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Volvo changes 'Iron Mark' logo to fit with the times

Volvo's first car debuted in 1927, bearing the Swedish automaker's now-famous "Iron Mark" logo of a circle with an arrow pointing to the upper right. For 73 of the 94 years since that Volvo OV 4 open carriage, the company's been represented graphically by four versions of a two-dimensional-looking logo, either a colorful oval that looks like a sandwich shop sign, or the Iron Mark logo, or just script. From 2000 to 2020, that Volvo cars trademark has changed four more times (plus once for Volvo trucks), Volvo creating three versions of a 3D-looking Iron Mark with a blue bar across the middle containing the script, and in 2020, changing the font of the script. Now that's it's 2021, it's apparently time for another overhaul. Visitors to Volvo's Facebook page realized Volvo changed its profile picture to a new and very flat version of its Iron Mark. This isn't the revolution everyone's making it out to be. When Volvo debuted its last new Iron Mark in 2015, one of the Swedish ad agencies that created it wrote, "The logo has been simplified in its purest form and conveys the brand’s vision: to be the world's most progressive and desirable premium car brand." Thing is, the agencies created two versions of the logo — one in silver with three-dimensional shading that retained the blue crossbar drawn up in 2000, and another in black and white, a solid black circle and attached arrow with a black crossbar bearing white "Volvo" script. The automaker's been using the silver, shaded version everywhere the public would see it. Seems Volvo wanted something even more "simplified in its purest form," though, so it could have simply requested a tweak to the B&W version it's been sitting on for six years.   The question, "Do you like it," probably doesn't matter, because it won't stop anyone from buying the product. Besides, the Volkswagen logo went flat in 2019, Nissan went flat in 2020 and so did BMW, except that its flat roundel is for everything but its cars, and Kia went flat this year — along with Warner Brothers, Pringles UK, and Burger King, that last company seemingly trying to win an award for being plain. Simplicity in two dimensions is the thing now. A Volvo Australia rep told Drive the rollout "will be gradual. [This week] we start by rolling out the updated identity on our main website, main social media platforms and in the new Volvo Cars mobile app.

Volvo Cars sees 'tremendous growth' in EVs, CEO says

DAVOS, Switzerland — Volvo Cars remains confident of "tremendous growth" in the electric vehicles market, CEO Jim Rowan told the Reuters Global Markets Forum in Davos on Wednesday, countering gloomier projections from rivals. The carmaker, which aims for electric vehicles (EVs) to contribute half its sales volume by mid-decade and to sell only EVs by 2030, said the growth in demand for its premium brand was stronger than that of mass-market rivals. "We have much more pricing power and people have got more disposable income so they can afford it if they want to drive an EV," Rowan said. The Volvo Cars CEO said that, in contrast to others, he saw good growth globally for electric cars, with particular strong demand in Europe. Over the past year, many automakers have warned that the anticipated growth of EVs has been slow to emerge due to poor demand, heavy price cuts, lower subsidies, and supply chain issues. Volvo has previously said that it has no intention of participating in the Tesla-ignited price war due to its position as a premium brand and saw good margins on its electric cars. Higher costs caused by disruptions on shipping in the Red Sea would also not affect customers, the CEO said, who stated that any additional costs would be absorbed by Volvo. Last week, Volvo said it would halt production at its factory in Belgium for three days as a result of a delivery of gearboxes being delayed due to the disruption. The CEO also told Reuters that he had high ambitions for India in the next five years with plans to launch the more affordable EX30 there in 2025. By the Numbers Green Volvo Electric Future Vehicles

LOLVO Volvo V60 video leverages the power of cats on cars

You know what we haven't posted in a long time? A very weird, car-related video. It's high time we address this failing.
As strange videos go, this one is truly bizarre. The two-minute clip focuses on the Volvo V60 R-Design, although you're not going to be learning anything about the car. Instead, you're going to be focused on the weird narrator (and the cat decals on the windows).
It's like someone taught the Swedish Chef to speak English, but with a ridiculous accent and a script that's been fed through Google Translate. The result is a weirdly cerebral voice speaking in a manner that borders on gibberish mixed with information about the car. We're particularly fond of, "In accordance with Volvo tradition... the car... is... of course... furnished, with an inside." "Floor bibs," in reference to the floor mats, was an office favorite, as well.