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A number 40 will never be the same again. :)
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If I may be so bold as to hijack this thread for a momento ...
How long before we all start speaking mandarin?
I purchased 2 Fogarty duvets from a Lincolnshire Co. some time back - Made in Britain etc., etc.
I have just purchased 2 more ... Made in China - I give up (Really!!)
Geely Volvo - you couldn't make it up :(
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well you can kiss goodbye to volvo sales in the UK. The brand snobbery of Volvo owners will never swallow it. Not a good time to own a Volvo franchise.
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The news says Volvo has not made any profit since 2005.
Quite interesting....
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>> The brand snobbery of Volvo owners will never swallow it.
>>
OK, I'll bite.
I don't buy that. If the quality improves then so will the sales.
The quality has already hit the skids under Ford (my S60 is a Ford facelift and I won't buy another due to poor quality). I love driving the car but do not appreciate the rubbish that has been stuck on the car in the factory.
As posted at the other place I had already started looking at Japanese (Subaru) however, people used to laugh at me for driving FIAT's and I am drawn by a 500 esseesse to replace the S60. Either that or an Alfa Giulietta TBi. Lancia Delta is currently running in third place.
SWMBO has the people wagon so I do not need a big car.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 28 Mar 10 at 22:44
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Ok - I see it like this. Volvo has a kind of brand snobbery (in the UK) that its a cut above the rest of the fish in the sea, (this may not apply to people on here but then we are not normal motorists - but as a rule it applies to the rest)
If they know its made by the chinese (and OK a fair few may not know) this brand snobbery will not survive. Its USP is gone. If the chinese apply their quality control and design to it - its gone even further down the thomas C.
The plans seem to be to sell volvos to the up and coming chinese domestic market, who cant recognise quality and design (in cars) even if it was served with noodles but do recognise brand.
So I guess and predict Volvo as brand dies in UK (and the states) and grows in china.
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I think you folk misjudge the average Volvo owner. You assume that they know anything about the politics and ownership of car makers. Many dont.
I have a customer just taken delivery of an XC90. They didnt even know Volvo was owned by Ford - what makes you think this latest change will register? All they cared about were the 7 seats and its big boot, oh and she said its smart looking.
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>> well you can kiss goodbye to volvo sales in the UK. The brand snobbery of
>> Volvo owners will never swallow it. Not a good time to own a Volvo franchise.
>>
What about the brand snobbery of Jaguar or Land Rover? That must be a similar principle to the Volvo one. Their sales are fairly healthy, there's been the odd Richard Cranium comment from the pub bore type people about Indian ownership, but the realities are that an Indian billionaire in charge of a worldwide diverse range of companies has saved both outfits...and good luck to him, my favourite car brand would have gone down the pan otherwise
I think it depends on how 'the Chinese' go about things. If they keep the Swedish element as it is no one will really care who the parent company is.
Bentley is German, so is Rolls Royce....doesn't stop people buying them for their 'Britishness'.
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((( Richard Cranium )))
- - - - - - - -> :-D
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I wonder what Stephen Odell has made/will make of this.
Career Ford man parachuted into CEO position at Volvo 1st October 2008, 1st December 2008 Ford announce Volvo is up for sale.
Can't imagine that was in the sales pitch put forward to him in 2008.
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I doubt "working for the chinese" was in the management summary!
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>> I doubt "working for the chinese" was in the management summary!
>>
He'll have a lifeline back to the mothership, it's the other poor sods lower down the hierarchy who'll find themselves working for Geely for a short while anyhow....
As to the Volvo brand, its market is saturated and unprofitable in the UK and its products are un-differentiated I'm sad to say. The new owners see growth in China and so that's the market they'll address henceforth.
We (the west) have to look at Chinese manufactured goods differently, we've all enjoyed artificially low inflation for the past 10 years due to cheap Chinese (or Indian) pricing whilst our own manufacturing (not just UK) went to China. Now we have cheap goods which we buy on money borrowed from - you guessed it: the Chinese (they own an awful lot of US debt).
We've made our bed, it's uncomfortable isn't it ?
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>> He'll have a lifeline back to the mothership it's the other poor sods lower down
>> the hierarchy who'll find themselves working for Geely for a short while anyhow....
>>
>>
Apparently not. I've just read he may step down once the take over has been completed.
Last edited by: gmac on Tue 30 Mar 10 at 15:25
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I am a bit disturbed by the general ignorance about "the Chinese".
They (we) are normal human beings you know... and if you take the political thing away (bear in mind the Government has to control 1.3 billion people and that it has the overwhelming support of the people with a pretty free outlook on economic life these days), you will find most everyday things made in China with perfectly acceptable quality control.
Really, "the Chinese" have got their heads around this - you have to make stuff.
If anyone has been to China lately, they will no doubt be impressed with the scale and growth. There is no recession over in China, you know. In my own city of Chengdu (Sichuan, pop about 15m), there is incredible growth and excitement.
My own sister bought a Skoda Superb (new) the other month... going shopping for new cars with her at Christmas, you will find twice the choice of cars and brands as in the UK and where foreign badge cars (usually built locally) have a premium, locally badged stuff is cheap. The products are largely the same (and just as good) as in the UK.
I am always impressed by the Mk1/Mk2 VW Jettas which just refuse to die and are a) the staple of the taxi fleet (just 10p a km) all CNG, b) damn good cars. They refuse to die. If you could only have one car ever in the World - that car would probably be my choice.
I think you will find more and more "Chinese" cars in the future. Get used to it.
Ling
Last edited by: LINGsCARS on Tue 30 Mar 10 at 07:54
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The thing that endears me to China and the Chinese is their Religious beliefs.
They do have a spattering of Christians & Muslims, but its the philosophical religions like Confucianism, Taoism & Buddhism that appeals to the Vulcan in me.
China was a closed society for many years, but times have moved on since then - to our mutual benefit.
Although I over-consume Lunyun White Downy & Keemun + my 5 year old MESH is still going strong, I do still view Chinese made goods as inferior, and the thought of a Chinese made car puzzles me somewhat - but I'm sure that'll change.
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>> I am a bit disturbed by the general ignorance about "the Chinese".
...Chinese manufacturing, anyway. Made as specified.
I notice no comments about the article which refer to Tata/Land Rover/Jaguar.
Last edited by: FotheringtonTomas on Tue 30 Mar 10 at 10:15
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>> >> I am a bit disturbed by the general ignorance about "the Chinese".
>>
>> ...Chinese manufacturing anyway. Made as specified.
>>
I agree
I think that you have to bear in mind that major brands are not going to risk there reputation its about snobbery however how many people own a Apple ipod
Turn mine over and on the back (or on the packaging) it says "designed in California Assembled in China" and Apple products are not shoddy products are they
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I love the chinese. One of the cradles of civilisation. science, art and culture.
They make crap cars tho. Get over it ling.
OH BTW if you want proof just look at the crash test videos.
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>> >> >> I am a bit disturbed by the general ignorance about "the Chinese".
>> >>
>> >> ...Chinese manufacturing anyway. Made as specified.
>> >>
>>
>> I agree
>> I think that you have to bear in mind that major brands are not going
>> to risk there reputation its about snobbery however how many people own a Apple ipod
>> Turn mine over and on the back (or on the packaging) it says "designed in
>> California Assembled in China" and Apple products are not shoddy products are they
If Apple was bought by the chineese peopel would dump them like hot bricks.
That "designed in california" bit really counts in the world of style. Designed in the back streets of bejing dont cut it.
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You confirm the point. Design, specification, quality control. Nothing wrong with such stuff made in China.
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In my experience designed in California, made in China = replacement after one month and three subsequent out of box failures. Anything designed in California, made in China shouts AVOID to me.
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>> I am a bit disturbed by the general ignorance about "the Chinese".
I sincerely hope that my comments are not perceived as in any way 'anti-Chinese', their success as a manufacturing/exporting economy and their (your) incredibly long history of innovation has to be admired - envied even. I am a firm believer in free trade and think that countries who trade with each other tend not to fight each other - which is good....
The fact remains that the West's trading relationship with China is imbalanced - no-doubt you could substitute other countries' names for China's at various times in the past and there will be others in the future. This is the 'bed' which I suggested we are now lying in.
I'm not sure I've ever seen a Chinese manufactured car so I can't comment, I'm using a quality laptop designed and manufactured in China to type this so I do not doubt China's capabilities in manufacturing and design. So much so that I would expect Geely to move significant aspects of Volvo's business to China at some point.
Would I buy a Chinese manufactured Volvo ? It depends whether it's any good as a car I guess.
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It was probably designed in taiwan, and built in China.
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Anyone got an iPod. If you're unhappy with the build quality of a simple item like that don't buy a car from China?
But all the major companies e.g. VAG build their cars there for local markets.
If there were forums in the 60's we would have said the same of Japan? What we need to do as as the west is work out how to sell to China. A massive market for all sorts.
I would think Volvo's will continue to be built in Sweden as it's a low volume maker ... for now.
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Lets hope this guy does not get a Job on the Volvo production line.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8597300.stm
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Why not ? Those Volvo walls are very strong and someone's got to test them :)
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yes but were they really built like bomb shelters?
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Looked at a house for sale recently with a bomb shellter in the garden. Also been on the tour of the shelters in Stockport. Aren't they cold damp places? So is the Volvo cold and damp too?
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My old house ( on the bomb line for the Vickers works at Brooklands) had a bomb shelter. - No it was dry.
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>> So is the Volvo cold and damp too?
>>
It was today, only 13C. Not as damp as the Citroën though, started persistently raining when I was hovering it out.
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The Geely takeover shouldn't do us any harm in Europe/UK. The big win here is to create a premium-brand car plant in China for the emerging "middle class" Chinese. Chinese-built Volvos for China, Swedish/Belgian ones for us on this side of the planet. Volvo get increased R&D budgets - funded by China - and in return the technology and brand is licensed to China. Volvo sales worldwide to double in 10 years...
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Volvo sale signed by Geely and Ford - Iffy
