wukindada Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 There gone:(:( myprof= "Todays News";if (myprof != "") {document.write('| Todays News | ');} | Todays News |BACK TO: AW Home | Todays Newsif (myprof == "") {document.write('SEARCH AGAIN');} http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/aw_icn_print.gif Printer Friendly >> http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/aw_icn_mail.gif E-mail to a Friend >> digg_skin = 'compact';http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/aw_spacer.gifhttp://cwimg.sv.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CW&Date=20070409&Category=FREE&ArtNo=70409001&Ref=AR&Profile=1528&maxw=490http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/zoom.gif In the end, Volvo's S60R and V70R, shown, did not lure enough performance enthusiasts. And too few traditional Volvo buyers wanted the hotted-up cars. Sticking with SafetyVolvo drops R-badged models for 2008http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/aw_spacer.gif By MARK RECHTIN | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS http://www.autoweek.com/graphics/aw_spacer.gif AutoWeek | Updated: 04/09/07, 8:00 am et NEW YORK -- Volvo Car Corp. will stop selling R-badged performance models after the 2007 model year, the company confirmed. When introduced in the mid-1990s, the T5R models were intended to convince customers that Volvo was about more than safety. The lineup continued into the latest S60 and V70 mid-sized sedan and wagon. There was hope that the brand would trickle down to the S40 and V50 compacts. But R-model sales have not met expectations. Volvo sought to sell 3,800 units of the S60 and V70 performance versions annually in the United States but sold only 1,098 S60Rs and 538 V70Rs last year. Volvo said U.S. sales were the highest of any country. Fredrik Arp, Volvo Car CEO, said the automaker is not walking away from performance; it is simply deleting the moniker. He pointed to the upcoming C30 hatchback, as well as the V-8 version of the S80 flagship sedan, as evidence that Volvo is still interested in fun-to-drive cars. "We are not giving up the title feature in our products," Arp said in an interview here. "We are working on the next phase, but it will not be immediate." The S60R and V70R were equipped with 300-hp turbocharged engines and Haldex all-wheel-drive systems. They accelerated from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds. An electronically controlled chassis, mated to Ohlins shocks, kept handling stable. The goal: Dethrone the BMW M3. But hot-shoe buyers didn't cotton to buying a fast Volvo, and not enough traditional Volvo buyers were interested in a hotted-up version. Doug Speck, executive vice president of sales and retailer operations for Volvo Cars of North America Inc., called eliminating the R moniker "a hard decision." "There was a lot of passion from our owners," Speck says. "But the investment to make for that side of business, for the return we get, just wasn't good enough." Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 No sales = no product. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Performance wagon choices are few & far between now....... Looks like the SRT8 magnum is the peformance choice for under 50K It's truly a shame, not even a handful of wagons in the US now that offer a performance generated smile...... Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 ^^^^^ That's because no one actually buys them Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Guess it's because as I was told recently..... "Family oriented vehicles are not intended to be for performance":rolleyes: Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Have to go get a few popit's from the local dealer this week, maybe I'll give the Uber mini van a test drive...... R63 From what I understand they sit on the lot like nobodys business.... Good for me to pick up a yr old low milege one @ a deep....deep discount. The R500 is selling for a really good price;):) Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 If there are soooo many people that want fast wagons, they would buy them, blaming the marketing just masks the fact that you fast wagon lovers are weird That would be a fun car - I tried to talk the Mrs. into one, but she is too cheap even at a steap discount that car would be pretty pricey. That and I just bought her a new car... Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/image/2006/Q4/100320061509395375.jpg Wait 8-12mo..... 68-70K 2006 R500's are going for less than 50K with miles under 10k Nothing like having a high 12 sec minivan:):) I know many of you guys would scoff @ the notion, I'll just glance back @ you in the rearview Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 not so sure you are right about that. Sometimes new approaches (e.g. a sportwagon) need to be "Shown" to buyers. I think if people saw that you could get wagons that hold as much or more space as SUVs with better performance and MPG, people would be into it. You gotta remember, wagons outsell sedans in Europe. People in this country may need to be edumacated. Maybe the Europeans need to be educated..... Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godwhomismike Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Wait 8-12mo..... 68-70K 2006 R500's are going for less than 50K with miles under 10k Nothing like having a high 12 sec minivan:):) I know many of you guys would scoff @ the notion, I'll just glance back @ you in the rearview If that's the case - I should be able to wait 12-14mo and buy 2007 VW Toureg V10 diesel for under $50K? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godwhomismike Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 No, the toureg's are actually selling.. supposedly the only made 900 of them (diesels) for '07, yet I recently saw like 20 of them on ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godwhomismike Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 drool: http://images.ecarlist.com/photos/995_5464/640/23.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I thought about the V70R and found a manual transmission one in Maryland for 30k with 15k miles on it. Bought the LGT wagon cz I owned a 850 Turbo and got tired of fixing it all the time. And the bills were huge and no one outside of a dealer would touch it around here. Oh yea, the the V70R is as heavy as a tank (700 lbs heavier than LGT). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndas Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I thknk that the wagon/hatch become very market specific...up here in the Pacific Northwest it's crazy not to have one as with frequent trips to the mountains and a far more outdoor related lifestyle requires a wagon style...wagons here in Vancouver are all over the place for sure...I rarely see a sedan...now if I was in illinois a sedan might be the better pick...just as one of our posters claims...now with the lay of the land in Japan and Europe being similar to out mountainous regions once again the wagon prevails...! It really comes down to needs! I will say that the number of Volvo wagons here are incredible...however with the price of gas...you rarely see an "R" out there...even if they are fun to drive! Peace out... J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 My biggest complaint with the R is the turning radius that is worse than a Suburban. Would have bought one if it wasn't for that. It might be heavier than a LGT, but it's also roomier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 worse than a suburban?? the turning radius GM designed into those trucks is insane!! my tahoe( ok so it's 4 feet shorter) has a tighter turning radius than any of my last 4 cars! that includes the GT. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 The turning circle is about 40 feet. The 700/900 series was under 30 feet. Most cars are around 35 feet give or take a foot. When I was doing my research, one guy said he drove into one of those circular parking structure. The guy barely made it out. At one point he thought he was stuck, couldn't make the turn going forward or backward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownBoy Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Don't worry, they wont act on your ideas I would add a scene that shows an elegant wagon pulling up to a nice restaurant and people getting out in evening attire. Thats the appeal of nice wagons to me...an everycar. An advertisement for a car that doesn't exist in our market? :lol: :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 I read about the killing of the R in this month's Automobile...killed my idea for the next car. Looks like the VW Sportwagon coming out next year will be one of the only options...owned a Hemi and done with Chrysler product as nice as the Magnum may be. Merc is advertising the R like crazy here...I must have seen at least 20 ads or more during March Madness and I see at least 2-3 a night right now. Lease them for ~469 or something I think... My boss went in to look at that and the GL (Big SUV) he bought the GL. Smoothes riding most comfortable SUV I have ever driven or ridden in...damn its expensive! The R is cool in the right color and wheels...but some of them are terribly ugly. A TON of room I am 6'3" and was semi comfy in the 3rd row! My vB Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSMsuby Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 My biggest complaint with the R is the turning radius that is worse than a Suburban. My biggest complaint was that I heard too many people complaining they were having tranny problems. BTW, I would never put my kids in a car that I can drive fast. That is the reason I got the Pilot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 It's amazing to me that 'sport' model SUVs like the Porsche and LandRover are in demand (with extra horsepower, stiffer suspension, and low profile wheels/tires) are in demand but sport wagons aren't. It's a sign of the coming apocolypse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDII Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 one less new model to smoke at the track... Need forum help? Private Message legGTLT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FARIS Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I find it funny that people think that the low wagon sales has to do with people not purchasing. Sure that is the underlieing point, but remeber when the magnum came out? They had a lotus elise (or some exotic looking car dont recall specifically) blasting through the moutains being passed by the magnum and the exotic driver asking "hey what do you got in that thing" and the magnum driver replying "10 4x4s a surfboard and an amp". That was marketing genious that created a huge buzz and low and behold there were tons of magnum sales from rt to sxt in the first few years. amazing thought that advertising a product would deliver sales. must be new think in marketing that would derive such a controversial notion. but maybe i am wrong and car companies should produce vehicals let them sit on the lot with sheryl crow sing a song of safty for a completely unrealated product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 ^novel thought...and mean while the 08's are hitting the lots. You can't find many 07's and the website mentions nothing of the car. But that ugly Impreza and Tribeca that won't be out for months is all over it. My vB Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrok Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Maybe it has something to do with the magnum looking "mean". Not many wagons look as good as the magnum, at least in my opinion. In utah, other than a magnum, all I see are outbacks and the occasional outback and sometimes an old outback legacy. I really think the market is small for average looking wagons. I tell yah, I would rather have an SUV over a wagon if I needed more room. Flame on Flame on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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