Stephen Odell appointed Volvo CEO and President

The last time we heard the name Stephen Odell, it was in connection to a list of possible replacements for current CEO Alan Mulally. While we aren't here to report on the top executive position at Ford, Odell has been tapped as Fredrik Arp's replacement as CEO of Volvo. Arp, who is leaving the automaker for other pursuits, had been serving as Volvo CEO and President since his appointment in October of 2005. Starting in October of this year, Odell will be responsible for leading Volvo towards "sustained profitability", something not seen by the Swedish automaker in quite a while. According to the newly-appointed CEO, the Volvo brand will continue to stand for "safety, environmental concern and its Scandinavian design." Frederik Arp is the third Ford exec outside the U.S. to leave in the last few weeks, following Bill Osborne -- the previous President of Ford Australia -- and Barry Engle, who had been serving as Ford of Canada's top official.

The 15 Millionth Volvo

The
15 millionth Volvo unit has rolled off the plant just this February and
it now belongs to Paul and Aimee Kay. The couple is proud of their
acquisition and the company behind the vehicle is proud that they have
been able to manufacture that much vehicles already. According to the
company, the very first unit came out in April of 1927 and it was
called the OV4. This OV4 is actually a convertible.

Now
80 years and 10 months later, Volvo sends out its 15 millionth vehicle,
the C70, and yes, it is another convertible. Despite the years between
the production of the two vehicles, the car maker has been able to
create vehicles which would not only give you your needs and wants in a
vehicle – it would also give you safety. And safety is something that
Volvo has been very consistent with in their vehicles.

So this is Kudos to Volvo and to more vehicles from you!

Volvo Recalling XC90 and S80 Models Equipped with V8 Engines

Swedish carmaker Volvo is recalling 102 MY 2008 XC90 and S80 vehicles equipped with V8 engines as these models may have been built with incorrect bolts to the engine mount. The aluminium bracket for the engine mount could break due to lack of adequate clamping force allowing the engine to come in contact with the sub-frame, resulting in a reduced engine torque or stalling of the engine without prior warning. Volvo’s dealers will inspect the engine mount bolts for specific markings. If any of the bolts contain the incorrect markings, the bracket and bolts will be replaced free of cost.

Volvo shows off new FlexiFuel range, including V70 police car

Last year, Volvo introduced a line of vehicles in Europe capable of running on E85 fuel which it refers to as the FlexiFuel range. Already available in the C30, S40, V50 and V70 and S80 models with engines ranging from 1.8 to 2.5 liters, Volvo has seen fit to add a new police-specific V70 to its range of flexible fuel vehicles. Perhaps this addition will allow for more than just 50-100 sales in the U.K. As with the current V70 and S80 FlexiFuel models, the new emergency vehicle will come equipped with the turbocharged 2.5 liter inline five cylinder engine offering 200 horsepower and a very reasonable 300Nm of torque at 1500-4500rpm. This output allows for a top speed of 130mph and a run from 0 to 60mph in 7.6 seconds -- not too shabby at all. Volvo's V70 police car again raises the point that the U.K. police force often chooses very practical vehicles for law enforcement duties. While the estate body style makes perfect sense for police duties, we can't imagine the authorities in the U.S. rolling around with wagons any time soon (except for the Romulus MI police who have the speed traps set up in the vicinity of Detroit Metro Airport with their unmarked Dodge Magnums).

Wagons Ho! Volvo V70 gets R-Design treatment

Once upon a time, there was a subtle wagon called the V70R who's meek outward appearance belied the snortiest turbo 5-cylinder Volvo has ever put in a production car. All-wheel-drive helped the power get to the ground instead of immolating the front tires, and the R sat atop the V70 trim-level range. Alas, the R is no more. While it was awesome and amusing, it was also outgunned by the competition, even with 300 hard-breathing horsepower. Still, there are those who desire the look and demeanor of the R, while finding no fault with the lesser powertrains that Volvo offers. Those buyers can find what they're looking for with the new V70 R-Design package on the third generation wagon. Since the demise of the R, the V70 has moved up to become the wagon version of the S80, and the R-Line package adds a little visual oomph and chassis verve to the big estate. Ride height has been reduced and thicker swaybars are added, along with higher durometer bushings in the suspension. Like we saw on the C30 R-Design, matte finish metal accents are added to exterior pieces like the mirror housings and grille surround. Sporty-looking exhaust outlets, a rear spoiler and 18-inch wheels round out the exterior changes. The interior gets blue-faced gauges, unique metal trim pieces, and Volvo's already excellent seats get R-Design logos and sportier bolstering. The R-Design package adds £2,000 or so to the price of a UK V70, a decent price for a handling upgrade and a hunkered look. Volvo hasn't decided whether to bring it to the United States yet. If it does come to the North American market, the V70 R-Design will be a 2009 model, and we'll know by early summer if we have to look longingly across the pond for a clean-looking, sporty-driving wagon.