Volvo Personvagnar AB (Volvo Cars) sold in 2010 - the Ford concern transferred 100% of the shares of its former division to the holding Zhejiang Geely Holding Group from China, which already has one global automaker - Geely Auto.

The main production facilities of Volvo Cars are currently located in the European Union - factories in Torslanda, Uddevalla and Ghent. The company plans to open several factories in the PRC to meet the needs of the dynamically developing domestic market.

Volvo cars are not assembled in the Netherlands. By the end of 2012, Mitsubishi Motors, the owner of the plant since 2001, was going to close the plant or sell it for a nominal fee if certain conditions are met. Once upon a time, the following models came off the assembly line of the plant: 440, 460, S40 b V40.

Volvo cars - S40 and S80L were produced at the Changan Ford plant in Chongqing, China.

Volvo Cars sold about 422 thousand vehicles in 2012. The largest market for Volvo cars is the North American market. So, in the US market in 2012, 68,079 cars were sold. Contrary to the company's expectations, the Chinese market did not grow, under the pressure of competitors who deployed their production in China, there was a decline in sales. The opening of a plant in the PRC, cheaper cars due to the absence of customs duties, will significantly increase sales. Today the duty is up to 25% of the cost of a car.

Which plant produces the most Volvo cars?

The company's plant in the Belgian city of Ghent in 2011 collected about 265 thousand cars, and in 2012 about 258 thousand cars. The production of small cars is a landmark for the plant; the growth of production is associated with them.

Volvo production in Russia.

Back in 2002, the first production of trucks of this brand was launched in Zelenograd. In connection with the company's plans to open a modern high-capacity plant in Russia, production in Moscow was closed in 2008. In January 2009, a Volvo Group plant was opened in Kaluga with a design capacity of 15,000 vehicles per year. The main products are trucks of the Volvo range: FH, FM and FMX.

Volvo Personvagnar AB is a Swedish car manufacturer specializing in the production of passenger cars and crossovers. Since 2010, it has been a subsidiary of the Chinese company Geely Automobile (holding Zhejiang Geely). The headquarters is located in Gothenburg (Sweden). Interestingly, the very word Volvo in Latin means "I roll."

Assar Gabrielson and Gustav Larson were at the origin of the founding of the Swedish car manufacturer. A chance encounter with college classmates in 1924 led to the formation of an automobile company under the wing of bearing manufacturer SKF.

The first Volvo ÖV4 (Jacob) rolled out of the factory gates on the island of Hisingen in Gothenburg in April 1927. The car had an open top of the phaeton type, was equipped with a gasoline four-cylinder engine (28 hp) and could accelerate to 90 km / h. This was followed by the new Volvo PV4 sedan, and a year later the Volvo Special - an extended version of the sedan. In the first year, only 297 cars were sold, but in 1929, 1383 Volvo cars already found their buyers.

Even the first cars of the Swedish company were distinguished by progressive technical stuffing and rich interior equipment. Suspended leather seats, wooden front panel, ashtray, curtains on the windows, and all this at the end of the 20s of the last century.

The company develops and produces reliable cars, and its main strong point is safe cars. Let's note the brightest and most significant models for the Swedish manufacturer:
The PV650 was assembled in the years 1929-1937.
Volvo TR670 from 1930 to 1937.
PV 36 Carioca - 1935-1938.

The Volvo PV800 series received the nickname “pig” and was very popular with Swedish taxi drivers, produced from 1938 to 1958.
PV60 - 1946-1950.

The Volvo PV444 / 544, Sweden's first monocoque car, rolled off the assembly line between 1943 and 1966.
The Duett station wagon was produced from 1953 to 1969.
A unique and rare roadster P1900, only 58 cars were produced in 1956-1957 (according to some sources, 68).
The Volvo Amazon was produced in three body styles: coupe, sedan and station wagon from 1956 to 1970. The car was the first in the world to be equipped with front three-point seat belts.
The P1800 is one of the most beautiful sports coupes from Volvo, produced from 1961 to 1973.
Volvo 66 is a compact hatchback, produced in 1975-1980.

Opening the modern history of the Swedish company Volvo cars 140 Series, produced from 1966 to 1974.
The four-door sedan Volvo 164 represented Sweden in the luxury executive car segment from 1968 to 1975.
The next new Volvo cars in the form of 200 series cars won the love of motorists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean due to their reliability and safety, cars were produced from 1974 to 1993 and were sold in more than 2.8 million copies. In Europe and North America, you can still find these models in fairly good condition.
The 300 Series are compact sedans and hatchbacks produced from 1976 to 1991. They were replaced in 1987 by the Volvo 440 (hatchback) and 460 (sedan), production ceased in 1997.

One of the brightest and most memorable cars in the history of the Volvo company was the three-door hatchback Volvo 480, produced from 1986 to 1995. The car was the first Volvo to have front-wheel drive and the only one in the production line with retractable headlights.
The 700 series midsize sedans and station wagons were produced from 1982 to 1992. The cars sold around the world with a circulation of 1,430,000 units.
The 700 series was replaced in 1990 by the 900 series sedans. The cars were produced until 1998 and were able to repeat the result of the previous series of 1,430,000 cars sold.
The Volvo 850 sedans and station wagons appeared in the company's lineup in 1992. More than 1,360,000 vehicles were sold in over five years, production of the model was discontinued in 1997.

In the 21st century, the Scandinavian company offers a wide range of models. Each Volvo body type has its own letter designation: S - sedan, V - station wagon, C - coupe or convertible, XC - crossover.
The Swedish company Volvo is a leader in the global automotive industry in terms of the implementation of security systems used in passenger cars. Cars originally from Sweden are rightfully considered one of the safest in the global automotive market.
Volvo's auto assembly plants are scattered around the world, ranging from the main factories at Torslanda and Uddevalla (Sweden) to ancillary plants in Ghent (Belgium), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Chongqing (China).

The lineup in Russia is represented by Volvo С70, Volvo XC70, Volvo S80, Volvo XC90.

In 2002, at the Detroit Auto Show, the Swedish car company Volvo presented its new brainchild - the mid-size crossover Volvo XC90. We built a car on the P2 platform. After the presentation of the car, the popularity of it has increased greatly. Russian motorists really liked this crossover. But, before buying a car, buyers are interested in where they assemble the Volvo XC90 for the domestic market? For some time, this car model was assembled at a Swedish factory located in the city of Gothenburg. But, after the crisis "covered" Europe, the production of the crossover was moved to China in the city of Chengdu. Here the enterprise was opened back in 2010 and cars are being assembled to this day. It turns out that on the Russian market you can buy a Chinese assembly car.

The car underwent its first restyling in 2006. Our compatriots can purchase a Swedish crossover with a gasoline or diesel engine. The car turned out to be elegant, modern and practical. It seems to have been created specifically for use on our roads, since it has excellent cross-country ability. But, if this car is good for everything else, let's see.

Features of the "Swede"

The manufacturer has thought out the interior of the crossover to the smallest detail. There is plenty of space here, passengers will feel comfortable and comfortable.

The dashboard includes:

• multimedia system
• gsm phone
• auxiliary function management system
• air conditioning system.

There are also additional buttons on the steering wheel with which the driver can control and adjust the vehicle's systems. Where the Volvo XC90 is produced for Russia, they try to adapt the car to our roads as much as possible. For rear passengers on the rear pillars, the manufacturer installed audio control units. The second row of seats can comfortably accommodate three adults. Each car seat is adjustable and has a folding backrest.

The third row consists of full-size seats, they can be adjusted, due to which the volume of the luggage compartment will increase significantly. The crossover dimensions are: 4800 mm × 1890 mm × 1740 mm. The maximum speed is 210 kilometers per hour. It will take 9.9 seconds to accelerate the car to the first hundred with "mechanics". with "automatic" - 10.3 seconds. It is difficult to call a crossover economical in terms of fuel consumption. In the city, an SUV consumes 16.1 liters of gasoline.

The technical side

The first generation Volvo XC90 was equipped with four power plant options:

• base 2.5-liter gasoline (210 hp)
• diesel 2.4-liter (163 and 184 hp)
• gasoline 4.4-liter (325 hp).

Second-generation crossovers were equipped with engines that had undergone some changes. One of the two gasoline engines has become much more economical in terms of gasoline consumption. And the diesel engine began to produce two hundred horsepower. Where the Volvo XC90 is produced, they know how important it is to make the car accessible to more people.

Therefore, every next restyling had a positive effect on the crossover itself. After the next update, which took place in 2013, the manufacturer reduced the number of motors to two. Remained 2.5-liter petrol and 2.4-diesel. Today in the Russian market, buyers can purchase a crossover in three trim levels and with two engines to choose from. The cost of the basic version of the car varies from 1,800,000 to 1,976,000 rubles. Even the simplest crossover has a good "stuffing":

• parktronic
• climate control
• anti-theft system
• heated exterior mirrors
• immobilizer
• cruise control
• external machine lighting
• audio system
• seventeen-inch disks.

Prices for cars in the "Executive" configuration range from 1,999,000 to 2,196,000 rubles. There is also a crossover Volvo XC90 "R-Design", its cost ranges from 1,899,000 to 2,096,000 rubles.

Disadvantages Volvo XC90

Any low-cost or expensive vehicle has its pros and cons. Manufacturers, of course, try to make the car as comfortable as possible, satisfying the majority of buyers. But, this does not happen, there are always people who are dissatisfied with the car, even if it is a Swedish crossover. Today, where Volvo XC90 is assembled, they make some mistakes that bring discomfort to the owners and passengers of this car. The disadvantages of the crossover include:

• problem gearbox
• rapid wear of the rear tires
• engine noise when driving.

Some crossover owners are unhappy with the sounds of the diesel engine during operation. The noise of this variant of the power unit is slightly higher than normal. The 2005-2006 models were sold exclusively with an automatic transmission, which, unfortunately, often breaks down. The manufacturer did not fit the gearbox parts well, in general, poor-quality assembly, this is the reason for the rapid failure of this element of the car.

Most of all, this problem happens with the Volvo XC90 T6 model. Also, many owners on various forums are unhappy with the quality of the rear wheels of the car. They wear out very quickly, regardless of the area of \u200b\u200buse. The jamb seems to be not strong, but for that kind of money, I would like it not to be.

Europe boasts quality cars. One of them is Volvo cars of Swedish origin. The giant of the automotive industry is engaged in the production of trucks and cars, as well as components.

Production

Many people confuse which country Volvo produces. This is due to the company's extensive product line.

The Scandinavian Peninsula is home to one of the world's most recognized manufacturers of reliable vehicles. The first Volvo producing country is Sweden. Since 1927, it is here, in the city of Gothenburg, that the best cars, parts and components come off the assembly line.

The company specializes in manufacturing:

• trucks;
• passenger cars;
• agricultural and forestry equipment;
• engines for various purposes.

The concern successfully carried out its activities in the automotive industry. Until 1999, the company was engaged in the production of passenger models, but then Volvo Personvagnar became the property of Ford, another giant in the production of cars, and later to the Geely concern (China). Today there are several areas of concern.

Despite the fact that the owner of the Volvo Cars lineup is located in China, the main production facilities for cars and trucks are still located in the European Union.

European factories of the concern

• XC90;
• V60;

At the facilities of Gothenburg, cars are made for the European and US markets. The share in the total production of all vehicles is about 11%.

Nearby, in the city of Skövde, Volvo power plants are being produced. The engines are sold all over the world, to the countries where the parent company is located. The conveyors of the town of Olofström produce Scandinavian brand body parts.

In addition, high quality products are made in other European countries. So, in Belgium at the Volvo Cars Ghent plant, located in the city of Ghent, models are assembled:

• XC60.

It is the units assembled in Ghent that have a reputation for the highest quality assembly. This is due to the fact that the enterprise is fully equipped with a closed type of production. The plant produces about 33% of the total production of cars.

In Torslanda and Uddevalla in Switzerland, models are rolled off the assembly lines, which make up the lion's share of all production - 20%:

• XC70;
• S80;
• XC90;
• V601;
• C70.

In addition to the plants presented above, the concern owns bus production in the UK, manufactures vehicles for various purposes in the USA and China. Assembly factories operate in India and Malaysia.

In Copenhagen, the Volvo concern has a research center where innovations in technical transport units are developed and tested. A team of specialists is working on the creation of new models and the implementation of innovations, every day making the comfortable, bladeless and ecological vehicles of the Swedish brand even better.

Factories in Asia

Since 2013, the company begins production of vehicles at the factories of the cities of Chengdu and Chongqing in China. They make cars for the country's domestic market. The opening of a production base in the country made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of car models due to the absence of customs duties. More than half of all production is in the Chinese market. They make such car models:

• S90.

Since 2015, the concern has been exporting cars to the United States manufactured at Chinese factories.

Volvo in the USA

The largest consumer market for Volvo vehicles is in North America. The inhabitants of the continent have long been accustomed to the reliability of cars and their high technical characteristics. The largest plant for the production of passenger vehicles of the brand is the plant located in Ghent. It accounts for about half of the company's total turnover.

However, today the concern has its own plant in South Carolina, it produces models of the 60th, but it is planned to release the 90th class. This allowed the American market to be filled with reliable and recognized vehicles. Previously, Volvo had only a research center in the United States.

Russian Volvo plant

Russia has become another market where the company has introduced its capacities. Today, Kaluga has launched the production of a number of trucks:

Suppliers of component parts to the plant are Sweden, Belgium and Germany, France and India. The Volvo Trucks concern, whose policy is aimed at selling products in the countries where they are manufactured, provides the Russian market with reliable freight transport.

The Russian manufacturer plans to produce trucks up to 7 thousand units per year. Despite the aftermath of the crisis, Kaluga maintains a well-established truck manufacturing business and continues to provide employment to thousands of workers.

The company places great value on heavy engineering and special transport. The Kaluga plant is the most modern and modernized of all units in the Volvo Trucks line.

The Swedish car company Volvo is now owned by the Chinese carmaker Geely. The agreement to buy the famous automobile brand from the American giant Ford was signed on Sunday. The deal amounted to nearly $ 2 billion.

1.8 billion dollars - this is the price of companies producing passenger cars under one of the most famous European brands. For the Swedes, this is unlikely to be a blow to national pride, because this is not the first time Volvo has been sold. In 1999, the enterprise became part of the Ford Corporation, and it cost the Americans 3.5 times more than the Chinese - 6.5 billion dollars. The crisis forced to dump excess assets - one of them was the Swedish mark.

“The main goal of the deal is to find a new owner who shares Ford's vision of the future of Volvo. We needed to find a new owner who can develop the business and at the same time take special care of the unique features of the Swedish brand. And who also treats employees responsibly. the company and the community in which we work. We have found, and I am pleased to report this, such an owner in the person of Geely, "said Lewis Booth, vice president of Ford.

It took some time to find it. They talked about plans to sell Volvo back in 2008, but there was no buyer. Negotiations lasted almost two years, in the end, the Chinese promised to preserve the Swedish image of the car company as much as possible.

"Volvo will be run by Volvo's management. The company will be granted independence from a strategic perspective. It will operate according to its own business plan. We are committed to maintaining the brand identity and regard Volvo as a Swedish company with a strong Scandinavian tradition," says Li Shufu. chairman of Geely.

Leaders do not have to pack their bags - the headquarters remains in Gothenburg. At first glance, according to the results of the deal, Volvo will not decrease, but increase. Factories in Sweden and Belgium will continue to assemble cars, but production in China will join them.

Geely's plans are not ambitious enough, they are simply grandiose. Now the Swedish manufacturer assembles about 300 thousand cars a year - a new plant in China should do the same. And this is only the Volvo brand - the total production of the concern will be in the millions.

"We set a goal to achieve production of two million cars a year by 2015. This is the strategic plan of Geely. Our strongest positions are in Russia and Ukraine. In Ukraine, in particular, we have deployed the assembly of one of our company's models," says Zhang Nenger , a Geely employee.

The acquisition of a well-known brand raises the prestige of the Chinese car industry. Volvo will open a more expensive segment of the European market to manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom, its sales network. The Chinese even managed to persuade the union, at first it was categorically against the deal. But after lengthy discussions, the unionists changed their anger to mercy. As they themselves explain, after familiarizing themselves with Geely's financial plans.

“I believe the company has the strength and the opportunity to grow, and I have a positive view of the future. Geely is able to make Volvo a profitable business again,” says Søren Karlson, head of the local Volvo Workers Union.

In Sweden, Volvo plants employ 16 thousand people, and another six thousand work outside the kingdom. The head of the company Li Shufu personally persuaded the union leaders. But now, after the signing, the suppliers of component parts got nervous, their technologies will become available to the Chinese, which means, perhaps, you can not explain. Auto experts can only speculate what is better - the future under the Chinese flag or the curtailment of production, as is the case with the no less legendary Hummer brand. Indeed, after the breakdown of the deal with representatives of the Chinese auto industry, General Motors decided to say goodbye to this brand altogether.