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Chinese-Built Volvo S60 Sedans to Arrive in U.S. in "About Two Months"
by
Mark Stevenson
(IC: employee)
Published: May 26th, 2015
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Proving the first Chinese cars to come to America will be imported by established brands, Volvo has a number of S60 sedans on the boat from China and they’re expected to arrive in about two months.
Manufacturing in China is just one part of Volvo’s plan to boost sales to 800,000 units annually before 2020.
The S60s bound for the United States are built in the Chinese city of Chengdu before transported to Shanghai for export. Volvo also produces the XC60 in Chengdu. Another plant in Daqing builts the previous generation XC90 that Volvo markets as the XC90 Classic.
Volvo did not say how many cars it plans to export from China, Automotive News Europe reports.
Mark Stevenson
More by Mark Stevenson
Published May 26th, 2015 1:18 PM
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"Two months"? That's some slow boat from China...
Until Chinese labor and environmental standards reach those of the developed world, buying anything made there - especially something as energy- and labor-intensive as a car - is unethical. Showroom brochures sometimes show a clean, shiny factory where the car was made. I somehow doubt that Volvo brochures will feature a realistic shot of the air above Beijing.
Chinese made Volvos probably will be safer than anything manufactured by General Motors (ignition switch issues) or Toyota (exploding air bags) in recent years.
If Mercedes buyers didn't complain about their "Alabama trashcan" ML's, Volvo buyers won't know the difference if their S60L came from Asia. I do wonder about one thing...where will the leather be sourced? There is something about leather that is tanned in Asia that I find objectionable...when the car ages, especially if it sits out in the sun a lot, it can get a smell that makes me think of cat urine. Not pronounced, just a background odor. Just like an old German car smells like the plastics they used, and the horsehair seat pads, Japanese and Korean cars with leather seats take on that odor. Historically, I am under the impression that Volvo bought hides from Bridge of Weir or Elmo, don't know who they use now and will use in this production facility.