In words that echo Democrat
John Kerry’s failed rally cry, “Hope is on the way,” Volvo has a new mantra for its dealership body:
“Hang on, help is on the way.” But unlike the former’s unsuccessful presidential bid, the Swedish company
claims it has a concrete plan to bring success and profitability to its dealer body– and not just to parent company
Ford’s coffers.
That plan, according to Automotive News is best embodied in the tin-top C70
convertible introduced in Frankfurt. The pretty two-door, set to base at about $40,000 is to be the Swedish brand’s
halo car. In order to get the word out about the C70, Volvo will once again turn to a national electronic (read:
Internet) and print campaign starting in a couple of months. While this is essentially S.O.P. for Volvo these days, the
outgoing, slow-selling C70 softop never really benefited from a full-on marketing push, so this appears to be good news
for all those involved.
A bit further down the road, Volvo’s flagship 2007 S80
should also go a long way toward assuaging its troubled dealers, as the sedan is likely to be one of the brand’s
highest-margin offerings, and the pending C30 hatch
figures to expand the brand’s appeal to a younger demographic.
[Source: The Automotive News]