Volvo marketing: Motorsport does not conform with our brand

[y2blade]

Have Volvo lost the plot?
http://www.motorsport.com/v8supercars/news/volvo-m...

In a recent announcement, Visser told Swedish media that “Motorsport does not conform with our brand, where we stand for smaller engines and safety.
We are therefore pulling out of STCC, for example, as soon as the contracts permits”.


So this would lead to an end of Volvo "performance" models in time too...............

Sad times.

[hondansx]

Don't see the problem really, not every car manufacturer can make sports cars. I find it more frustrating that manufacturers make half-arsed efforts; they seem to rather dabble in a bit of everything and stand for, well, nothing. Their strategy is pretty much to throw as much sh*t to the wall as possible and see if some sticks!

For me, Volvo are about building safe, reliable family cars. I think there's something honourable in choosing to be a family man and, because of that, a classic Volvo estate appeals to me. Their 'edge' can be that Volvos can be fun in terms of being a tool for off roading and adventure (hiking, skiing, mountain biking) - it doesn't need to be about performance!

You can see how the above would easily link to responsible motoring, in terms of hybrids being good for the environment.

[Some Gump]

I never wanted a volvo.

Then, BTCC and racing an estate.

Ever since, I've kind of wanted a Volvo - sadly they're just never on the company car list. I know I'm only 1 potential customer, but Volvo's participation in motorsport changed the brand perception from beige old people to a much wider audience, IMO.

[-crookedtail-]

Surely they wont pull the aussie v8s too, is that even a full factory effort?

Love a fast Volvo

[y2blade]

Some Gump said:

I never wanted a volvo.

Then, BTCC and racing an estate.

Ever since, I've kind of wanted a Volvo - sadly they're just never on the company car list. I know I'm only 1 potential customer, but Volvo's participation in motorsport changed the brand perception from beige old people to a much wider audience, IMO.

Exactly the reason I got my Volvo 850 T5 Estate...also had a 850 20Valve 2.5 estate.

Motorsport broadened the brand's appeal

[anonymous-user]

3 people on this thread brought an almost certainly Second Hand T5 estate 'cause of Touring car racing. Meanwhile, Volvo flogged approximately 50,000 XC90s to mums wanting a super safe tank to ferry their offspring around in. No wonder they don't think motorsport is much use to them.........

[Matt UK]

Max_Torque said:

3 people on this thread brought an almost certainly Second Hand T5 estate 'cause of Touring car racing. Meanwhile, Volvo flogged approximately 50,000 XC90s to mums wanting a super safe tank to ferry their offspring around in. No wonder they don't think motorsport is much use to them.........

Head. Nail.

[Triumph Man]

I used to really like Volvos, but now with this move away from 5 cylinder engines, and some idiotic Swedish meatball banging on about how he hates motorsport and fun, they can bugger off.

[hondansx]

The mistake of many people on PH is they believe they are the rule, whereas they are most likely the exception.

Get over it, we're not 'normal'.

[y2blade]

Yep, either way motorsport introduces new (and in many cases younger) people to the brand regardless of what models they go on to buy.

[zeppelin101]

Max_Torque said:

3 people on this thread brought an almost certainly Second Hand T5 estate 'cause of Touring car racing. Meanwhile, Volvo flogged approximately 50,000 XC90s to mums wanting a super safe tank to ferry their offspring around in. No wonder they don't think motorsport is much use to them.........

Sales figures of the S60 in Aus would be a more useful statistics prior to their racing in V8SC and now.

I would wager their market share has increased.

[powerstroke]

Sounds more like if we can't win we won't play!!
Or turkeys voting for Christmas !!!

[y2blade]

powerstroke said:

Sounds more like if we can't win we won't play!!
Or turkeys voting for Christmas !!!

You never watched any of the Aussie V8 races this year did you?

Rhetorical question

[Centurion07]

powerstroke said:

Sounds more like if we can't win we won't play!!
Or turkeys voting for Christmas !!!

Not necessarily; what does their current motorsport programme consist of? Aussie V8's? Is that even an official factory effort? Aside from that I think it's zero. It's not like they're losing "at motorsport" more that, as they've just said, it's just not what they want to be doing.

[zeppelin101]

The alternative is that they are playing chicken with the V8SC management in this instance to drive through an open engine formula so they can race with a 2.0l turbo.

Long shot, but not unheard of.

It's not like they are completely anti-performance. Their showcase 2.0l twin turbo / e-boost engine is testament to that...

[paranoid airbag]

I'm not sure many car brands try and link to motorport anymore.

Even when they do, citroen comes to mind - I've still no impression whatsoever that their WRC cars are in any way linked to their road cars.

[kambites]

Seems a reasonable comment to me. No-one buys a Volvo because it's "sporty" do they?

[JSquaredJim]

zeppelin101 said:

The alternative is that they are playing chicken with the V8SC management in this instance to drive through an open engine formula so they can race with a 2.0l turbo.

Long shot, but not unheard of.

It's not like they are completely anti-performance. Their showcase 2.0l twin turbo / e-boost engine is testament to that...

The 2017 regs already permit I4 and V6 turbo engines alongside the V8's. See threat in General motorsport.

[dingocooke]

Sounds like good news to me, Volvo and sporty never sat well together. Time was any kind of Volvo was always the nemesis of a motorcyclist, whether it be a 244DL driven by a myopic antiques dealer, or a T5 driven by plod, or worse still plod wanabees.

Never liked Volvos holier than thou pompous 'we are the stalwarts of safety' attitude; you can thank them for daytime running lights, and lifetimes worth of SMIDSY's

[Super Slo Mo]

dingocooke said:

you can thank them for daytime running lights

This isn't true. It was a Scandinavian law that meant Volvos and Saabs had DRL's from the factory, not Volvo's fault. They could be de-activated in the UK anyway.