[Raul]

Chang'an-Ford started the manufacturing of Volvo S40 cars in Chongqing. Volvo is targeting annual production of 10 000 cars.

Because of the 25% import duties Volvo can't be competitive anymore in the mid-class so it is necessary for them to make cars in China.

The company plans to launch its C70 convertible in China in 2007 and followed by its all-new flagship S80 sedan later that year.



There aren't many car manufacturers anymore in the world WITHOUT production facilities in China :thumb:

 

[m14]

Ford owns Volvo, How they can produce it?

Every car is in CHina now...hope chinese cars do good and dont lose market

 

[AXLE]

lets just hope volvo's famous reliability and quality will not be affected as a result of manufacturing these cars in China.

 

[jikki]

as far as i know,china volvo will be used in police cars in china~

Raul,do you like volvo?they are made in north europe,i think they are too boxy.

 

[Admin]

china government does not want to give contract of police cars to homegrown chinese company?? it will be better for economy

 

[Raul]

as far as i know,china volvo will be used in police cars in china~

Raul,do you like volvo?they are made in north europe,i think they are too boxy.

Volvo's used to be boxy (in the 70's-90's), but not anymore. In 1998 model S80 was introduced and since then every new Volvo model has been following that design theme. My father has one old Volvo (from 1985) and I think it is very slow, consumes a lot of gas and has a very heavy steering. But I like the way it is :lol:

By the way, Mazda 3 production also starts this month in Chongqing. Reason for this is that Ford Focus/ Mazda 3/ and Volvo S40 all share the same platform.

 

[Admin]

Volvo Starts S40 Production in China

Locally-Built S40 to Improve Volvos Presence in China

One of Volvos biggest successes, the S40 compact premium sedan, is about to take Swedens premiere brand into previously unexplored territory. After much planning, internal debate and consideration, Volvo has given the green light for automobile production in China, in order to improve the brands presence in the worlds most rapidly growing car market.

Volvo will start by building the new S40 at parent company Fords facility in Chongquing China. Ford invested in the Chinese facility with partner Changan in 2001, and has been building cars there since 2003. Ford currently builds several of its products at this plant, including the Chinese-market Ford Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo, and Mazdas popular 3.

"A Volvo must be a Volvo car in all aspects, no matter where it is produced. After working with Changan Ford for over a year, we have ensured that their factory, co-operating with our own experts, will meet our high demands on the Volvo quality," says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

Volvo currently builds its cars in three factories; the S40/V50 compacts in Belgium, the S60, V70, S80, XC70 and XC90 at its home Torslanda facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the all-new folding hardtop convertible C70 at the new joint venture plant with Pininfarina in Uddevala, Sweden.

Volvo used to produce the S40 and V40 in the Nedcar assembly facility in the Netherlands, prior to selling its share to Mitsubishi, which currently builds the Colt alongside the smart forfour subcompact. Volvo also built some North American market 700 and 900-series rear-wheel drive cars and the S70/V70 series cars in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, until its close in 1998.

What prompted Volvo to start building the S40 in China was the fact that many of the brands competitors, including BMW, Cadillac, Volkswagen and Audi, produce cars in China. Another factor that encouraged Volvo to build the S40 locally in China was the high duties on import products.

"Local production is the key to remain competitive in China. We are facing a scenario where the import duty is levelling out on 25 percent," added Arp. http://car-reviews.automobile.com/news/volvo-starts-s40-production-in-china/1770/

 

[chinaautoinfo]

Volvo S40 shows Ford's plan in China

The Volvo S40 will be produced by license, just like M6 made by FAW Car Automobile Co., Ltd. I think this is just for Ford to get much more market shares in China. Ford's good relationship with Chinese government will help them to step into the institution car market.

 

[ash]

Volvo(Ford-Changan) Capitalizes on Booming Car Industry in China

this is pretty crazy since volvo is not doing the best around the world and their market share is soo tinny

http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=979158819

Volvo Cars will double sales in China in 2007

Fredrik Arp, President & CEO, Volvo Car Corporation.

Volvo Cars did particularly well in China in 2006, with sales volumes growing to more than 7,000 units. "We almost doubled our sales volume in 2006, and our aim is to do the same again in 2007," says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation. "To us, China is the most exciting car market in the world. It is a vital part of our growth plans, and we believe that in the next 5 to 10 years China will move up to second place in Volvo Cars' sales chart," Arp added.

"It's a great honor to host President Hu Jintao during his visit to Sweden and Volvo. This will give us an excellent opportunity to inform him about our cars and our plans on how to strengthen our presence in the Chinese market", says Fredrik Arp.

Local S40 production according to plan



Volvo has taken a big step in that direction by starting production of the S40 at Changan Ford Mazda's factory in Chongqing. The first S40s rolled off the production line in the middle of July last year and by the end of 2006; around 4,000 Volvo S40s had been produced in Chongqing. All locally produced cars are sold in China.

In 2007, Volvo Cars is aiming for an annual local production volume of approximately 8,000 units. "The launch of the S40 produced in China has been successful, both from an industrial point of view as well as from a commercial angle. After working with Changan Ford Mazda for almost two years, we have ensured that their factory, through cooperation with our own experts, meets our high demands regarding Volvo quality. A Volvo must be a Volvo car in all aspects, no matter where it is produced," says Fredrik Arp.

 

[AXLE]

For these Chinese produced s40s do they still use the high quality varying grades of steel that the European produced S40s use? I'm sorry but as a Volvo fan I would never buy a Chinese produced Volvo, in my opinion a Volvo should always stay European.

 

[hello]

chinese volvo

Honeslty i like volvo designs, but hate their quality. Many online reviews rate it very bad quality. Maybe the chinese will do a better job in producing it!
and will these volvos made in china be sold worldwide? or jsut asian market?

 

[CCF mod]

from Global Auto Sourcing:

Volvo S80, the second Volvo model to be locally produced in China, will be produced in Changan Ford plant in Chongqing by the end of next year, local newspaper Beijing News reported today.

Prior to the local production of S80, Volvo S40 started to be produced at Changan Ford in Chonqing last year. In the first nine month this year, S40 sold 4,730 vehicles in Chinese market, up 165.7 percent from one year earlier.

Volvo S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China.

Currently in Chinese market, imported Volvo S80 are based on four different versions of engines and priced in a range between 498,000 yuan ($66,797) and 895,000 yuan ($120,000).

Of all Volovo sedan series, V series is the only model that has not entered Chinese market, the report said.

The Chongqing plant of Changan Ford produces Ford brand sedans, including Fiesta, Mondeo and Focus, but later the plant will focus on the production of middel and upper segment of sedans, like a new version of Mondeo and Volvo sedans.

 

[CCF mod]

Volvo said its China sales are expected to grow 80 percent this year and the next, local newspaper, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported today.

"Volvo has sold 14,000 vehicles in China in the first ten months of this year, and we are confident to achieve an 80 percent growth rate this year and next year, " said Dr Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo China.

He also said that Volvo S40 accounts for 55 percent of the total Volvo sales in China. The automaker has just started to produce S40 at Changan Ford in Chonqing last year.

Earlier this week, Volvo unveiled a plan to locally produce Volvo S80 in China at its Changan Ford plant by the end of next year. S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China.

source: Global Auto Sourcing

 

[CCF mod]

S80 is not going into production soon.

Volvo China CEO, Alexander Klose, said Volvo S80 will not be locally produced in China in the next two years, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported today.

“When production costs and quality control have not reached a satisfactory level, there is no hurry for Volvo to introduce the next model to Chinese market,” Klose said. “What Volvo needs to do in China now is to increase the output, brand awareness and market shares of the S40 model.”

Klose’s announcement has denied an earlier report by Beijing News this month. The report said Volvo S80 will be produced in Changan Ford plant in Chongqing by the end of next year.

Volvo S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China, the Beijing News report said.

Currently in Chinese market, imported Volvo S80 has five models based on different versions of engines and priced in a range between 498,000 yuan ($66,797) and 895,000 yuan ($120,000).
In the first tenmonth this year, S40 sold 4,971 vehicles in Chinese market, up 156.2 percent from one year earlier.

source: Global Auto Sourcing

 

[CCF mod]

Volvo sold 12,500 vehicles in 2007.

January 23, 2008 – Volvo sold 12,500 vehicles in Chinese market last year, up 73 percent from one year earlier, Chinese media reported.

Globally, Volvo sold 458,323 vehicles, up 7.1 percent from one year earlier. XC90, Volvo’s best selling model, sold 79,140 units globally last year.

Volvo also plans to locally produce S80 in China, but no timetable has been unveiled. Volvo S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China, the Beijing News report said.

Currently in Chinese market, imported Volvo S80 has five models based on different versions of engines and priced in a range between 498,000 yuan ($66,797) and 895,000 yuan ($120,000).

In 2007, Volvo sold 6,391 locally-made S40 vehicles in Chinese market. S40 is Volvo’s only car model that is locally produced in China.

source: Gasgoo.com

 

[CCF mod]

Volvo S80 to be produced in China in 2009.

March 18, 2008 – Luxury car maker Volvo said its next luxury model to be locally produced in China will be Volvo S80 and local production of this model is likely to start next year.

“The local production of Volvo S40 in China is a great success,” Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo China said at the Geneva Auto Show last week. “Its local content has exceeded 40 percent as requested by Chinese government.”

The next model we are going to produce in China will be S80, Klose said. “The local production of S80 will not begin this year, but sometime next year.”

Volvo S80 will compete with such premium models as Audi, BMW and Benz that have already started local production in China.

Volvo sold 12,500 vehicles in Chinese market last year, up 73 percent from one year earlier, Chinese media reported.

Currently in Chinese market, imported Volvo S80 has five models based on different versions of engines and priced in a range between 498,000 yuan ($66,797) and 895,000 yuan ($120,000).

In 2007, Volvo sold 6,391 locally-made S40 vehicles in Chinese market. S40 is Volvo’s only car model that is locally produced in China.

Globally, Volvo sold 458,323 vehicles, up 7.1 percent from one year earlier. XC90, Volvo’s best selling model, sold 79,140 units globally last year.

source: Gasgoo.com

 

[CCF mod]

Volvo S80 to start trial production in China.

July 23, 2008 - Volvo Cars and its Chinese partner, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), will start trial production of Volvo S80 in the second half of this year, with volume production starting next year as scheduled, Beijing Morning Post reported Monday.

The joint venture will build a long wheelbase version of the S80 tailored specially for the Chinese market. The car's local content is reportedly to exceed 50 percent, even higher than 40 percent requested by Chinese government.

Volvo sells three versions of imported S80 in China, the S80 V8 AWD, S80 T6 AWD and S80 2.5T. The retail price of the three versions is between 498,000 yuan ($73,008) and 895,000 yuan.

Sales of Volvo cars in China increased by 73.2 percent during 2007 to 12,460 units, of which the locally produced Volvo S40 is the bestselling Volvo vehicles in China with a total of 6,560 units sold. China is following Russia to become the second fastest growing country for Volvo cars.

source: Gasgoo.com

 

[ash]

volvo s80 beautiful car

 

[CCF mod]

Changan Ford Mazda to continue Volvo production

December 25. 2009
After Ford's Volvo unit is sold to Geely in China, the U.S. auto giant's Chinese venture Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co will continue producing Volvo vehicles, SinoCast reported yesterday, citing a Changan Auto executive.

According to an earlier contract, Changan Ford Mazda, a passenger car joint venture between Changan Auto, Ford Motor and Mazda Motor, will not stop the production of the Volvo S40 until 2015 and of the Volvo S80 until 2018, said a publicity manager of Changan Auto. Volvo's auto parts supply will not stop, either.

Earlier this week, Ford and Geely agreed on most terms for selling the U.S. automaker's Volvo Car Corp to China's largest private automaker in the second quarter next year. Geely is planning to build a Volvo factory in China. The plant, maybe located in a Beijing suburb, will produce 300,000 vehicles a year.

Changan Ford Mazda, based in southwest China, has also come into the spotlight with Geely's Volvo deal. Industry analysts wonder whether Changan Ford's Volvo production will be merged into the upcoming Geely Volvo project.

Geely said earlier this month that it will seek more acquisition opportunities and is interested in the current China operations of Volvo Car, which produces Volvo S80L and S80 sedan models at Changan Ford Mazda.

from Gasgoo.com

 

[hectorloshuk]

People laugh at Chinese car. So will they still laugh at Volvo car after the take over? It will be interesting to see what happens. For me, if they can sell Volvo at half the price they are selling now, I will buy one. Chinese or no Chinese owned.