Sweden

2008-07-22 -- Two Saab concept cars, signaling the global expansion of the Swedish brand’s product portfolio, are displayed at this year’s London Motor Show. The Saab 9-X BioHybrid and 9-4X BioPower Concept share signature Scandinavian styling themes while showcasing future developments in efficient powertrain technology. They symbolize Saab’s commitment to enter all major segments of the car market with distinctive premium products.

9-4X BioPower Concept, Saab 9-X BioHybrid Concept

Share of voting rights will amount to 68.60 percent

Wolfsburg, 17 July 2008 -- The Volkswagen Group has received the antitrust approvals necessary to acquire a majority voting stake in Swedish truck manufacturer Scania AB. The majority voting stake is expected to be acquired on July 22, 2008. In addition to the approval by the European Commission, a large number of antitrust proceedings were required in other countries worldwide.

Volvo's biggest car news from 1968

July 2, 2008 -- After more than ten years without a six-cylinder model to offer customers, it was time in August 1968 for Volvo to unveil its 1969 model range which included a new large car for the more prestige- and luxury-oriented segments. The model was called the 164, with the figure "6" in the middle denoting that unlike the cars in the 140 Series, this model featured a six-cylinder engine.

Stylish, elegant and comfortable

June 25, 2008 -- As part of an extensive cost reduction programme, Volvo is planning to reduce its workforce by 1,400 white collar (consultants included) and 600 blue collar members of its workforce. The company is today handing in a notice of these actions to the Swedish authorities (the Swedish Public Employment Service).

The notice includes 1,200 employees at Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg (1,105 employees), Volvo Car Sweden (45 employees) and Volvo Cars Body Components in Olofström (50 employees). Also, contracts with around 500 consultants will be cancelled. The company is also planning to reduce its workforce by 300 people abroad.

2008-06-19 -- General Motors (GM) has allocated production of the next generation Saab 9-3 to the Trollhattan plant in Sweden. This morning the Saab staff was informed by GM Europe President and Chairman of the Saab Board Carl-Peter Forster.

“This is obviously extremely positive news for our organization and the region and a clear signal of the confidence in our ability to deliver world class production quality and efficiency”, says Saab Automobile Managing Director Jan Åke Jonsson.

“Since we had been allocated production of the next generation global Compact Vehicles in April of 2007 it’s really good to know we can start focusing on building a range of next generation Saab 9-3 vehicles”.

2008-06-12 -- Saab Automobile is the principal sponsor of Sweden’s most prestigious design prize, Design S – the Swedish Design Award – together with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This sponsorship is an expression of Saab’s commitment to Scandinavian design principles and interest in promoting a holistic view on design issues. The bi-annual award was founded by Svensk Form, SVID (the Swedish Industrial Design Foundation), and the Advertising Association of Sweden. The Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, presented the award at the prize-giving ceremony.

Sales of bioethanol cars reach 100,000.

2008-05-28 -- The market for E85 flex-fuelled cars is booming. Saab, the largest seller of flex-fuel cars in Europe, recently delivered the 100,000th flex-fuel car in the Swedish market – a Saab 9-3 BioPower. In fact, Saab BioPower models have been the main contributor to Sweden’s leading position in the switch to renewable fuels within Europe.

It took seven years to sell the first 300 flex-fuel cars in Sweden. Six years later there were 50,000 on the roads. An additional 50,000 flex-fuel cars have been sold during the last 15 months alone – proof that the market is truly expanding. A joint strategy between central and local government, fuel producers, retailers and car manufacturers has been a key to this success.

May 23, 2008 -- Per Ericsson has been named new manager of Volvo Event Management Golf, succeeding Mel Pyatt, who has retired. He will assume his position on June 1.

Per Ericsson, 45, is a graduate economist and has more than 20 years experience in leading positions within events and media, including from the Swedish Exhibition Center in Göteborg and the Carat media agency. He has also served as CEO of Novamedia that, among other products, produces the Swedish TV game shows Bingolotto and Postkodmiljonären.

May 15, 2008 -- 47 Volvo P1800 cars from German and Swiss Volvo Owner clubs visit Sweden and Volvo Car Corporation in connection with the clubs' 30 year anniversary. An impressive sight.

Historical Volvo P1800 visit to Sweden

The German Volvo P1800 IG and the Swiss Volvo-Sport Club P1800 are both celebrating their anniversary with a week's visit to Sweden. The group consists of 38 cars from Germany and 9 from Switzerland. The different Volvos are; 35 ES, 11 P/S/E and an Amazon GT, altogether 95 club members. The troop arrived with the ferry to Göteborg habour in the beginning of the week and will tour western Sweden for a couple of days.

May 07, 2008 -- Here are the happy owners of Volvo number 15,000,000. Aimee and Paul Kay bought a piece of Volvo history when their Volvo C70 was delivered in San Diego - and to top it all off the couple get to travel to Göteborg in Sweden and visit Volvo's Torslanda factory.

The 15th million Volvo was transported more than 8000 kilometres from the Volvo factory in Uddevalla to San Diego on the US west coast. In early May, Aimee and Paul Kay picked up their prized new purchase, a Celestial Blue C70, from dealer Wes Hinkle.

"We first saw the C70 at the Auto Show and fell in love with it. We went back and forth and finally we said the time was right," relates Paul Kay.

May 09, 2008 -- 15 national teams of young environmentalists from all over the world will congregate in Gothenburg, Sweden next week for the seventh Volvo Adventure World Final with US$20,000 of prize money on the line for environmental excellence.

From hundreds of projects in more than 50 countries around the world submitted on-line by the 31st January 2008 deadline the Volvo Adventure judges have selected a shortlist of 15 finalists, each of whom will be chasing the US$10,000 first prize to invest in their project.

Sweden Strengthens Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Development

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 29, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweden hosts a world class automotive cluster represented by leading brands such as SAAB Automobile, Scania, Volvo Car Corporation and Volvo Group alongside some 1,000 suppliers. Sweden now looks to expand its research and development of plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Delegates from the Swedish automotive industry will be present at Booth 61 at the Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Conference and Symposia in Tampa, Florida on May 12-16 to meet international representatives from the vehicle battery industry. The aim is to strengthen the Swedish vehicle battery cluster with further investment.

Mar 14, 2008 -- Together with electricity provider Vattenfall, Saab Automobile, ETC and the Swedish state, Volvo Car Corporation is launching a joint broad-based research venture to develop spearhead technology in the area of plug-in hybrid cars. Sweden will be the arena for the field tests.

Volvo ReCharge Concept

"I see this project as a positive further development of sustainable personal transport. We have a unique opportunity to take the lead when it comes to innovations for advanced green-car technology", says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Volkswagen to become 68.6% voting shareholder in Scania

Wolfsburg, 03 March 2008 - Volkswagen has reached an agreement with Investor AB and the Wallenberg Foundations regarding the purchase of their stakes in Scania (in total 134,711,900 A-shares or 30.62% of Scania’s voting rights) for a consideration of 200 SEK per A-share in cash.

The purchase of the stake will increase Volkswagen’s total votes in Scania to 68.60% (previously 37.98%) which corresponds to 37.73% of the capital (previously 20.89%). This move is an important step towards clarifying the long-term shareholder structure of Scania. The completion of the purchase is subject to merger clearance.

Feb 25, 2008 -- Magnus Hellsten, Senior Vice President Manufacturing, became Production Manager of the Year in Sweden at the 600Minutes Production conference. Mr Hellsten received the award for his work in transforming Volvo Cars' manufacturing system - Best in Class - into Europe's most efficient in its class.

Best in Class (BiC) aims to make the Volvo Car Corporation one of Europe's three best and most cost-efficient manufacturers and suppliers in the premium segment. This method is attracting attention outside the company too. Last week in Stockholm, Magnus Hellsten was rewarded for the successful work with BiC.

History will be written tomorrow

Feb 19, 2008 -- The very first Volvo car left the factory on April 14, 1927. It was called the ÖV4 because the letters ÖV are Swedish for "Open Car" and 4 denoted the number of cylinders powering the new Swedish car.

Volvo ÖV4 - First Volvo car: Production started 1927.

On February 20, 2008, it is once again an open car that is under the spotlights. That's when car number 15,000,000, an attractive convertible Volvo C70, will leave the factory in Uddevalla.

2/10/2008 -- The second round of the 2008 World Rally Championship ended today in Sweden where Dani Sordo and Marc Martí succeeded in steering their Citroën C4 WRC to sixth place at the end of the three-day event. Their performance earns four additional Manufacturers' points for Citroën.

Abnormally mild temperatures for this time of year in the Värmland saw all the snow melt, while the remaining thin layer of ice that covered the tracks of the event's traditional home region didn't stand up long to the repeated assault of the studded tyres. The surfaces soon became little more than a soft, muddy, icy soup which was extremely slippery. The Swedish Rally is frequently listed amongst the drivers' favourite rounds, but they found this year's visit quite pallid.

2008-02-11 -- The Swedish premium car brand, Saab, has created a truly all-encompassing brand experience that will open its doors to the public on the 11th February 2008. Housed within the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, the Saab Move Your Mind room will allow the public to experience Saab – the brand, its spirit, tonality and core values through innovative design installations made wholly from ice.

Saab Aero X Concept in ice

Feb 04, 2008 -- Bernt Ejbyfeldt has been appointed new Senior Vice President Purchasing at Volvo Cars. He will take up his new position on 1 March 2008.

Bernt Ejbyfeldt, 50, has been the CEO of Konstruktions-Bakelit AB for the past five years, a privately owned industrial company and supplier for the car industry, based in southern Sweden, with some 350 employees. He has previously worked all in all 25 years at Volvo Cars.

"It will be really nice and interesting to come back and bring with me the experience from the supplier perspective.", says Mr Ejbyfeldt.

Jan 27, 2008 -- A systematic drive for green electricity is the latest measure adopted by Volvo Cars on its path to reach a climate-neutral production in Europe. The company now relies solely on hydropower from the electricity suppliers for its facilities in Sweden and Belgium.

"We aim to use renewable energy to the greatest possible extent and hydropower is the best alternative that our suppliers can offer at present," says Magnus Hellsten, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing at Volvo Cars.