You Know, For the Kids: Volvo Motorsport launches children's racing gear

Any automaker – besides Little Tikes or Hotwheels – that tries to market to kids may find itself wasting precious advertising dollars. But as far as family cars go, Volvo seems to have made a name for itself making the safest vehicles in which parents – you know, the ones actually paying for and driving the car – can shuttle their kids around from school to karate class. Just ask any of the mothers sitting sideline at soccer practice and they'll tell you as much. That may go some way towards explaining why the Swedish automaker has taken such care in releasing the latest addition to its merchandise line.

While Volvo is hardly the first automaker to merchandise its brand image or even the first to create children's clothing, it's the first we've seen to launch one single kids t-shirt by itself. The Volvo Manager T-shirt for children bears the colors – namely green, to go with the earth-friendly DRIVe program – of the company's Swedish Touring Car Championship team on a tee made especially for the little guy, letting him (or her) in on the action while letting everyone know who's the boss: it's written there right on the back, printed on, like the rest of the badges, instead of embroidered to optimize the kid's comfort. Of course, Volvo Motorsport has a full line of gear for mom and dad as well, available on the company's website, but this piece itself is so simple that it's just, well... child's play. Details in the press release after the jump and images in the gallery below.

[Source: Volvo]

PRESS RELEASE

Volvo Motorsport introduces racing wear for children
Team Manager T-shirt for the little boss at home now in stores

Volvo has started off this year's racing season in the Swedish Touring Car Championship with a bang - pole position in all races and several victories. Volvo has also introduced a new colour theme for this year's team equipment and clothing to match the green DRIVe technology on the racing car.

A new green theme racing collection has now landed in stores with everything from caps, lanyards and polo shirts to genuine team shirts and team jackets. However, Volvo's Motorsport department is most proud of the new Team Manager T-shirt for children.

"Little bit of a gem in the collection as it engaged the whole racing team. With several of us, from our driver Robert Dahlgren and his engineer to our main chef, becoming dads recently, developing the kids T-shirt quickly evolved to become just as advanced engineering as when we develop our racing car" says Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Commercial Director for Motorsport at Volvo.

The result of this advanced engineering exercise with the racing team became a T-shirt made of the softest cotton with full sponsor livery on the front just as the team has at races. All logos were printed instead of embroidered for best comfort. On the back was decided to print Team Manager as everyone agreed on who really is in charge at home.

The Team Manager children's T-shirt is offered in sizes 90, 110 and 130 and is available with the rest of the collection at Volvo Brand Shop in Gothenburg, and through the web on www.volvocars.com/collection .