Volvo Supercar Uni Project - 8 questions - I need your help!

[toxophilus]

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner? - No

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)? - 40s

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future? - Possibly

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo? - Solidity of design

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars? - Not a big fan of current Volvos design wise - late 80s/early 90s models better IMHO

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo? - radiator grille, rear "shoulders"

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo? - seats (unmatched for comfort IMHO), positioning of controls, adjustability to fit.

8 - What is your favourite Volvo? - of all time? The old racing 850s. Money no object? Polestar C30

[sy666]

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner? - What do you define as typical? if its to do with 40+ age, slow and steady etc then no

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)? 28

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future? Not really, hot hatch is as far as my interest would go, no car is worth over 100K in my opinion

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo? The "face"

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars? I like the new styling but love my older S40

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo? Marker lights (cos its different), Bulky (feels safe) blends in (avoids unwanted attention)

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo? Seats (comfort), Layout (other than the handbrake, built for LHD), room

8 - What is your favourite Volvo? V70 T5

[john h]

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner?
No. I restore/modify/tune old ones

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)?
40s

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future?
Depends what you call 'supercar'.
If it's a big, wide, but cramped car, with only seats 2 and minimal luggage capacity, then definitely not.
But practicality is in the Volvo DNA, so maybe you should redefine what a supercar should be?

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo?
Nowadays... grille with diagonal slash, wide shoulder line, ugly rear lights

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars?
Older. The current designs lack individuality

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo?
(164)
rear wheel drive
3-box styling
high quality stainless steel fittings

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo?
(164)
Simple, high quality engineering
Robust, mechanical feel to the controls (e.g. you can feel gears moving and engaging through the gearlever)
Superb visibility

8 - What is your favourite Volvo?
164, closely followed by 240

[DaveNP]

from a V70 owner-
1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner?
I think there are several types of Volvo owner, my type is enjoying fairly luxury motoring on the cheap combined with practicality in the older cars, there's a type with newer cars after luxury and reliability with a good brand, there's a type enjoying the power of some innocent looking cars in the old school R's.
2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)?
51 (married, grown up kids)
3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future?
Maybe but I don't buy new so I'll look forward to one of yours in about 10 or 15 years
4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo?
Typically the boxy design of an estate which arises from the dedication to practicality, I think some of the newer cars have moved away from this which leads to odd V##/'estate' cars with awkward tailgate openings
5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars?
As 4, also the newer cars (even as far back as the V70) have moved to sleeker more mainstream styling which works well at the front with a fairly consistent style, the rear end of many seems to be a weak point without a definate style - more as if they started at the front and ran out of ideas by the time they got to the back
6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo?
practicaly - Good access to the boot
aesthetically - clean strong lines (pre 2000 V70, I'm not sold on the curvy sides of the post 2000)
build quality
7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo?
Space
Very well designed seating, adaptable to an 'old' man with a bad back
build quality
8 - What is your favourite Volvo? Really like my V70, quite attracted to the 480 which is a Volvo but sporty rather than estate, in the P1800/480/C30 lineage I don't have time to care for a P1800 and the C30 seems to me to be a bit of a pastiche of the P1800/480

[Wiznae]

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner - No

2 - What age group are you - Pensioner

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future - No

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo - Front Badge, Estate profile

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars - Yes I think the new design is great

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo - Sleek, Individual Profile and Front Badge/Grill

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo - Safety, Space and Comfort
8 - What is your favourite Volvo - The V70

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Reecet4

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner?
Probably yes.Perhaps I have found my place in life?

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)?
None of the above!

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future?
Yes. What are we talking? 500bhp+ ??

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo?
Safety

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars?
Like old and new. Love the style of XC60

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo?
Rear lights. Stance. Large rear view exterior mirrors

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo?
Seats. Ambience. Console.

8 - What is your favourite Volvo?
XC60 style wise. 240 reliability wise.

Further note. A Volvo saved my life. Hence loyalty.


Reece

Answers as per post in red.

Regards

[Martin Cox]

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner?
Yes possibly now but certainly not when I had my first Volvo.

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)?
I'm 53

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future?
Possibly but by the time I could afford it I'd probably be too old to appreciate it!

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo?
The radiator grille and the Volvo emblem and originally day running lights

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars?
I tend to prefer the older models - personal favourites include 122s saloon, P1800, 145, 164
245, 340 hatchback 740/940 estate, V40, phase 1 V70

There are some styles I dislike - eg the 262c, 122 estate, XC90, S80, S60 XC60. I never really warmed to the 2, 7 and 9 series saloons either.

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo?
I have a phase 1 V70. The shape, particularly from the side, the rear spoiler, the practical tailgate.

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo?
The seats, The layout and styling of the instruments and minor controls. The large flat loadspace

8 - What is your favourite Volvo?
Difficult - I think it has to be the phase 1 V70 but with the 122 saloon, the 760 estate and the V40 as worthy also-rans.

Hope this is of some help to you

Martin

[WABB]

Some answers noted below - I have owned 18 Volvos from 1982 to date so have experience of a wide range models.
All the best for the project

Originally Posted by Reecet4

Volvo Owners,

I am currently a third year Transport design Student at Staffordshire University.
I have decided to base my final year project on my love for Volvo. I drive a S40 T4 its a great reliable car and still pretty quick when it needs to be . Since my youth I have been around the brand, my Dad worked at a dealership and would bring brand new t5r's and the like home over night, so this made me very fond of Volvos.

My project has been confirmed by my tutor as a design for a 'Volvo Supercar for the year 2020'.

My main questions to you as volvo owners are below, I would be greatfull if you could answer at least one if not all of the questions (it doesn't even have to be a wordy answer, it will all help my research):

1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner? Yes

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)? 50-55

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future? Yes

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo? Safety features/practicality

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars? Yes

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo? Active bi xenon lights/?/?

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo? Seating/passive safety/heated seats

8 - What is your favourite Volvo? XC60

Thank you for taking time to complete the questionare, any insight into what Volvo owners think about Volvos design or engineering would be a great addition to my research. If I get enough interest I could post updates of my design as I go...

Thanks again


Reece

[AcidicDavey]

1. Definitely not!
2. I'm 20, that's the reason for the above.
3. I'd be interested but would never be able to afford one
4. The most recognisable feature in my eye on a Volvo is the symbol, Iron - Tough as!
5. Personally prefer older cars, not just with Volvo but all manufacturers.
6. I like the unique look the 480 - The pop up lights, the rear quarter view and the glass tailgate.
7. I love the low driving position, the design of the dashboard and the comfort of this 'sports car'.
8. The P80 cars. 850s and X70ies.

[Steve and his 244]

[QUOTE=Reecet4;1308268
1 - Would you class yourself as a typical Volvo owner? No

2 - What age group are you (teens/20's/30's etc.)? Im 20

3 - Would you be interested in a Volvo supercar in the future? Possibly but it would have to have some of the virtues that make volvos volvos - i.e. very function over form

4 - What would you say is the most recognisable/ individual features of a Volvo? Function over form design

5 - Do you agree with Volvo's current design style? or do you prefer older cars? Completely disinterested in anything newer than an 850, unless its donating its engine to something better

6 - What are the best 3 exterior features of your Volvo? The fact that is so square, but there isnt a single straight line on it (244). The "classic" shape. The enormous function over form girder-bumpers.

7 - What are the best 3 interior features of your Volvo? Comfy seats, simple controls with no stupid gadgets, classic design

8 - What is your favourite Volvo? 244
[/QUOTE]

Cheers, Steve