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Volvo leaving UK (unless you want an SUV)

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[#12912511]

Growing up my parent's car was a 340GL. Then in my adult years I've had a 480, a 440GLT and I currently drive an S40 2.0T.

I'd like a V70R next. Or a V60.

But they're leaving us 🙁 Genuinely surprised at this.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volvo-goes-suv-only-uk-all-saloon-and-estate-cars-axed


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 10:28 pm
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Not surprised at all. Polestar cars will presumably be for all markets, Volvo only for the main ones. Makes sense. The electric brand is the future, and the UK is increasingly an edge case when it comes to making decisions on product lines and supply chains for them.


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 10:34 pm
Poopscoop reacted
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Awesome cars. Goodbye😢

I started this thread 4 years ago, ours is still going strong.

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/volvo-estate-appreciation/


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 10:41 pm
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#noVolvoforsale?


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 10:44 pm
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Well, they're not really leaving us,  are they.  They're reducing the range by getting rid of models that don't sell.  Clickbait nonsense.


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 10:48 pm
Houns and FuzzyWuzzy reacted
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Mate, your last thread title was about UFOs.


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:00 pm
piemonster, billiethedog, sc-xc and 1 people reacted
 rsl1
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Well, they’re not really leaving us, are they. They’re reducing the range by getting rid of models that don’t sell. Clickbait nonsense

It's a pretty big deal actually, how many other G20 countries have they cut more than half their range from?

Sad state of affairs given how cool their normal cars are but all the UK wants is SUVs. It probably is because polestar 2 is the Volvo family sedan going forwards


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:03 pm
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Nobody got upset when Mitsubishi left uk. They may have got upset on Pistonheads mind you.


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:09 pm
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Mate, your last thread title was about UFOs.

And your point is?


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:10 pm
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The reality is, Volvo has been a niche brand in the UK for a long time, even more so their saloon cars


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:14 pm
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Isn't it a Chinese owned brand now?


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:19 pm
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****ing SUVs 😕


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:28 pm
jimmy, AdamT, touchingewe and 10 people reacted
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I don't know the address but there is a graveyard of Volvo's near Falkirk...they are bound to have some V70R models in amongst the many they have.

I think it is here - https://maps.app.goo.gl/qRdvoHzwXM3pzs7p9 - Streetview gives a better indication!


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:29 pm
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Polestar are manufactured by Geely motors in China.
Geely (along with Shanghai motor group aka MG) are one the companies heavily involved in the genocide and forced Labour of Uyghur Muslim people.


 
Posted : 01/08/2023 11:32 pm
thols2, silvine, binman and 4 people reacted
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I don’t know the address but there is a graveyard of Volvo’s near Falkirk…

That place is amazing. Was on the route we used to use to get to my folks/Glesga before they moved. Must’ve been in excess of 100 Volvos last time I drove past.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:03 am
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The S60 polestar in blue from a few years ago looked great and if you can find one and have some spare cash a nice motor
My 2001 S60 2.4T sounded great with the 5cyl engine, not quite the T5 but still over the 200bhp , it was a wee bit heavy all that solid built and loads of sound deadening , Ford owned them back then, Focus St had the Volvo engine


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:16 am
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Sad sign of the times unfortunately. Ford are getting rid of the fiesta as well FFS in favour of these **** stupid crossovers and SUVs. I’ve recently got my first estate car after a run of hatches and saloons, and it’s absolutely superb! Not an actual Superb or a Volvo for that matter.. it would have been a V60 polestar if I could have afforded one mind. I think they look absolutely MINT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307059328368

Ohlins adjustable suspension FTW and you could do plenty of local trips without bothering the ICE motor. Seems like the best of all worlds. If I come into a bit of money I’ll get a minter and keep it forever.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:27 am
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As an SUV driver... I totally agree about the moans about SUVs.

I ended up with one because of the dire options for practical estates at 2-4 years old that were not ludicrouly expensive (most have become too aero and swooshed at the rear (like the V90) making it shiiite for actually putting things in like square boxes, or dog cages for  a proper sized dog - too much wasted volume.

In other words what I wanted was a V70 or XC70. Stopped making them (or at least bringing into the UK) about 5 or 6 years ago from what I could tell. And a 2nd hand one with 60,000 miles and 6 years old for £25 grand is barkingly mad.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:45 am
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Toyota have made a great new Prius for 2023 that even motoring journalists like. Looks great, 200bhp, 70mpg, 4wd and 40 mile plugin options, but they're not selling it here because it's not an SUV and Brits won't buy them. It's even being sold in the USA.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 1:45 am
kelvin reacted
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That's sad. I was counting on buying a v60 in three years once they'd introduced Google automotive services to the range.

I really struggle to understand the appeal of SUVs beyond the zero sum game of buying a higher up car so you can see over the person in the big car in front of you.

My estate car options are becoming so constrained I might end up in a BMW.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 6:48 am
kelvin reacted
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I really miss my V70. Best car I've ever owned.
I was driving my father in law's S60 last week and was reminded how lovely they are to waft around in. Although I also got why saloons are a dying breed...

The world moves on.

I do wonder if the whole SUV thing might become less fashionable in the future - and we see a return to smaller vehicles and hatches/estates.

Geely (along with Shanghai motor group aka MG) are one the companies heavily involved in the genocide and forced Labour of Uyghur Muslim people.

🙁
Got a link about that?


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 8:53 am
bruk reacted
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This really annoys me as a serial Volvo estate buyer. I won't have an SUV.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 8:59 am
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Growing up my parent’s car was a 340GL.

This house has about 40 of them outside - and he drives a one as a daily.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cpfzgAPjFND2SQzn7


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:02 am
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buying a higher up car so you can see over the person in the big car in front of you

This. It's an arms race that makes no-one safer, certainly not vunerable road users. It feels like a zero-sum game as a result.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:04 am
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I ended up with one because of the dire options for practical estates at 2-4 years old that were not ludicrouly expensive (most have become too aero and swooshed at the rear (like the V90) making it shiiite for actually putting things in like square boxes, or dog cages for  a proper sized dog – too much wasted volume.

Really? I had a C class (2011, demonstrator) I bought with 6k on the clock, did another 150k with me, sold 9 years later. Bought another (10k on the clock) for only £2k more than the old one. Im not a car fan so bought the Merc in the hope it would be reliable over the 8-10 yrs I keep it. Making no claims for how good it is in comparison to other cars but I didnt struggle to find a medium size estate car. The E class is bigger if required for a bit more, plus lots of alternatives, 3 series, 5 series etc.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:10 am
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<p>Not read the article </p><p> </p><p>Small Volvos were always a bit meh. Anyhow Volvo isn’t leaving the UK , they are just changing their brand name to Polestar </p><p> </p><p>

This really annoys me as a serial Volvo estate buyer. I won’t have an SUV.

SUV’s are brilliant far more practical than an estate (having recently owned both)</p>Dnt let it really annoy you, life’s too short


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:21 am
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The S60's are built in the US, maybe they're building left-drive only as they consolidate as they move to a greater percentage of EV's.

I like saloons, drive one at the moment and more than half the cars I've bought have been saloons - never had an SUV but I do drive them as my OH has had a few.  They drive nice and for info, while both our cars are 4x4 2.0d's and 5-seater, my saloon weighs more.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:32 am
kelvin reacted
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Polestar is a Swedish automotive brand established in 1996 as Flash Engineering. It was later rebranded Polestar Racing, then acquired in 2015 by Volvo Cars.[3] It is headquartered in Torslanda outside Gothenburg, Sweden.[4] Its vehicles are produced in China, home to Volvo's corporate parent Geely.[5]


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:35 am
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Ford, Nissan etc not selling cars as such. Even the bloody Yaris has stopped and become a SUV (ugly thing).


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 9:47 am
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This place also is very good for Volvo servicing and repairs... https://goo.gl/maps/PUdyBykSbTiC2MMh6 - thing is I don't know if it is McBoyle Motors or Headswood Garage - as it was always called the Volvo fixer!


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 10:24 am
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SUV’s are brilliant far more practical than an estate (having recently owned both)</p>Dnt let it really annoy you, life’s too short

Only if it's massive. e.g. the boot in an XC60 is pitiful, far less useful than an A4 estate, less useful even than our old Focus hatchback


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 10:32 am
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Only if it’s massive. e.g. the boot in an XC60 is pitiful, far less useful than an A4 estate, less useful even than our old Focus hatchback

Agreed to an extent.

I currently have an E Class estate which volume wise is probably as big as it gets. However our 2019 BMW X1 SUV had more useable rear space ie it would take bikes stood up with rear wheels on, could fit a wheel barrow in the back, lawnmowers, wacker plates etc. Estates are just too low to get stuff like that in.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 10:38 am
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So Volvo are not actually "leaving the UK", its just their marketing Dept. recognising that we're a nation of knuckle draggers wot only likes Tonka trucks. This isn't really a new phenomena.
Plus they'll still probably be flogging polestars here to the EVs for affluent folks market.

Is this really just a manufacturer getting ready for 2030 in the UK? Not exactly an insane move TBF, why keep making RHD cars for export to that strange little island in the North Atlantic when they've got the rest of the world to cater for and all Brits seem to want are Teslas, Kugas and Q7s...

Kind of a non-story, but does somewhat highlight the demise of practicality when Brits go choosing new cars. We used to like hatchbacks and Estates, now we buy jacked up SUVs so that's mostly what we'll get offered.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 11:39 am
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Is this really just a manufacturer getting ready for 2030 in the UK?

I think there will be a lot of that coming ahead of when they have to - and Brexshit won't be helping there either.

I suspect by 2030 we will have far fewer choices of cars, a huge swing to electric cars and homes with massive storage and grid projects underway. I also hope we will see a change in how many drive cars, and that we move to smaller and more efficient cars.

#optimist


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 11:44 am
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a huge swing to electric cars and homes with massive storage and grid projects underway

we move to smaller and more efficient cars

Seen the new “5” coming from Renault? It’s both storage for the home and a small car. Well, will be in the EU. That kind of integration with the grid needs public sector guidance and involvement though, or car manufacturers can’t play their part. The lack of government planning here is shocking. Manufacturers can’t work with that.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 11:46 am
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Demand for big saloon cars is just not there anymore. Ford did something similar hence the Mondeo has gone in favour of SUVs, etc.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 11:52 am
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GlennQuagmire
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Demand for big saloon cars is just not there anymore. Ford did something similar hence the Mondeo has gone in favour of SUVs, etc.

Not just the Mondeo, also the Fiesta, Focus, Galaxy, S MAX and KA. Their replacements being the Edge, Puma, Kuga, ???, ??? and the ironically titled EcoSport which is neither economical or sporty.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:50 pm
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It’s quite depressing when you put it like that. I didn’t realise the Focus was a gonna too!


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:58 pm
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Edge

Already killed off in the UK too, barely sold any of them. EcoSport isn't on their site now too.

So I think that leaves;

Mustang Mach-E
Kuga
Focus
Puma

Right back to growing up in the 80's when they just had Fiesta, Escort/Orion, Sierra and Granada/Scorpio Not even that!


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 12:59 pm
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I also hope we will see a change in how many drive cars, and that we move to smaller and more efficient cars.

Most electric cars are getting bigger and heavier !

On Radio 4 recently they were saying that the date of 2030 for stop of sale of diesel cars may well be put back to 2035.

We could all buy Citroen Ami's for the same price as an ebike.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 1:11 pm
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His is bad news. As some one who like diesel powered estate cars I’m going to get stuck for options soon. I don’t want an suv and I certainly don’t want electric


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 1:20 pm
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For anyone wondering if the human race will step up to the plate and make the necessary sacrifices to defeat global warming this announcement tells you everything you need to know.😬


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 1:29 pm
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That's disappointing. I was thinking of a Volvo estate for when my Focus dies (hopefully a while yet). The Focus estate is an ideal size for me, but apart from being discontinued, I'm not buying another Ford after their refusal to take responsibility for the timing belt and other design defects in the EcoBoost engine.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 1:36 pm
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mashr

Already killed off in the UK too, barely sold any of them. EcoSport isn’t on their site now too.

So I think that leaves;

Mustang Mach-E
Kuga
Focus
Puma

Oh shit you're right, missed that one.

Guess the Edge will be replaced with the Explorer electric when that arrives. Not sure about the electric version, but the petrol one can be configured with 7 seats, if so i guess that could be the Galaxy/SMAX replacement also.


 
Posted : 02/08/2023 2:04 pm
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Posted : 02/08/2023 2:07 pm
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