Doh! Aston Martin owner finds Volvo logo on key
One of the perks Aston Martin enjoyed while under the ownership of Ford was the use of the Blue Oval's parts bin to cut costs. Save for some switchgear and nav systems, only a few items were visible to the customer. At least that's the idea. Edward Legge, general manager of Rio Prestige hire, received a damaged key fob from a rented V8 Vantage that gave him and his team quite a surprise. The person borrowing the luxury GT somehow damaged the rich leather covering the fob, revealing a Volvo logo underneath. It wasn't a Volvo stamp in the plastic or a small, blocked out Volvo logo. Nope, this was a fully decorated Volvo key that nobody bothered to disguise. That's not something the owner of a $120,000 V8 Vantage wants to see.
The new owners of Aston Martin will point out that they're switching to the fancy shmancy "Emotion Control Unit" glass-block keys from the DBS. We'd say that's a pretty good idea, considering people wait in line for months or even years for the chance to own a car that can cost upwards of $300,000. But as far as we're concerned, every Aston could be started with one of those colored keys from the local hardware store and it wouldn't much matter to us. It's still an Aston Martin and it's still automotive porn.
[Source: CAR Magazine]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kitko 10:36AM (10/31/2008)
OMG, half of the cars have same steering wheel, half of them use Aisin transmission.... Still, that's really cheap of AM, still, typical British fasion, just cover it up...
Reply
Phil Perman 10:45AM (10/31/2008)
"Nope, this was a fully decorated Volvo key that nobody bothered to disguise"
They did disguise it, they covered it in nice leather which got ripped off. Sounds fair enough to me, at least they didn't just paint over it
Reply
shimon 10:48AM (10/31/2008)
this is something volvo fans have known for ages. Aston also uses volvo window door switches.
also, more significant, volvo did the consultancy work on crash protection on the VH architecture/ platform. volvo was crash testing Astons since 1999.
note the roll over protection system in Astons? The pop up rear hoops behind the rear seats?? That's volvo's ROPS system from the C70!
Reply
kevjohn 11:00AM (10/31/2008)
Volvo for life!
Duders 12:26PM (10/31/2008)
Jags have the same thing. There are a bunch of little parts that have Volvo branded on them. For instance on the back of the XF the little cover that is over the emergency key hole to open the trunk, branded volvo on the inside.
Torrent 1:15PM (10/31/2008)
but- was it too expensive to make a key? I mean- you're selling a 120K car. The least you could do is make an original, non-disguised, Certified AM key.....
normeezy 10:50AM (10/31/2008)
what's even worse is that cars like the Vanquish and DB9 get Ford Mustang alarm key fobs. Instead of being black they're grey.
Reply
Gomi 10:53AM (10/31/2008)
Oh the horror!
Reply
DJ 10:53AM (10/31/2008)
For God's sake, the car uses a Jaguar engine and somebody is uptight about a Volvo key???
Reply
Gekko 10:56AM (10/31/2008)
Yes, it's common knowledge that Aston Martin has all bits & pieces of Ford/Volvo through out the car.
For example, on my Vantage while I was cleaning the car, I noticed that the casing underneath the side view mirrors has VOLVO printed on them. Interior knobs and buttons have also been taken from the Ford's other brands.
With each revision of the car, you are going to see these slowly disappear. i.e The old FOB key is gone and a new Crystal key is used, the older centre console has been reworked to get rid of any Ford traces, the DBS has a new Shift Lever etc etc. . .
Reply
Turbofrog 11:01AM (10/31/2008)
It's covered in leather. I don't see how this is an issue in the slightest.
Rich people are petty and insane.
Reply
Jim 11:14AM (10/31/2008)
"That's not something the owner of a $120,000 V8 Vantage wants to see."
Yes, I can imagine that someone with the means to afford a $120,000 car is going to be emotionally scarred to see something like this.
BFD.
Reply
Avinash machado 11:01AM (10/31/2008)
Wow. Nowadays we even have have badge engineered car keys let alone cars.
Reply
Richard 11:17AM (10/31/2008)
If the cache - or lack thereof - of your cars keys has the potential to inflict shrinkage which key fob induces the least? Which the most?
Ford
Ford w/ Embossed Pony
Volvo
Jaguar
Reply
Duders 12:30PM (10/31/2008)
I've never seen the volvo one, but the Jag one's pretty cool. New ones are all keyless entry.
Sid 11:21AM (10/31/2008)
I don't think its a big deal but all the same when you pay so much money for a Aston, you probably expect just AM badging even if you know there is Volvo/Ford gear around. You'd be pissed if your Lexus GS shifter had a Toyota logo on it :P
Reply
That One Person 11:29AM (10/31/2008)
Kind of dumb but whatever.
I look at it this way, there would be no Aston Martin if Ford didn't take them over. They can use Ford Focus key fobs if they wanted to, just as long as they keep producing the most gorgeous cars on the planet.
Reply
Mike 11:29AM (10/31/2008)
How is this any different than a Bentley Phaeton? Oops, I mean a Bentley S8, or was that an Audi Continental GT. This surprises people? If you look at any exclusive vehicle, you will see it always shares some parts with a lessor mass produced vehicle that is part of the parent company. I wonder how many Fiat parts someone can find on a Ferarri?
Reply
hokiebird 11:32AM (10/31/2008)
Yes it's something small and stupid that in no way changes the car or driving experience.
However, if you are buying cars in the 100K+ price range you should be able to expect them to design a new $.05 plastic cover for the key fob. It looks like it isn't even engraved, just painted on. Ok don't paint a few hundred key fobs.
Reply
Stumpy 11:37AM (10/31/2008)
Before I spend $120,000 (That I don't have). I do research on the car. I would have known that Volvo does a lot of the parts for the Aston. (Which does not bother me at all).
Though I do think it is funny that they just covered the Volvo name with some cheap leather. It made me laugh.
Reply