gdizzle Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...E/70409001/1528Sticking with Safety Volvo drops R-badged models for 2008 By MARK RECHTIN | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Updated: 04/09/07, 8:00 am et NEW YORK -- Volvo Car Corp. will stop selling R-badged performance models after the 2007 model year, the company confirmed.When introduced in the mid-1990s, the T5R models were intended to convince customers that Volvo was about more than safety. The lineup continued into the latest S60 and V70 mid-sized sedan and wagon. There was hope that the brand would trickle down to the S40 and V50 compacts. But R-model sales have not met expectations. Volvo sought to sell 3,800 units of the S60 and V70 performance versions annually in the United States but sold only 1,098 S60Rs and 538 V70Rs last year. Volvo said U.S. sales were the highest of any country.Fredrik Arp, Volvo Car CEO, said the automaker is not walking away from performance; it is simply deleting the moniker. He pointed to the upcoming C30 hatchback, as well as the V-8 version of the S80 flagship sedan, as evidence that Volvo is still interested in fun-to-drive cars."We are not giving up the title feature in our products," Arp said in an interview here. "We are working on the next phase, but it will not be immediate."The S60R and V70R were equipped with 300-hp turbocharged engines and Haldex all-wheel-drive systems. They accelerated from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds. An electronically controlled chassis, mated to Ohlins shocks, kept handling stable. The goal: Dethrone the BMW M3.But hot-shoe buyers didn't cotton to buying a fast Volvo, and not enough traditional Volvo buyers were interested in a hotted-up version.Doug Speck, executive vice president of sales and retailer operations for Volvo Cars of North America Inc., called eliminating the R moniker "a hard decision.""There was a lot of passion from our owners," Speck says. "But the investment to make for that side of business, for the return we get, just wasn't good enough." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 weak.i'm sure the value of mine just went up 10 bucks.2010/2011 c30r is my bet.mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan_B Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 So the value of my R wagon just jumped 3k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V70TeeFive2Catch Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 My local Volvo dealership salesperson pretty much said that selling an R off the showroom was as rare as Hen's Teeth.At the price point of the R, it really lost a lot of sales to BMW, sad but true.I always wondered why Volvo Cars didn't introduce an upscale performance line with a totally different name all together, like Nissan has Infiniti, Toyota has Lexus.This might have worked to promote the R- line as solid contenders, and to get away from the popular " Fast Volvo" oxymoron label.Mostly, Volvo has to establish a greater racing pedigree. Enter Formula 1 or Champ cars, win some titles, create legend and lore....then, and only maybe then will the motorsports world pay more attention to the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownTurboBrick Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 (edited) weak weaker n weakest weaksauce...do we atleast get the diesel now? they gotta give us something...there no way volvo could create a sub brand...its already mid-upper echlon bracketed...without going in and producing supercars theres no way they could get away with doing that. its already a luxo brand...and in the class of lexus, infinity, bmw n merc...now if they pulled a toyota n produced a kiddy car division like the scion, i'd say they'd prolly be on to something. Edited April 9, 2007 by HtownTurboBrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdizzle Posted April 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 My local Volvo dealership salesperson pretty much said that selling an R off the showroom was as rare as Hen's Teeth.At the price point of the R, it really lost a lot of sales to BMW, sad but true.I always wondered why Volvo Cars didn't introduce an upscale performance line with a totally different name all together, like Nissan has Infiniti, Toyota has Lexus.This might have worked to promote the R- line as solid contenders, and to get away from the popular " Fast Volvo" oxymoron label.Mostly, Volvo has to establish a greater racing pedigree. Enter Formula 1 or Champ cars, win some titles, create legend and lore....then, and only maybe then will the motorsports world pay more attention to the line.Ford is too busy paying their new super CEO 28million dollars every quarter to worry about volvos racing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drinking940’s Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Does anyone have an R they want to sell me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Does anyone have an R they want to sell me? there's a couple here if your serious.you want an R, here's your Rmike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdizzle Posted April 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 there's a couple here if your serious.you want an R, here's your RmikeDon't encourage him Mike.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitev70r Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 So, what did they do with all the ones that they didn't sell? Any chance there would be a fire sale on 2006/07 R's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volvo Virgin Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Ford is too busy paying their new super CEO 28million dollars every quarter to worry about volvos racing.+100.Besides...they're "not walking away from performance".....they're "simply deleting the moniker". Imagine how much they'll save in production/tooling costs not having to manufacture a little plastic-chrome R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM850R Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Its sad to see it go but they will bring it back eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogatu'r Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Its sad to see it go but they will bring it back eventually.True, just like they did with the 850R / S70R.. Actually waited a while to bring the R line back in. I think it's better that way, now I have to find me an '04 V70R to complete my collection, lol. stuff that is a good idea!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownTurboBrick Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 True, just like they did with the 850R / S70R.. Actually waited a while to bring the R line back in. I think it's better that way, now I have to find me an '04 V70R to complete my collection, lol. stuff that is a good idea!!!shut it juan....:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldebaran Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 That is a shame. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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