In reply to Curmudgeon: Me, too. I see more commercials for Volvo now than I ever have, and I don't even have cable or satellite. Their new products are really nice, and I like the way things are going, but I agree that the marketing department has been underperforming for... about 30 years now.
I had posted this on a marque-specific site: "This is not the first statement from a Volvo exec stating a withdrawl from motorsport. In some cases, 'official' sponsorship did indeed disappear, but there are gearheads at Volvo who will not allow the flame to be extinguished.
Four cylinder turbo not compatible with racing? So the 240 Turbo, 1985's ETC champion, didn't count? Volvo took on 6's, 8's and 12's with that 4 cylinder. Similar to the epic battles fought in more recent years in the BTCC and U.S. World Challenge series with the 5 cylinder turbo up against 4, 6, 8 and 10 cylinder cars. I'd argue these venues do more for Volvo's performance image than almost anything else they could come up with; a four-door family sedan going toe-to-toe with Corvettes, Vipers, Audi R8s... and winning?
I'd argue that racing is one of the most impactful outlets that Volvo could leverage. Good results get the attention of performance enthusiasts. Next, play to the environmentalist crowd about how small engines mean lower fuel consumption, impacts, etc... but still bring home wins. Finally, emphasize how safety systems derived from racing experience are making safer family cars. The links don't have to be that substantial to grab people's attention and get them into showrooms."
