Speed is not a word commonly associated with Volvo, a car company that has been synonymous with Swedish practicality and suburban comfort for decades. But unlike its stereotypical customers, the manufacturer pulled off a surprisingly quick turnaround last week when it announced its beloved estate models would return to UK showrooms less than 12 months after they were axed.
In a victory for families, caravanners and dog walkers – and a few Sunday Times readers – Volvo confirmed last week that its V60 and V90 models would be reintroduced following a “recovery in demand” for its “real estate products in recent months”.
The company said it had been “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of love for its signature vehicles after announcing in August that they would not are already on sale in the UK and hundreds of motorists are reminiscing about their haulers in emails and social media posts.
The modern V60 earned a reprieve after an outpouring of affection from motorists
Volvo blamed the station wagon’s poor sales and said it would focus on SUVs instead [sports utility vehicles] and electric cars. Following the announcement, The Sunday Times ran an article about a 1989 Volvo 240 estate that had 828,000 miles on it – and was still going. Readers then began sharing their own memories of childhood holidays on Volvo farms – often nicknamed ‘the tank’ – and hundreds of them contacted the carmaker directly.
Tom Lynch, head of communications at Volvo UK, said: “Obviously you’ve written about it in the papers and it’s been talked about on TV at breakfast. We’ve all been quite overwhelmed by the response.” He admitted that many Volvo customers were “up in arms”.
In a statement confirming the return of the V60 and V90, the company said: “We were overwhelmed by the many comments from customers and the media last year, with many stories and memories of how our wagons were a big part of their lives. We look forward to helping create more.”
Bob Isaacs, a lifelong Volvo driver, is one of those who welcomed the face of the volta. The police driving instructor, 76, has a 1995 Volvo 850 estate with 289,000 miles on it. Although London’s Ulez scheme has forced him to stop regularly driving the car from his home in Isleworth, west London, it remains a much-loved ‘part of the family’.
Bob Isaacs, 76, has a 1995 Volvo 850 station wagon that has 289,000 miles on it.
PETER TARRY ON THE SUNDAY TIMES
PETER TARRY ON THE SUNDAY TIMES
“My old Volvo was here, there and everywhere,” he said. “When my grandchildren were young, they traveled in rear-facing seats, and in the trunk I carried everything that can be bought at the garden center: sod, paving stones, bags of pea shingles and gravel.
“I don’t like SUVs. I like older cars. We had a family holiday in Scotland at the end of April – me, my daughter and grandchildren and all their belongings. Only a Volvo station wagon could do that.”
When Ulez was extended to London last year, Isaacs considered selling the vehicle, but his daughter Rebecca, 50, and grandchildren Bethany, 26, Dylan, 23, Brandon, 20, Riley, 12, and Lana, nine, led the opposition. . “They were up in arms because they grew up in the car and it’s still in pristine condition,” he said.
He also now has a newer Ulez-compliant car – another Volvo station wagon, of course – and only uses the old one for special occasions.
Volvo and caravans are a natural pair. Isaacs says only a Volvo could handle the demands of his family vacation
The spacious trunks of the cars often came in handy, as shown in The Good Life
Another Volvo owner wrote after the company’s decision last year that he would no longer buy any more cars from the manufacturer. “I’m on my eighth Volvo station wagon,” he said. “We currently have six Volvos in our family, 32 of them in our history. We bought them in pairs. We won’t be buying an SUV so it looks like it’s goodbye – very sad. I guess nothing lasts forever. Someone else fills the gap and can have our money.”
Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne with his Volvo in 1982
BIRMINGHAM POST AND POST OFFICE ARCHIVE/MIRRRORPIX/GETTY IMAGES
Commenting on The Times website, Margaret Dupp called the decision to end the property production “very sad”.
“We’ve had the Volvo V70 for 25 years. Beautiful cars,” she said, jokingly adding: “Our first came with a factory Labrador (choice of black, chocolate or yellow), tartan picnic rug and pipe holder.”
When Volvo first announced its decision to end sales of the station wagon, Top Gear magazine described the move as “almost as big as Ford laying the Fiesta to rest”.
The first Volvo estate to go on sale was the Duett in 1953. Since then, the company has sold around six million estates worldwide.