Made-in-China Volvos To Be Exported To "Other Markets"

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

With Volvo in Chinese hands, with a new Volvo plant in Chengdu “more or less completed,” and a second assembly plant in Daqing to come online in late 2014, there have been reports in Europe that Volvos may soon come from China instead from Sweden. Not true, Volvo’s production chief Lars Wrebo told Automobilwoche [sub]. However, “other markets” than Europe could get the Made-in-China Volvos.

Volvos destined for Europe will continue to be assembled in Europe, Wrebo said. Components, especially electronic parts, will come from China. Nothing earth-shattering: Other cars have long been filled with Made-in-China parts.

Unspecified “other markets” than Europe may receive made-in-China Volvos, said the production chief. Currently, all of Volvo’s Made-in-China cars are destined for the Chinese market. Sure, GM had said the same.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Wmba Wmba on Jun 09, 2013

    The Volvo S60 sold here is not made in Sweden anyway. It's Volvo's biggest seller in North America. It comes from Belgium, the old DAF Volvo plant that used to assemble the snoozefest 340 series back in the day. What's wrong with Chinese assembly anyway other than uninformed perception? Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and everyone else with a pulse assembles there. I suppose the typical prole thinks that Chinese assembly automatically equates to brown Walmart plastic crap. No idea at all about how a brand-name company goes about its business.

    • See 2 previous
    • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Jun 09, 2013

      @Landcrusher I own American Hoover since 2000, it still run great. It is cheap and crude but lasted longer than European ones I owned before. Now I am concerned about Hoover since it is now Taiwanese company even though they get good ratings in CR. There are also Korean (Samsung and LG) vacs. I the past they were substandard compared with Europeans, but now they are probably okay. Sears brands some LGs, Panasonics and etc as a Kenmore. Volvo is actually is owned by Chinese company so it is not like Volvo is making cars in China - it is Chinese company is making Volvos in Japan.

  • Paul W Paul W on Jun 10, 2013

    I don't know if Bertel has mentioned it before, but the big elephant in the room is that VOLVO IS NOT ALLOWED TO MANUFACTURE CARS IN CHINA (yet). The opening ceremony of the factory was literally just a big show, production cannot start until they've acquired the necessary licenses from the government, something Li Shufu promised he'd take care of a long time ago. The Volvo management in Sweden are sweating bullets.

  • Red60r Red60r on Jun 10, 2013

    My S60R was assembled in Ghent, Belgium in 2004. What else is new?

  • Jasper2 Jasper2 on Jun 11, 2013

    The Swedish automotive industry went away a long time ago when GM and Ford took possession without any major resistance in Sweden. All this blah blah about Swedish cars was over taken by events that happened a long long time ago. If the Swedish Government did not care then, or more recently now with SAAB, why should we?

    • OldEngineer OldEngineer on Oct 29, 2013

      Sad, but true. I am currently driving my 6th - and possibly last - Volvo; a 2007 XC70. I bought my first Volvo in 1970. And, I have also owned American and German cars. Like American manufacturing (and our living standard) Volvo will never be what it was. Globalization's "benefits" have gone almost entirely to the very rich. Even the "Swedes" at Goteborg, have been infused with the Ford corporate mindset. After being sold by Ford to China (Geely), Goteborg seems unable to get back on track, or to produce competitive products. And, further cost-cutting (while prices keep climbing) will not help. While even Chrysler (and others) have, intelligently, switched to direct injection and 8-speed transmissions, Volvo instead is prematurely touting the advent of much smaller, unproven engines, with such also unproven concepts as their KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) This knee-jerk approach to life does not bode well for long-term reliability and value. To boot, the prevailing (sad to say) "American Corporate" mindset at Goteborg, may possibly decide to be "sneaky" and shift manufacturing to China. That would be the last straw. Last year, I sent a registered letter to the CEO of Volvo Cars in Sweden, and to each of his direct reports. explaining in detail why, in my opinion, these "improvements" would be a terrible idea. It took several months for me to get ANY RESPONSE. When it came, it came as what was obviously a form letter, originating somewhere in our East coast, and signed by some "Customer Relations" employee. The canned response included my name at the heading; but in the body of the letter, referred to me with somebody else's last name! This is how they respond to someone who has bought 6 Volvos since 1970, and who cares about the brand, even if they don't?

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