S60 Concept: The Car That Won't Save Volvo
Published: January 11th, 2009
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@Jimal I think it is overly sentimental to say that Volvo sold its soul when it went to FWD. The 240 was indeed a safe car. The solid steel cage around the passenger compartment saved many lives. But its only other safety feature was three-point seatbelts (first used by Volvo in 1959). The FWD Volvos incorporated now ubiquitous modern safety features into one package: ABS, front and side airbags, a whiplash protection system, seat belt pre-tensioners, etc. When Volvo REALLY sold its soul to Ford in 1999, it sold more cars than ever before -- about 3.5 million in nine years. 2004 was an all-time high for Volvo with 460,000 cars sold. They have never sold less than 400,000 a year under Ford (until 2008). In comparison, Volvo sold 2.8 million 240s -- between 1975 and 1993 (18 years). Numbers don't tell the whole story, of course. We all have expectations for what a car should or shouldn't be, and what its value is to us. But I don't see where Volvo has betrayed its identity by moving upmarket. Volvos are the best they have ever been in every way. My V50 T5 makes my old 240 seem like a Model T. And it is every bit a Volvo to me -- a much better, safer one.