Volvo drops all estate & saloon models and now only sell SUVs

[MikeInWimbledon]

I’m sure there will be exceptions to prove the rule but the only people I ever hear saying that an SUV is a status symbol is people who are very much against them, and a tiny minority of people who have very small pseudo SUVs like a Vauxhall Mokka.

I know lots of people who thought they didn’t” want or need an SUV - say 25 years ago - who now would ‘t go back to a hatchback, saloon or estate, now that they owned one. I can’t think of anyone I know in real life who hates SUVs though.

Raises hand …

Cumbersome, inefficient and often driven in London by women who struggle to understand how to drive and park them.

My view is coloured by a business contact who saw his wife roll a Range Rover on the A303, with his children on board while he was following in his CL500. (His new wife is very beautiful). And by the restauranteur Bob Peyton who rolled his, and by Richard Branson, whose driver rolled his.

 

[Will]

Never said there was any common sense attached to the suv being the ‘it’ car. I guess the good old range rovers and discoveries started it, being the celebrity car of choice, but unaffordable for many … the ‘poor mans’ pick is the suv.

What’s wrong with a people carrier?!

The orthodox Jewish community in Stamford Hill seem to all go for the various reincarnations of a good old Toyota people carrier, and they have kids in the double digits!

There’s nothing wrong with people carriers, they serve their purpose as do other vehicles. I think the range has narrowed a bit now though?

Generally though people buy cars that suit their needs and preferences. In the same way as a Golf is all the regular car you ever really need, doesn’t stop people buying Mercedes, BMW and Audi vehicles with larger engines or soft tops or whatever.

I think an SUV is a decent choice if you need the flexibility of additional seating and some comfort/tech etc.

I’ve never worried what other people drive, what’s the issue?

 

[Will]

Which is fine where you have the need, the roads and the garage to take that generous seven seater.

Which is why the GL sells well in the States and Middle East.

The problem for us clowns in European cities is that we don’t have the parking places, the garages or even the wives to cope with them, nor TBH, the need for that much space.

Fulham’s rough, but try parking one when you’re out for dinner in Paris or Rome, and you’ll end up in a slot outside the Ring Road.

Do they not have any large vehicles in Paris or Rome? I took my E55K wagon to Paris a few years ago and that was absolute fine - private parking was provided by the hotel we stayed in (had a garage in a multi story) and even parking in the main parts of Paris wasn’t too bad (typical old underground car parks). Sure the GL is a bit bigger but not a huge amount other than height.

I guess I’m used to driving larger vehicles but I’ve never found manoeuvring or parking larger cars an issue, and I take the GL everywhere. It seems more of a perception by those who don’t drive them?

Get your point though, everything is bigger and easier in the US car wise but I don’t think an ML or GL is a whole lot different size wise than say a some LWB cars, or Range Rovers or other people carriers/SUVs.

London is buzzing with Amazon vans and they always find somewhere to stop

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Do they not have any large vehicles in Paris or Rome? I took my E55K wagon to Paris a few years ago and that was absolute fine - private parking was provided by the hotel we stayed in (had a garage in a multi story) and even parking in the main parts of Paris wasn’t too bad (typical old underground car parks). Sure the GL is a bit bigger but not a huge amount other than height.

I guess I’m used to driving larger vehicles but I’ve never found manoeuvring or parking larger cars an issue, and I take the GL everywhere. It seems more of a perception by those who don’t drive them?

Get your point though, everything is bigger and easier in the US car wise but I don’t think an ML or GL is a whole lot different size wise than say a some LWB cars, or Range Rovers or other people carriers/SUVs.

London is buzzing with Amazon vans and they always find somewhere to stop

You and I can drive Seraphs, Arnages, GL's and RR's with aplomb and have no problem popping them into our garages, or fitting them on the drives.

My comment was about "women" in London, and the impracticality of not being able to park on street in Paris. Even a small car can struggle to find an on road parking place in Paris on a Saturday night.

Trrraaaazzzits and postmen will always find somewhere to stop in London, but that doesn't mean that a Range Rover is easy to park on a residents' bay. The Fulham challenge is that when that BMW convertible leaves a parking space, the space left is too short for a School run mum in a GL500

Even the ...fascinating.. Tesla X is a struggle in London because of length, width and those lovely doors in the English Summer.

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[AnnasMerc83]

Time for a thread on the end of the manual gearbox?

The one thing I don’t like about my merc, the automatic gear box!

I’ve never worried what other people drive, what’s the issue?

I would generally agree with you on this, why care what someone else is doing.
However, people are unfortunately morons and, let’s take my neighbour as prime example - had a baby, bought an oversized suv… couldn’t park it tho could they! We have a blind neighbour who had to keep complaining cos they’ll leave it parked on the pavement (our street is very wide). So voila and a few week after getting it they swapped for a smaller car, thank the powers that be. They swallowed their pride and swapped, but oh so many don’t.

London is buzzing with Amazon vans and they always find somewhere to stop

Aye, they literally don’t care for other road users and park in the road, half the time not even bothering to find a spot.

*ps in Paris they’re bringing in new leigislation that those with suvs/4x4 will be charged extra for parking.

 

[markjay]

Time for a thread on the end of the manual gearbox? Unloved by Mercedes owners and engineers, for sure, but set to disappear by 2035 for BMW’s and the rest.

The only Western country that didn't commit to ban the sale of new ICE cars yet is the US (they have a 'target' of 50% EV sales by 2035 instead), and as we all know, Americans are not too keen on manual transmissions anyway.

 

[markjay]

The same in Golders Green.
If you’re a cyclist beware the dented Previa with the driver on the phone, no seatbelt on and half a dozen kids jumping around. Wife is Jewish but lucky we’ve only one daughter so no need for one.

Before the MPV era, the love affair of Jewish people with Volvo was at its peak in the seventies and eighties, when many holocaust survivers or their children wanted a decent European car that isn't German.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The only Western country that didn't commit to ban the sale of new ICE cars yet is the US (they have a 'target' of 50% EV sales by 2035 instead), and as we all know, Americans are not too keen on manual transmissions anyway.

Agreed, South America, Africa, Australia and Russia aren't on board yet. And Central America, India and the Middle East are just "tentative" with deadlines in the 2040's

Much depends on when a car manufacturer emerges who can deliver a desirable and affordable EV for normal people, as opposed to Europeans and Californians.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Before the MPV era, the love affair of Jewish people with Volvo was at its peak in the seventies and eighties, when many holocaust survivers or their children wanted a decent European car that isn't German.

Nah, it was the hats that created "Volvo City."

There were plenty of English, French and Italian cars to choose from.

but the Volvo was THE car to own if needed to wear your hat.

 

[Darrell]

Before the MPV era, the love affair of Jewish people with Volvo was at its peak in the seventies and eighties, when many holocaust survivers or their children wanted a decent European car that isn't German.

100% correct.

Apart from the younger generation (now in their 50’s) who were all driving brand new E30’s when they came out. MillCars in Radlett did a roaring trade in them.

 

[Darrell]

Ditto the Porsche Macan. No street cred now that there’s a used on on every School run

Same with the 911. They’re more common now than a Mondeo.

 

[Darrell]

Nah, it was the hats that created "Volvo City."

There were plenty of English, French and Italian cars to choose from.

but the Volvo was THE car to own if needed to wear your hat.

The English, French and Italian weren’t perceived to be good value, reliable or well built.

Some of the parents of the more wealthier Jewish kids in my school (I went to school in Hendon) drove Sovereigns and Silver Shadows.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The English, French and Italian weren’t perceived to be good value, reliable or well built.

Some of the parents of the more wealthier Jewish kids in my school (I went to school in Hendon) drove Sovereigns and Silver Shadows.

Still reckon that it was the hats that created Volvo City culture.

Dangerous cultural territory here, but to a formal culture, the high Volvo roofline was a good choice.

SAAB's came from the same non-Teutonic country but weren't anywhere as popular.

 

[Darrell]

Still reckon that it was the hats that created Volvo City culture.

Dangerous cultural territory here, but to a formal culture, the high Volvo roofline was a good choice.

SAAB's came from the same non-Teutonic country but weren't anywhere as popular.

Saabs were much too quirky for the Ultra Orthadox Jews.

 

[Will]

You and I can drive Seraphs, Arnages, GL's and RR's with aplomb and have no problem popping them into our garages, or fitting them on the drives.

My comment was about "women" in London, and the impracticality of not being able to park on street in Paris. Even a small car can struggle to find an on road parking place in Paris on a Saturday night.

Trrraaaazzzits and postmen will always find somewhere to stop in London, but that doesn't mean that a Range Rover is easy to park on a residents' bay. The Fulham challenge is that when that BMW convertible leaves a parking space, the space left is too short for a School run mum in a GL500

Even the ...fascinating.. Tesla X is a struggle in London because of length, width and those lovely doors in the English Summer.

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I don’t think it matters so much the gender. I think a lot of the stereotype comes from tired/stressed parents with a carful of children causing mayhem, late for school and/or work in traffic during the rush hours etc. Put said person in a Focus or a Golf and I doubt the situation would be a lot different.

Likewise the retired gent travelling to the golf course in his Jag or other saloon, leaving late morning during the week and driving alone with little traffic after a solid nights sleep - I’m sure the they’d have no problem parking regardless of whether they have a LWB model or not (unless they’re at that point where their driving skills start to go backwards)

Most of these newish SUV type cars will come with parking sensors all round and often reversing or even 360 cameras too. They aren’t that much more tricky to park than any other vehicle and to me that exercise in itself is a pretty small part of the overall journey

Yes there’s clearly going to be situations where certain spaces are smaller and a smaller vehicle would be easier to park, but that’s no good if you need the extra space and or seating capacity of a larger vehicle (which I suspect matters not much if said vehicle is a 4x4/SUV or people carrier etc?)

 

[Will]

Same with the 911. They’re more common now than a Mondeo.

Probably partly because most Mondeos over about 10 years old get scrapped once they need a large repair due to their value, and that most 911s ever made are still around

And that they don’t make Mondeos any more

 

[ChrisEdu]

Surely, most modern SUVs have a self-park function?

 

[Will]

The one thing I don’t like about my merc, the automatic gear box!


I would generally agree with you on this, why care what someone else is doing.
However, people are unfortunately morons and, let’s take my neighbour as prime example - had a baby, bought an oversized suv… couldn’t park it tho could they! We have a blind neighbour who had to keep complaining cos they’ll leave it parked on the pavement (our street is very wide). So voila and a few week after getting it they swapped for a smaller car, thank the powers that be. They swallowed their pride and swapped, but oh so many don’t.


Aye, they literally don’t care for other road users and park in the road, half the time not even bothering to find a spot.

*ps in Paris they’re bringing in new leigislation that those with suvs/4x4 will be charged extra for parking.

Inconsiderate parking has little to do with the choice of car type and more to do with said person driving whatever vehicle that may be.

Often I see more poor parking from lazy people who drive everywhere rather than because they have a larger sized vehicle. Have a look outside a school at rush hour and you’ll see beaten up hatchbacks being dumped anywhere whilst they rush in with their kids.

FWIW, I walk our children to school and back pretty much every time when I take them there, but notice many others who live closer and drive. I often walk past them as they drive home and arrive no sooner than I do

I hope the tax/legislation in Paris applies to other larger vehicles too - LWB executives and vans etc, if they’re basing it on parking

 

[Darrell]

Probably partly because most Mondeos over about 10 years old get scrapped once they need a large repair due to their value, and that most 911s ever made are still around

And that they don’t make Mondeos any more

There’s always one isn’t there.

 

[Darrell]

Volvo City was a documentary wasn’t it? I knew I’d heard of it.