker flaunts the unmistakably Volvo features - from the luxurious aura and ergonomics, exemplary safety, sporty drive feel. The three-door, four-seat hatchback is powered by I4 and I5 engines. The production version of the car was officially introduced at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It will be introduced in the United States as a 2008 model, with the T5 as the single version.

For the very first time, Volvo reaches out to the young generation of auto buyers. "The Volvo C30 is a very exciting car with emotional appeal. We anticipate that the C30's youthfulness and dynamic design will catch the hearts and minds of people beyond Volvo's traditional customers," said Anne Blec, President and CEO of VCNA.

"The C30 has plenty of muscles in a sporty and compact package," said Steve Mattin, Volvo Car's design director. "Anyone who recalls the Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) or the classic P1800ES will recognize the exclusive and convenient rear tailgate. The distinctive tail lamps ensure that no one will be uncertain about which car they are following."

Aside from standard auto parts like Volvo antenna, wheels, radiator, and brakes, the Volvo C30 also boasts of its safety features that include the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) to overcome "blind spots" and the Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) to monitor the car's preemptive systems that include steering wheel angle, pedal depressions, and overall factors that aid the vehicle's computer to decide if the driver is busy or distracted. The car also features four-wheel anti-lock braking system, electronic stability program, seatbelts with pretensioners, traction control, and airbags all around for side impact and rollover protection.

"The new Volvo C30 plays an important role in our push towards a volume of 600,000 cars a year. We are broadening our model program to make it possible for new, younger customers with an intense, urban lifestyle to choose a Volvo with the right appeal as early as possible," Arp noted. The automaker intends to sell 65,000 cars every year. Seventy-five percent of those sales are expected to come from Europe market.