@guidof

The latest color on new Volvo R-Design is Polestar Blue or Rebel Blå.
What a great color!

MY2013 Volvo S60 T4 AWD R-Design in Rebel Blå

MY2013 Volvo V60 D5 R-Design in Rebel Blå

MY 2013 Volvo V70 D5 R-Design in Rebel Blå

2011 Volvo C30 Polestar PCP

“It’s cool, but they’ll never build it.” That’s what we thought when the Volvo C30 Polestar Performance Concept Prototype debuted last year in Gothenburg; if you’re a Volvo fan, we know you thought the same thing. But here we are, sitting on a canyon road in Southern California in that very same car with Polestar’s marketing director in the passenger seat. Would he really fly himself and the car all that way for nothing?

“Come to a stop and rev it to 3000,” he tells us, probably to change the subject from whether this car will marry an assembly line and make many babies. All we can think is how a stock C30 would handle this, and images of one smoking, screaming front tire flash through our mind. That, plus the fact that this is a one-off concept car. But okay, whatever you say.

Polestar’s engineers aren’t stupid. These same people built two C30 race cars that went on to claim the 2009 and 2010 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship’s team titles, and they’ve branched out this year into WTCC racing as well. The company résumé doesn’t include building useless cars. That’s why in addition to a ton of power (405 hp total, and 376 lb-ft of torque), the team robbed a V50 of its all-wheel drive system and bolted it up under this C30. “The Haldex will sort it all out,” our friend in the passenger seat assures us. But we’d just had a Red Bull and our feet are jittery. Three-thousand rpm becomes more like 5000 by the time we dump the clutch, which slips slightly as the little Volvo jumps forward without so much as a chirp from the tires. This is the first hint that this isn’t just the best C30 we’ve driven, it might be the best Volvo we’ve driven.

Only limited available in certain markets: Volvo C30 R-design in Rebel Blue

More on the 2011 Volvo C30 Polestar PCP on Swedespeed.

The new Formula One season is going to start this weekend in Australia. I have update my Formula One team site for 2012.

See all the F1 cars form the last 50 years…

1 – 2 / Red Bull RDB8 – Renault RS27- 2012 / Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber

3 – 4 / McLaren MP4-27 – Mercedes-Benz FO 108Z / Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button

5 – 6 / Ferrari F2012 – Ferrari 056 / Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa

7 – 8 / Mercedes MGP W03 – Mercedes-Benz FO108Z / Michael Schumacher & Nico Rosberg

9 – 10 / Lotus E20 – Renault RS27- 2012 / Kimi Raikkonen & Romain Grosjean

11 – 12 / 2012 Force India VJM05 – Mercedes-Benz FO108Z / Paul di Resta & Nico Hulkenberg

14 – 15 / Sauber C31 – Ferrari 056 / Kamui Kobayashi & Sergio Pérez

16 – 17 / Toro Rosso STR07 – Ferrari 056 / Daniel Ricciardo & Jean-Eric Vergne

18 – 19 / Williams FW34 – Renault RS27- 2012 / Pastor Maldonado & Bruno Senna

20 – 21 / Caterham CT01 – Renault RS27- 2012 / Heikki Kovalainen & Vitaly Petrov

22 – 23 / HRT F112 – Cosworth CA2012 / Pedro De La Rosa & Narain Karthikeyan

24 – 25 / Marussia MR01 – Cosworth CA2012 / Timo Glock & Charles Pic

See all the F1 cars form the last 50 years…

For the latest new on the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne:
grandprix.com
formula1.com
The Australian Grand Prix official website
Wikipedia on Australian GP

After having some days with warm weather, the winter is still trying to leave its footprint behind. Approximate 20 cm snow came in the Stockholm region on the early saturday…

2012-04-15 Vaxholm

Volvo Photo Locations Part 78

1927-04-14 The first Volvo ÖV4 is leaving the Nordkulan or BC- fabriken at Volvo factory in Lundby, Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

2012-04-14 – Volvo ÖV4 (1927) with Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volvo Cars and Olof Persson, CEO of Volvo AB, celebrating the 85 years anniversary of Volvo at Nordkulan or BC-fabriken at Volvo factory in Lundby, Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1927 – Volvo ÖV4 at Nordkulan Volvo factory in Lundby in Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1927 – Volvo ÖV4 at Nordkulan Volvo factory in Lundby in Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1927 – Volvo ÖV4 Telegrafverket at Nordkulan Volvo factory in Lundby in Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1927 – Volvo ÖV4 Telegrafverket at Nordkulan Volvo factory in Lundby in Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1929 – Volvo PV 651 at Nordkulan or BC-fabriken at Volvo factory in Lundby in Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

1936 – Volvo PV36 Polis at Nordkulan or BC-fabriken at Volvo factory in Lundby, Göteborg, Sweden 🇸🇪.

2017 – Nordkulan in Lundby Göteborg

2017 – Nordkulan in Lundby Göteborg

On 14 April 1927, the first series-produced Volvo car leaves Lundby Göteborg factory. 85 years later, the Volvo Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles and Volvo Cars approaches the 500 000 sold cars per year.

1927 – Volvo Factory in Lundby

It was ten o’clock on the morning of 14 april 1927, when sales manager Hilmer Johansson drove the first production ÖV4 through the factory gates in Lundby, Göteborg. 85 years later, the car rolls through the exact same port to celebrate Volvo’s birthday.

Behind the wheel sits Stefan Jacoby, president of Volvo Car Corporation, and Olof Persson, President and CEO of Volvo Group. “It’s a fantastic car, but one may well conclude that it happened some 85 years,” said Stefan Jacoby, who recently premiered demonstrated the new V40-ROM at the Geneva Motor Show.

“Nordkulan” Volvo’s first car factory. Cars were assembled here for a period of just over ten years, until around 1938. Production took place on different floors and the cars had to be hoisted between them with the help of ropes.

Volvo’s production initially took place in the so-called BC factory, which also went by the name “Nordkulan” after Nordiska Kullager Aktiebolaget’s operations. This is also the building that has the longest and most exciting Volvo history. The building should be treated with care and as a valuable and culturally interesting building. Despite distortions, much of its original condition is certainly preserved behind later additions.

During the first years, Volvo used only two floors, but this was soon expanded and then four floors were taken up by the assembly, while the top floor was a dining room for the factory’s employees. The saddle factory was located on the fourth floor of the BC factory.

Last part of our Volvo Factory Tour, organised by the Volvo-forum.nl, was the presentation of the new Volvo V40 in the Design Center. Fellow country man Fedde Talsma, Chief Designer at Volvo Car, had made some time free to explain us about the design process at Volvo and the V40 specific. Fedde has been involved in car design since the early eighties.

Very interresting to hear about the long process designing a cars that needs to be launched five (5!) years later. Fedde showed this with three cars, of which two were earlier clay models (on real size) and the final model.

The amazing Design Center.

Fedde explaining the design of a previous model, his C30 redesign.

The new V40 model, with the V lined nose, the hockey stick curves on the side, the spacious sunroof etc.

For me personally, it was the second time that I met Fedde Talsma. In 1983, we both entered a Volvo design competion by the Dutch car magazine ‘AutoSelect’. The goal was to design the new Volvo 340! Fedde won the competion with a great design and was hired by Volvo Cars in The Netherlands afterwards. I was among the best 20 and was invited to visit the Volvo factories in Holland, then. The rest is history!

Feddes winning design in 1983.

The great Volvo Factory Tour was finished for us with an unoffical picture in front of the Volvo Headquarters.

The 2012 – Volvo Factory Tour by Volvo-forum.nl:
– Pininfarina Uddevalla (factory where the C70 is produced)
– SAAB Museum in Trolhättan
– Blue train tour through the factory on Torslanda
– Brand Experience Center on Torslanda
– Volvo Crash Center with live crash test
– lunch with Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation
– test drive of all current models at the Volvo Demo Centre
– presentation of the new V40 by Fedde Talsma Chief Designer at the Volvo Design Center

Next part of the 2012 Volvo Factory Tour, organised by the Volvo-forum.nl, was the Volvo Demo Centre. A test track with all the cars that Volvo has currently on sale.
“The track has been constructed as a country road to ensure that you have the best opportunity for an authentic experience. The track is not a test track where the car’s maximum speed is tested; instead this is where you can get to know the car in a realistic setting.”

Volvo XC70 D3 FWD Ocean Race

Volvo V60 D5 Start Stop R-Design in Ice White

Volvo C30 T5 R-Design in Hello Yellow

The 2012 – Volvo Factory Tour by Volvo-forum.nl:
– Pininfarina Uddevalla (factory where the C70 is produced)
– SAAB Museum in Trolhättan
– Blue train tour through the factory on Torslanda
– Brand Experience Center on Torslanda
– Volvo Crash Center with live crash test
– lunch with Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation
– test drive of all current models at the Volvo Demo Centre
– presentation of the new V40 by Fedde Talsma Chief Designer at the Volvo Design Center

Part three of the Volvo Factory Tour, organised by the Volvo-forum.nl, was a visit to the Volvo Factory in Torslanda. Here we got the famous Blue train tour through the factory.

After the tour through the factory plants of Torslanda, we were ready to go to the Brand Experience Center , to get a demonstration about Volvo safety & environment programm. But, by surprise, we were urged to jump in our cars and drive to the Volvo Crash Center, were we would be able to see one of Volvo’s famous crash tests. As said, always difficult to plan ahead, but we were very lucky.

No pictures aloud for obvious reason, but some found online to give you an idea how it was.

After the unique experience, we went back to the Experience Center for the guided tour through Volvo’s Safety program.

This was finished with a lunch together with Dutch Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation. He explained about the current situation at Volvo Cars, a lot of things are happening at the time, many new introductions coming up, new platforms, new engines etc.

After the lunch we headed to the Volvo Demo Center.

The 2012 – Volvo Factory Tour by Volvo-forum.nl:
– Pininfarina Uddevalla (factory where the C70 is produced)
– SAAB Museum in Trolhättan
– Blue train tour through the factory on Torslanda
– Brand Experience Center on Torslanda
– Volvo Crash Center with live crash test
– lunch with Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation
– test drive of all current models at the Volvo Demo Centre
– presentation of the new V40 by Fedde Talsma Chief Designer at the Volvo Design Center

As part of the Volvo Factory Tour, organised by the Volvo-forum.nl, we visited in the afternoon the SAAB Museum in Trolhättan.

2012-04-11 Saab Museum in Trollhättan

A lot has happend since the last time we visited the museum in April 2006 (see photos). It is wonderfull for both the Saab brand with all enthusiasts and for the Trollhättan region that these historic pieces of technology is kept as a whole.

1964 - Saab 96 Sport (white) and 1966 Saab 96 (gray)

1961 - Saab 95 with 1967 Saabo Husvagn (363 from 400 ever made)

1969 - Saab 99

1969 Saab 99 with the last Saab 96 V4 built in 1980

1993 - the last SAAB 900 from Trollhättan, Aero T16s, 185hp,

Some concept cars from 2003 - SAAB 9-3X / 2004 - SAAB 9-3X Sporthatch and 2007 Saab 9-6X Concept 5D

2006 - Saab AeroX Concept

2010 - SAAB 9-5

2011 - SAAB 9-5 Sportswagon

The 2012 – Volvo Factory Tour by Volvo-forum.nl:
– Pininfarina Uddevalla (factory where the C70 is produced)
– SAAB Museum in Trolhättan
– Blue train tour through the factory on Torslanda
– Brand Experience Center on Torslanda
– Volvo Crash Center with live crash test
– lunch with Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation
– test drive of all current models at the Volvo Demo Centre
– presentation of the new V40 by Fedde Talsma Chief Designer at the Volvo Design Center

We joined the Volvo Factory Tour 2012 organised by the Volvo-forum.nl.

First day that we joined was today, when we visited the Pininfarina Factory in Uddevalla, where the C70 is produced today. The factory is owned by a joint venture between Volvo Cars (40%) and Pininfarina (60%). o.

Today, the C70 model is produced here since it introduction in 2006, based on the Volvo P1 platform used in the S40. This vehicle, designed by John Kinsey, is a coupé convertible featuring a three piece retractable metal hardtop that can raise or lower in less than 30 seconds.

The factory in Uddevalla had in the beginning of 2011 approximately 600 employees, making it the largest private employer in Uddevalla. The factory production produced in 2010 a total of 9.532 cars. By 2013, the factory will be closed down.

After a short introduction by representives of the factory, we went in small groups through the factory. Very interresting to see how they produce these cars.

Some pictures from the factory, found online:

The 2012 – Volvo Factory Tour by Volvo-forum.nl:
– Pininfarina Uddevalla (factory where the C70 is produced)
– SAAB Museum in Trolhättan
– Blue train tour through the factory on Torslanda
– Brand Experience Center on Torslanda
– Volvo Crash Center with live crash test
– lunch with Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Mgt. at Volvo Car Corporation
– test drive of all current models at the Volvo Demo Centre
– presentation of the new V40 by Fedde Talsma Chief Designer at the Volvo Design Center

2012 - Malaysian Grand Prix - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)

2012 - Malaysian Grand Prix - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)

Live this morning