Where do you see Volvo against other marques?

[GMad]

Originally Posted by Volvo2002

Depends on the crash of course. Modern Mercs, Audis, and BMWs are very safe cars.

Rewind back in time and Volvo were miles ahead! The S40 "97" was a 4 star car where the 3-series was a 1.5/5 car. Today it's a lot closer though. Still I would prefer to be in a volvo than any of the German three.

Very true and I don't believe that Volvo have gone backwards. Everybody else has caught them up, they've had to, to keep the sales figures up in the safety conscious age we live in.
Even small cars are generally pretty bloody safe now.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Rawas

Wonder what would have happened if this was a Ford, Hyundai or even a Mercedes, person driving this car is still alive!

No doubt about it Volvos are safe cars.Thats what they were sold on.Thats why they sold.They were pretty much the safest cars around.

As most other car makers have caught up on the safety game,it is an area that Volvo cannot claim as their own.

Volvo are safe, but are they premium? Renault are safe although hardly premium.

Regards

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Volvo2002

Depends on the crash of course. Modern Mercs, Audis, and BMWs are very safe cars.

Rewind back in time and Volvo were miles ahead! The S40 "97" was a 4 star car where the 3-series was a 1.5/5 car. Today it's a lot closer though. Still I would prefer to be in a volvo than any of the German three.

Not quite. BMW and Audi were behind for a long time... But Mercedes and Volvo were always near to equal. Mercedes was the first company to fit electrical (not mechanical!) ABS to a production car in series (the Jensen FF had mechanical ABS years before...). Volvo followed shortly after that. Volvo fitted the 3 point belt first (and should have put a patent on that, but they were daft and said that it should be in every car and therefore doesn't require a patent... Idiots!). Mercedes followed after that. Both had crumple zone testing and accident analysis in their countries.

BUT Mercedes and Volvo were still well behind time, when it comes to active accident safety. US cars had airbags and steering coloumns with "rated break points". Of course a few of the cars were hazards on 4 wheels as well.

Thinking back even further, Tuckers Topedo (fantastic car!) was probably safer than any other car of the time on the market... But I am now way off topic. Back to Benz, BMW and Audi...

Well, like said, Benz and Volvo were for a long time equal in safety. Now we have two companies rivaling in newest developments in the safety sector. Mercedes had the popping bonnets, which would lift/raise to prevent a pedestrian hurting to severely. Volvo instead had the space between bonnet and engine. Volvo now has the airbag around the bonnet. So is a step ahead of Mercedes in pedestrian safety.

Or accident prevention. Volvo had their "IDIS" (intelligent driver information system) which would turn the radio down etc. in order to allow the driver to concentrate more. This would also be a "prealarm" for the ESP to be enabled. Good system as it is fitted to all cars. Mercedes had their "presafe" system, which would via radar sense the situation and then decide what to do. Volvo then - after refining their systems well enough - add BLIS. Mercedes drew even. Mercedes then introduced their radar controlled automatic braking system. As it didn't work well, it was back to the drawingboards for Mercedes. Volvo introduced CitySafety. Mercedes uprated their system and drew even. Volvo then upped CitySafety and Mercedes drew even again.

So at the moment, Mercedes and Volvo are still competing, like the last decades and it doesn't seem to look as if this will end soon.

[yoda960]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Not quite sure what you mean?

If I produced a real poor car and priced it more expensive than say a Ford,does that make my product 'premium' by default?

Regards

No that's clearly not what I meant, I meant that a Volvo is a better quality car than your bogstandard ford/vauxhall etc, yes they are more expensive too but obviously just because something is more expensive it doesn't make it better.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by yoda960

No that's clearly not what I meant, I meant that a Volvo is a better quality car than your bogstandard ford/vauxhall etc, yes they are more expensive too but obviously just because something is more expensive it doesn't make it better.

Wasn't clear to me hence why I initially asked..!!

Its like VW and Audi,similar cars similar build although Audi is considered premium where VW is not. Skoda is probably the same to VW as VW is to Audi.Again not premium. Well built cars though.

And yes I would say that volvo is 'more premium' than Ford/Vauxhall although not 'premium' in the true sense.

Regards

[Rawas]

BUT Mercedes and Volvo were still well behind time, when it comes to active accident safety. US cars had airbags and steering coloumns with "rated break points".

Just to make matters straight, collapsible steering column is a Volvo patent, it was intoduced on their 140 series back in 1971 if I can recall, long before any American manufacturer did.

[Rawas]

Volvo are safe, but are they premium? Renault are safe although hardly premium.

I am quite aware of that, I was just trying to point out other considerations for choosing the "premium brand".

[Rawas]

Originally Posted by GMad

Very true and I don't believe that Volvo have gone backwards. Everybody else has caught them up, they've had to, to keep the sales figures up in the safety conscious age we live in.
Even small cars are generally pretty bloody safe now.

GMad,
Hope nothing happens to your sweet firebird, God Forbid,
The 4 passengers in the Camaro passed away, driver of the XC90 walked away unharmed.

[GMad]

Originally Posted by Rawas

GMad,
Hope nothing happens to your sweet firebird, God Forbid,
The 4 passengers in the Camaro passed away, driver of the XC90 walked away unharmed.

I wont be loosing sleep anytime soon. I also own a motorbike capable of speeds in excess of 200mph and it doesn't have any safety features at all

[Rawas]

Originally Posted by GMad

I wont be loosing sleep anytime soon. I also own a motorbike capable of speeds in excess of 200mph and it doesn't have any safety features at all

Is it a Harley?