Having somewhat moved on from this (seemingly, the majority of antique dealer stigma died with the last of the boxy models), Volvo became synonymous with being the connoisseurs of safety. As mentioned in previous posts, Volvo never chased mainstream success; preferring to let sales trickle in towards its modest market share, rather than conquer and dominate like its bolshy German rivals. A devotion to durability is also a contributory factor to Volvo's petite market share; Gabrielson and Larson, the founders of Volvo, set about creating a car which was designed to deal with the harsh Swedish road and climate conditions, and the ethos stuck.
Above: in both build and safety features, Volvo is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the Swedish climate.
Incredible model longevity such as the 19-year production run for the 200 Series and 12 years for the recently replaced first-gen XC90 (an absolute marathon for a car in today's market) help to drive this point. Remarkable (and somewhat famous thanks to Volvo's Heritage club for classics and high-milers) high-mileage Volvos worldwide, with upwards of one million miles clocked up over their lifetimes only serve to press the point completely.
Negative image niggles are more PR-based and circumstantial problems. One such example is the question over Volvo's ethics after it was reported that Volvo commercial vehicles were being used in the destruction of Palestinian villages. Another story broke about a series of fires on Volvo buses, which killed 53 people in India - hardly the epitome of safe passage. The fundamental flaw of these stories is the fact that they ignore both Volvo branches' ownership. Although they share a name and indeed some history, Volvo Cars has been independent of AB Volvo (the branch responsible for machinery, marine engines, buses, etc.) since Ford's takeover of Volvo in 2000. Although the connection by name is bound to drum up negative PR, especially when AB Volvo is associated with vehicular deaths and human rights breaches, in actuality the two companies are completely independent of one another.
Above:- Volvo Cars has had nothing to do with Volvo Construction Equipment since 2000. (image credit: inoneear, Flickr.)
The more niche market approach taken by Volvo allows it to do whatever it does best without fear of losing customers to brands with alternative values - sporting appeal or luxury, for example. Its apparent obsession with safety results in numerous safety innovations and inventions, even for those outside of the Volvo vehicle such as cyclists and pedestrians. But, it could be argued, that nobody else protects the occupants of their cars like Volvo. With their safety mission statement that "nobody will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car" by 2020.
After their takeover by Ford, safety was put on the backburner, in pursuit of a more upmarket position in the industry. As part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, Volvo was to be put up against the big three Germans of luxury carmaking - Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. This proved near-fatal for Volvo, as Ford's rash abandonment of Volvo's lifelong safety ethos soon had rivals foaming at the mouth to point out that now Volvo wasn't the pioneer of safety, their cars had all the qualities you need. Sure enough, Volvo's market share dropped further, and Ford ditched Volvo at a huge loss in 2011. Today, safety is back on top of Volvo's list of priorities, and although critics may state that its Chinese owners are hardly familiar with crash safety, Volvo is paving the way for its long-awaited 21st-Century wave of success. This success, according to Martin Bayntun, is down to being the alternative player in the market: "Volvo’s Swedish identity and Scandiavian design are real assets in a market dominated by default German brands. For those seeking a premium car experience, but want something different, Volvo will offer a credible, desirable alternative."
Volvo XC90 Crash Test footage. Video credit: YouCar, youtube.
http://autoaction.com.au/volvo-boss-intends-pull-out-motorsport-asap/
https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/152776/360-view-technology-key-to-volvo-cars-goal-of-no-fatal-accidents-by-2020
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volvo/89850/volvo-unveils-life-saving-wearable-cycling-tech
http://www.volvocars.com/intl/about/our-company/sustainability
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-26/volvo-seeks-u-dot-s-dot-sales-revival-with-return-to-swedish-roots
http://www.simonbattersby.com/blog/2009/04/volvos-in-films/
http://electronicintifada.net/content/volvo-symbol-safety-or-human-rights-abuses/7040
Interview material: original content obtained via email interview with M. Bayntun
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