I get the feeling the bean counters thought they could get dealers to convince people to buy a crossover or SUV instead and it would barely affect sales whereas in reality - knowing Volvo owners - what actually happened was people turned up at Volvo dealers with cash ready having decided their old Volvo estate had gotten a bit long in the tooth and just left to go buy an estate somewhere else when they were told they couldn't buy a new one.
I can’t speak for everyone, but the people I know who fit that exact remit just popped over to the Skoda dealer across the road (rural Cornwall/Devon).
Was a self-made disaster by Volvo, honestly, most farming families I know down here have had them since the 1970s.
Agreed, but they've basically decided they're a premium marque since the refresh of the XC90 a few years back. Specced one to 90k with not a lot of effort
That’s just the price people are willing to pay for an SUV of that size nowadays, same goes for the VW Touareg, don’t think anyone believes that is a premium marque
I have VRS estate and it's ok but very cheaply built. I went to look for a Volvo estate and they just vanished. They were getting really nice looking too.
We (godfather needed a new business car) test drove an electric Volvo last year and I was gobsmacked at how cheaply finished the interior was compared to 10 years ago. I’d gone on and on about how good they were and even booked the test drive for him. It put me right off. Skoda at least doesn’t pretend to be a premium/pedigree brand, and has gotten a lot better since the early VW takeover days.
Exactly this (speaking as an ex-Volvo estate owner, now driving an A6 Allroad, Dad drives a Volvo Estate) there's no way people that drive a Volvo Estate would even consider buying a v60/v90 SUV...too common they'd be straight off to get an E Class Estate or an a\^ Allroad etc...they're not even similar customer demographics.
One is Business Development Manager, new build 4 bed on estate, Car on PCP...the other is Doc/Deputy Head/Architect etc, nice House with big garden, dogs, buys car outright.
Poor, poor marketing decision.
Lol . I was in v90- then wanted to change and the man was like :" why don't you look at this xc40?" No thanks! Got e class estate.happy with my choice so far.
Jonny Smith and Richard Porter were discussing this on “Smith and Sniff” a few months ago. Apparently Volvo were removing them from general sale but the contracts with the emergency services were still going to be active.
Which meant that past a certain registration year, if you saw a Volvo saloon or estate it would have to be an emergency service vehicle.
Like, for instance, an unmarked police car…
Unlikely in the near future tbh. Several forces are already using alternatives and speaking as an officer who drives them regularly (and much more than I'd like) the BMW were far superior and sooner or later something else will become available that's far better for our use.
I will clarify, as a car, they're pretty good. As a car for the purposes of having collisions and running round back streets, they're shit
I have a mate who’s an ARVO and his one complaint with the XC90 aside from being a boat is that you couldn’t ram anyone with it because the safety systems would kick in.
Pretty much. And the safety systems ARE fantastic, I wouldn't deny it. But they're canter to the aims of TPAC and the ARV favourite, tactical contact. I'd absolutely buy one for my family but whoever agreed to the contracting to buy them either doesn't understand the requirements or didn't care or was simply in such a corner they had no other option. I suspect three is the most likely but also the worst.
Interestingly they make dedicated police variants for Sweden etc so you would have assumed they would have considered the issue of intentionally hitting other cars, but it’s possible they aren’t into that funny business on the mainland.
Rumour has it that the removal of safety systems in police spec cars has been requested and denied. No idea if that's the case in the Swedish variants or not I don't know. The rumour also continued that the reason is because Volvos safety record is so fantastic, they don't want to tarnish it.
I don't think they currently offer any, or particularly good discounts for emergency services. Though I think at least part of that was ability to ship product after covid. As the world gets back to normal shopping, that might not be the case forever and I'm sure if they were back to their 2018 position, fleet services may also be available again
Nope, not COVID related. There was an issue where cars that spent a long time idling and then were drove hard exploded, and police officers were killed by it. I went and checked and yeah, [they've stopped all police specialist sales](https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news/2023/01/20/bmw-specialist-sales-to-police-ended-after-pc-death).
Yeah I'm aware of the case. There was a big thing about it I remmeber but we were still buying BMWs until 2022 so I don't think that thats the whole reason
I think I saw something where BMW actually removed them, or advised police forces not to use them as response cars. It was a particular diesel engine that was the problem. An officer died after an engine exploded during a pursuit. The issue arises after a long period of idling and then high revs. For example a pursuit situation.
Pretty sure it's the 3.0l diesel in 330d/530d? Was talking to a friend of a friend who's in the police about it and he said that engine is perfect for police work in every way apart from that one issue, which is obviously a deal-breaker.
They also have big reliability problems for emergency services. To the extent there's a head gasket recall just on ems cars. The police workshops hate the things
One loophole was that they were still selling them as police cars, and I'd heard stories of people trying to find back channels to place an order this way. You know you fucked up when it comes to this.
Need to do this with bmw after they decided to drop their diesels in the uk. They still offer diesels in their big suv’s, so they can still offer their hybrid 3.0d set up in their 3 and 5 series if they really wanted to! Come on BMW do the right thing
When it was first posted here, I missed why they probably brought them back. BMW has stopped supplying cars to emergency services, and they are fond of an estate and have taken quite well to the XC90, so it's probably due to the amount the police are buying, so it's now worth to keep it homologated.
There was a clause/agreement they would still offer them to emergency service if I recall.
Same as the Octavia Scout, you can only buy them if you’re an emergency services customer now.
Yep - reading the comments, people aren't really clicking that Volvo is now Geely in a dress. That means the future is rebadged Geely EVs with a Volvo interior - like the EX30.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, Geely make some very good cars. But the Chinese market is dropping petrol fast, and Geely is all about EVs now. They still make petrol, but their focus is EV (and a bit of 'alternative fuel'). The Volvo estate return will be short lived.
Yea I had an XC40 recharge rental for a week, it was *ok*, nothing special, but I did think it managed to capture volvos best design nods. A Polestar estate would be pretty damn good.
I get the feeling the bean counters thought they could get dealers to convince people to buy a crossover or SUV instead and it would barely affect sales whereas in reality - knowing Volvo owners - what actually happened was people turned up at Volvo dealers with cash ready having decided their old Volvo estate had gotten a bit long in the tooth and just left to go buy an estate somewhere else when they were told they couldn't buy a new one.
I can’t speak for everyone, but the people I know who fit that exact remit just popped over to the Skoda dealer across the road (rural Cornwall/Devon). Was a self-made disaster by Volvo, honestly, most farming families I know down here have had them since the 1970s.
I reckon the Superb estate fills the role of the old Volvo estate nicely
Definitely fills the niche volvo left after going upmarket in the last 10 years or so
Volvo have always been very middle class.
Agreed, but they've basically decided they're a premium marque since the refresh of the XC90 a few years back. Specced one to 90k with not a lot of effort
That’s just the price people are willing to pay for an SUV of that size nowadays, same goes for the VW Touareg, don’t think anyone believes that is a premium marque
Nowhere near as much as they are now, they exist in the same space as BMW and Audi nowadays- much more upper middle class than before
I can imagine Skoda UK toasting a ripping good 2024 as car manufacturers increasingly leave the estate market to them.
For the lower end I'm pretty sure it's just them and Peugeot who have appealing new options.
I mean Skoda also dumped the Fabia Estate...
To be fair, they make the Scala which is kind of an elongated version of the Fabia?
I have VRS estate and it's ok but very cheaply built. I went to look for a Volvo estate and they just vanished. They were getting really nice looking too.
We (godfather needed a new business car) test drove an electric Volvo last year and I was gobsmacked at how cheaply finished the interior was compared to 10 years ago. I’d gone on and on about how good they were and even booked the test drive for him. It put me right off. Skoda at least doesn’t pretend to be a premium/pedigree brand, and has gotten a lot better since the early VW takeover days.
Exactly this (speaking as an ex-Volvo estate owner, now driving an A6 Allroad, Dad drives a Volvo Estate) there's no way people that drive a Volvo Estate would even consider buying a v60/v90 SUV...too common they'd be straight off to get an E Class Estate or an a\^ Allroad etc...they're not even similar customer demographics. One is Business Development Manager, new build 4 bed on estate, Car on PCP...the other is Doc/Deputy Head/Architect etc, nice House with big garden, dogs, buys car outright. Poor, poor marketing decision.
Lol . I was in v90- then wanted to change and the man was like :" why don't you look at this xc40?" No thanks! Got e class estate.happy with my choice so far.
Do you go off road in your allroad?
They are great if you live down an old-money sometimes-muddy track but don't need a full blown SUV
Muddy Farm Tracks/Forestry Comission roads/Tracks by River fishing beats but not proper off road...ideal solution for what i need.
Jonny Smith and Richard Porter were discussing this on “Smith and Sniff” a few months ago. Apparently Volvo were removing them from general sale but the contracts with the emergency services were still going to be active. Which meant that past a certain registration year, if you saw a Volvo saloon or estate it would have to be an emergency service vehicle. Like, for instance, an unmarked police car…
Unlikely in the near future tbh. Several forces are already using alternatives and speaking as an officer who drives them regularly (and much more than I'd like) the BMW were far superior and sooner or later something else will become available that's far better for our use. I will clarify, as a car, they're pretty good. As a car for the purposes of having collisions and running round back streets, they're shit
I have a mate who’s an ARVO and his one complaint with the XC90 aside from being a boat is that you couldn’t ram anyone with it because the safety systems would kick in.
Pretty much. And the safety systems ARE fantastic, I wouldn't deny it. But they're canter to the aims of TPAC and the ARV favourite, tactical contact. I'd absolutely buy one for my family but whoever agreed to the contracting to buy them either doesn't understand the requirements or didn't care or was simply in such a corner they had no other option. I suspect three is the most likely but also the worst.
Interestingly they make dedicated police variants for Sweden etc so you would have assumed they would have considered the issue of intentionally hitting other cars, but it’s possible they aren’t into that funny business on the mainland.
Rumour has it that the removal of safety systems in police spec cars has been requested and denied. No idea if that's the case in the Swedish variants or not I don't know. The rumour also continued that the reason is because Volvos safety record is so fantastic, they don't want to tarnish it.
Aren't BMW completely out of the emergency services business now after all the exploding cars?
I don't think they currently offer any, or particularly good discounts for emergency services. Though I think at least part of that was ability to ship product after covid. As the world gets back to normal shopping, that might not be the case forever and I'm sure if they were back to their 2018 position, fleet services may also be available again
Nope, not COVID related. There was an issue where cars that spent a long time idling and then were drove hard exploded, and police officers were killed by it. I went and checked and yeah, [they've stopped all police specialist sales](https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news/2023/01/20/bmw-specialist-sales-to-police-ended-after-pc-death).
Yeah I'm aware of the case. There was a big thing about it I remmeber but we were still buying BMWs until 2022 so I don't think that thats the whole reason
I think I saw something where BMW actually removed them, or advised police forces not to use them as response cars. It was a particular diesel engine that was the problem. An officer died after an engine exploded during a pursuit. The issue arises after a long period of idling and then high revs. For example a pursuit situation.
Pretty sure it's the 3.0l diesel in 330d/530d? Was talking to a friend of a friend who's in the police about it and he said that engine is perfect for police work in every way apart from that one issue, which is obviously a deal-breaker.
Hardly makes it perfect then for the police!! Perfectly good for every normal customer though.
They also have big reliability problems for emergency services. To the extent there's a head gasket recall just on ems cars. The police workshops hate the things
They should get the saloons back now, then life would be a dream
Yes!!!!!! Now I can have a new CAR in about 5 years
One loophole was that they were still selling them as police cars, and I'd heard stories of people trying to find back channels to place an order this way. You know you fucked up when it comes to this.
Need to do this with bmw after they decided to drop their diesels in the uk. They still offer diesels in their big suv’s, so they can still offer their hybrid 3.0d set up in their 3 and 5 series if they really wanted to! Come on BMW do the right thing
whoever at volvo decided to pull estates is a right flute
When it was first posted here, I missed why they probably brought them back. BMW has stopped supplying cars to emergency services, and they are fond of an estate and have taken quite well to the XC90, so it's probably due to the amount the police are buying, so it's now worth to keep it homologated.
There was a clause/agreement they would still offer them to emergency service if I recall. Same as the Octavia Scout, you can only buy them if you’re an emergency services customer now.
Remember when Heinz said they’d stop selling Salad Cream?
If there's a hot EV drivetrain in one, that is absolutely going to be my next car.
Yep - reading the comments, people aren't really clicking that Volvo is now Geely in a dress. That means the future is rebadged Geely EVs with a Volvo interior - like the EX30. This is not necessarily a bad thing, Geely make some very good cars. But the Chinese market is dropping petrol fast, and Geely is all about EVs now. They still make petrol, but their focus is EV (and a bit of 'alternative fuel'). The Volvo estate return will be short lived.
Yea I had an XC40 recharge rental for a week, it was *ok*, nothing special, but I did think it managed to capture volvos best design nods. A Polestar estate would be pretty damn good.
Why would they stop them? How else would I know if the police were behind me?
Maybe stupid comment, but I always thought SUV was Sub-urban vehicle instead of Sport utility vehicle
No. One of the largest SUVs ever is the Chevrolet Suburban, but the SU in SUV never stood for suburban.
Well, nice to know I guess. Thanks anyway