Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Volvo's treasure hunt finds real treasure on ocean floor]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/volvos-treasure-hunt-finds-real-treasure-on-ocean-floor/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/volvos-treasure-hunt-finds-real-treasure-on-ocean-floor/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/volvos-treasure-hunt-finds-real-treasure-on-ocean-floor/#commentsFiled under: ,



We were wondering whatever happened to Volvo's treasure hunt promotion that coincided with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The prize of $50,000 in gold and the keys to a new Volvo were buried somewhere near Davey Jones' locker on the ocean floor, but until today there was no word on which lucky treasure hunter had navigated the mess of riddles and clues to find it.

23-year-old Alena Zvereva from Ekaterinburg, Russia has been chosen as the winner, but her prize will have to remain wet a little while longer as Odyssey Marine Exploration, the deep-ocean shipwreck exploration company with which Volvo partnered, has found real treasure somewhere in the Atlantic. The real booty consists of $500 million worth of gold and silver coins at a secret deep ocean site that Odyssey has named the 'Black Swan'.

Follow the jump read more about how the Spanish government has gotten involved and delayed the delivery of Zvereva to her prize.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo's treasure hunt finds real treasure on ocean floor

Volvo's treasure hunt finds real treasure on ocean floor originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at world's endAtWorld'sEndgibraltarmediterraneanodysseypirates of the caribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeanspainspanishtreasure huntTreasureHuntVolvoFri, 22 Jun 2007 12:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Volvo reveals 10 places where X does not mark the spot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/07/volvo-reveals-10-places-where-x-does-not-mark-the-spot/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/07/volvo-reveals-10-places-where-x-does-not-mark-the-spot/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/07/volvo-reveals-10-places-where-x-does-not-mark-the-spot/#commentsFiled under: ,


click above image for more pics of Volvo's sunken treasure

As Volvo reminds us, three-quarters of the earth's surface is under water, so trying to find its sunken treasure of $50,000 worth of gold doubloons and the keys to a new XC90 SUV is not going to be easy. Autoblog readers are furiously working their way through the challenges and riddles offered by the Hunt, and you can follow their progress for tips and clues or just get up to speed by reading the comments on this post.

Volvo, however, doesn't want people to get too discouraged by the daunting task that lies before them, so it's unveiled 10 places it has not sunk its treasure. Most of the places are humurous, with only a few actually being locales on our planet. Check out the complete list after the jump for a midday chuckle.

Also, we're not sure if they contain any clues, but we located additional pics of the treasure chest in the process of being sunk.

[Source: Volvo]

Gallery: Volvo's The Hunt contest

Continue reading Volvo reveals 10 places where X does not mark the spot

Volvo reveals 10 places where X does not mark the spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 May 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at world's endAtWorld'sEndjohnny deppJohnnyDepppirates of the caribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeansunken treasureSunkenTreasurethe huntthe hunt is onTheHuntTheHuntIsOnvolvoMon, 07 May 2007 14:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Volvo's Hunt is on!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/04/volvos-hunt-is-on/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/04/volvos-hunt-is-on/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/04/volvos-hunt-is-on/#commentsFiled under: ,



Today at 10:00AM EST, Volvo's second "The Hunt" Contest began when this website went live with the first clue. Upon visiting the URL, entrants are greeted with what appears to be a small, triangular piece of a treasure map floating in water (kudos for Volvo on the production quality of the contest site). Then, a hoarse and ernest voice pipes us to give the clue, which is thus:

To hunt for these waters
follow my heart,
the winding needle
will mark the start.

Uh, yeah sure. We have no idea what it means nor how it relates to the floating fragment of treasure map, but if you want to join the hunt, you have to figure out what it means. A treasure's chest worth of gold doubloons is at take, as well as a Volvo XC90 to drive your booty home. Here's hoping Volvo hid the treasure well and a fishing trawler doesn't come across it while scraping the sea floor. That'd be quite a catch.

As was the case for last year's contest, feel free to use the comments on this post to discuss strategy and help other along.

[Source: Volvo]

Volvo's Hunt is on! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 May 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buried treasureBuriedTreasurepirates of the caribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeanthe huntTheHuntvolvovolvo's the huntVolvo'sTheHuntFri, 04 May 2007 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Volvo Treasure Hunt set to start May 4th]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/second-volvo-treasure-hunt-set-to-start-may-4th/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/second-volvo-treasure-hunt-set-to-start-may-4th/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/second-volvo-treasure-hunt-set-to-start-may-4th/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're fairly certain that the success of Volvo's first Treasure Hunt game, which was tied to the release of Disney's second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, took the swedish automaker by surprise. It certainly surprised us, as our initial post on the promotion racked up a record number of comments. Autoblog readers used the post as a common room to share tips and help others overcome the game's more difficult obstacles. All told, nearly 1,271 comments were left on that post.

With the third installment of Disney's swashbuckling franchise on the horizon, Volvo's ready to send our readers on another global hunt for treasure and the keys to a new XC90 SUV. This time, however, the treasure has not been buried on a sandy beach, but sits right now on the ocean floor somewhere. That's right, Volvo has placed a chest filled with $50,000 worth of actual gold in the ocean somewhere. Ballsy, we say. On May 4th, the hunt to find it will begin. You can preregister for the game here, and keep up with news at these two unofficial sites: The Hunt 2007 and Volvo The Hunt - 2007, the latter of which already has shots of the map you'll need to retrieve at a local Volvo dealership to begin the game. Just don't forget to skewer the sales guy with your cutlass on the way out. It's the pirate's way, after all.

[Source: Volvo]

Second Volvo Treasure Hunt set to start May 4th originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>At World's EndAtWorld'sEndJack SparrowJackSparrowJohnny DeppJohnnyDepppirates of the caribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeanthe huntTheHuntvolvo the huntvolvo xc90VolvoTheHuntVolvoXc90Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Volvo embarking on new treasure hunt adventure]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/20/volvo-embarking-on-new-treasure-hunt-adventure/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/20/volvo-embarking-on-new-treasure-hunt-adventure/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/20/volvo-embarking-on-new-treasure-hunt-adventure/#commentsFiled under: ,


map from last year's treasure hunt

Just like it did last year, Volvo appears to be launching another treasure hunt wherein one lucky buccaneer will escape with the ultimate automotive treasure - a new car! The online clue board is located here, and with a new installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise set to debut May 25th, the Disney website is a part of the hunt, as well. At World's End isn't just the name of the new Pirates movie, it just might also be the location of this year's dig as well.

This bit from the current contest entry leads us to wonder what will be at the end of your shovel when you finally strike gold: "The treasure this year will shock even the toughest swashbucklers out there." Could it be one of the SEMA C30s? All of them? We can only hope and pray, though last year's XC90 was hardly a bad prize in its own right. As we said in our post on last year's contest (one of the most commented on Autoblog posts of all time with 1,271 comments), tying into a hit movie franchise, giving away a vehicle or two and doing it in such a fun and different way is a refreshing change for Volvo. Now, all for one and... that's it, go get your car.

[Source: Volvo via GTChannel.com]

Volvo embarking on new treasure hunt adventure originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>At World's EndAtWorld'sEndcontestDisneygiveawayPirates of the caribbeanPiratesOfTheCaribbeansweepstakestreasure huntTreasureHuntVolvoXC90Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Volvo names treasure hunt finalists]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/26/volvo-names-treasure-hunt-finalists/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/26/volvo-names-treasure-hunt-finalists/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/26/volvo-names-treasure-hunt-finalists/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Aar, maties! You can put yer pencils down, Volvo has named the finalists in the hunt for its buried "Pirates of the Caribbean"-themed XC90. The seven piratical finalists include four from the U.S. and one each from the U.K., Japan, Spain and Austria.

The four-week puzzle contest will wrap up in dramatic fashion August 6, when the finalists will be flown to an undisclosed location to compete face-to-face in the final leg of the treasure hunt, a two-day Survivor-like physical and mental test leading them to the Volvo's location. First to dig it up, keeps the car.

The winning pirate will be announced August 11, and Volvo will air a series of reality TV-style online broadcasts of the final competition starting August 24.

So, has the contest been a marketing success so far? Well, if the more than 1,200(!) comments to our original post about the contest are any indication, someone in Volvo's marketing department deserves a raise. In the U.S. alone, more than 52,000 wannabe pirates visited Volvo showrooms to pick up the contest treasure map. Yo-ho-ho!

[Source: Volvo]

Volvo names treasure hunt finalists originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buried volvopirates of the caribbeanthe huntTheHunttreasure huntTreasureHuntvolvo huntvolvo treasure huntvolvo xc90Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Shiver me timbers! Volvo launches treasure hunt for buried SUV]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/13/shiver-me-timbers-volvo-launches-treasure-hunt-for-buried-suv/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/13/shiver-me-timbers-volvo-launches-treasure-hunt-for-buried-suv/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/13/shiver-me-timbers-volvo-launches-treasure-hunt-for-buried-suv/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Arrrr, mateys! Have you ever fancied one o' them thar XC90s, Billy? Well, here's Billy's chance - on Monday Volvo Car Corporation kicked off a treasure hunt for a buried XC90 V8 to support its promotion of Disney's upcoming movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" - no swordplay required.

Here's how it works: you pick up a treasure map at your local Volvo dealer, then sign up at the treasure hunt website. Clues and puzzles are emailed to participants, and if you answer correctly, you remain in the hunt and get more clues. The contest wraps up July 12, when Volvo selects seven finalists from the group of treasure hunters who correctly answered all the clues.

Finalists are flown to the secret car burial location, handed shovels and compete to find the car. The first to dig up the Volvo gets to keep it.

This isn't the first time Volvo's donned the corporate eyepatch and played pirate. Disney is the main sponsor of Volvo's entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, and the appropriately named Black Pearl (pictured) is currently in second place heading into the closing stage of the race, which finishes this weekend in Sweden.

[Source: Volvo]




Shiver me timbers! Volvo launches treasure hunt for buried SUV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jun 2006 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black pearlBlackPearlburied volvoJohnny DeppJohnnyDeppKeith RichardsKeithRichardspiratespirates of the caribbeantreasure huntTue, 13 Jun 2006 09:07:00 EST