Dave,

it is not as tragic as you nay think it is...Just because Ford and Volvo will put out a car from the same platform, that does not mean the end of Volvo or that the particular car is going to be junk.

I know I am repeating others' comments but take a look at Audi/VW...you mentioned that they are not trying to pass one off as the other...their products have many more physical similarities than the next Focus and next S40/V50 will have with each other. Most of the Jaguar cars share a chassis with an existing Ford/Lincoln car.

And just because there is collaboration on one model that does not mean that the rest of the models will be the same. And Premier Automotive Group will produce a low price car (therefore, lower profit margin) like the next S40 by saving money in sharing the chassis with another make. It just makes sense in a low profit car.

Remember, Ford paid BILLIONS for Volvo. No one throws away that type of money and that is what would happen if Ford just absorbed Volvo. That is not the reason they bought them....
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2001 V70 T-5M, Classic Red/Graphite Lthr., Sunroof, Cold Weather, Dolby Surr. Sound, Rear Spoiler, 17" "Tethys" alloys