In the if you don't like the weather just wait a minute department or if you thought Ford makes a lousy Volvo just wait until the Chinese are done with this once venerable company. Sad, just sad.

I agree, I personally have no interest in a new Volvo anyway, although my wife would love one. I read "consumer reports" and for what it's worth newer Volvos do not fair all that well in the ratings and haven't for a long while. That does not seem to stop folks from wanting to own one. I live in Fairfield County, Ct. about 60 miles from NYC there are lots and lots of Volvos everywhere I look, so I assumed it's like this everywhere. I guess maybe not.

The Chinese are good at copying things, although they do seem to miss the point when it comes to quality, at least when they are on their own w/o outside supervision. Innovation doesn't seem to be where their strength lies. So maybe these new folks will realize that, leave the Swedish engineers alone and all will be well. I hope so.

It'll be interesting to see if the sale to Geely comes to fruition or not. There are some big stumbling blocks, not the least of which is the information and planning that Ford has in its Volvo brand, but who gets what when Volvo goes to a new owner. The auomotive marketplace is changing rapidly, and there may not be a recognizable Volvo car company that emerges from this transition.

As far as I know they're signing contracts right now. It's a done deal.

And, not just to be contrarian, I don't think it's any cause for alarm.

Volvo still has the same problem it had when it fell into Ford's arms ina near swoon - they are simply too small to survive as a separate entity in the modern global car market. New models cost too much to develop, and Volvo doesn't make enough cars to spread that cost into.

Plenty of other marques have been passed around like a pack of cigs in the pen, and survived intact. Look at Jaguar and Land Rover - bought by Tata, maker of $4000 putt-putt cars for the Indian market. Jaguar, for one, just came out with a damned fine looking pair of new cars - the new XF and XJ.

The people at Geely are, no doubt, somewhat shrewd businessmen. it makes no sense for them to spend 2 billion on Volvo, only to take a few bits of technology out and let the rest slip into a lingering brand death. (Well, GM did that to Saab, but GM's been a big pile of fail for a long time) Geely has said they'll still give Volvo plenty of independence, and they'll keep the management intact and in Sweden.

Everyone predicted the same sort of doom and gloom back when Ford bought Volvo, and in the end, it seemed to be a pretty positive thing overall.

At the very least, it probably doesn't affect too many of us. most people who are into the old vintage RWD Volvo's don't really care for the newer cars anyhow. And our parts supply has been spun off Volvo itself for a long time, one of Ford's edicts.
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'63 PV544 rat rod, '93 Classic #1141 245 (now w/16V turbo)