Topic: Test Drive: 2017 Volvo V90

[ktm525]

As I understood it just as a start. "Limited production" will occur in Sweden. North American products will mostly be built in China. This could be just the S90 though. What is the vin code for China?

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/chinese-built-volvo-s90-headed-our-way

[tpl]

   LU      Our Fit is a Chinese one.  The range is LA to L0   

[mlin32]

I looked at a couple inventory of the local Volvo dealer, the two S90s they have are Swedish (VIN begins with YV)

[OliverD]

As I understood it just as a start. "Limited production" will occur in Sweden. North American products will mostly be built in China. This could be just the S90 though. What is the vin code for China?

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/chinese-built-volvo-s90-headed-our-way

S90 production is definitely moving to China but I was under the impression they only build LWB models there. The new S60 will be build in South Carolina. The new XC60 will continue to be built in Europe.

[mmret]

I could build e400 and v90 equipped how I liked for roughly 80k

You sure about that? I am quite skeptical. Remember the Volvo shows post tax price and the E400 shows pretax.

I don't think the Mercedes site shows delivery/PDI fees either.

I don't know. I built them quickly one day at work to see how they evened out. Noted that Volvo started WAY cheaper but evened out once you wanted similar options as the Benz. From what I recall it was around $80K based on how I would option it for myself. I dunno, it was expensive enough that I said "hmmmm maybe not" in my head.

While I would love either of the above options I'm not sure I could justify going to $80K when I can roll in a S5 sportback or C43 fairly well optioned for the low to mid 60s. Yes, I know they aren't wagons but this would all be on my short list as a family man with some money to spend. I'm not spending $80K on my wife's car only to see it covered in milk, mud, garbage, rotting banana peels, and various snacks. She will drive that MDX until it breaks or the kids grow up enough...whatever comes first. Probably another couple years.

Played the build and price game. Configs as I'd like to buy them.

V90: $74k+Freight/PDI+Tax

E400: $86k+Freight/PDI+Tax

That's a pretty big gap. Both have air suspension, semiautonomous driving, etc. Quite loaded up configs. Of course the E400 does have a V6 and a power advantage but still $12k + taxes. IMHO the V90 is a bargain.



The C43 (sedan) I got up to $71k + Freight/PDI + Tax.

[mmret]

As I understood it just as a start. "Limited production" will occur in Sweden. North American products will mostly be built in China. This could be just the S90 though. What is the vin code for China?

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/chinese-built-volvo-s90-headed-our-way

S90 production is definitely moving to China but I was under the impression they only build LWB models there. The new S60 will be build in South Carolina. The new XC60 will continue to be built in Europe.

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

Also I saw some report from one of the European think tanks  (might have been Euromonitor) that basically had Chinese mfg wages at roughly Mexico levels. I assume that is similarish to eastern Europe (Poland etc.). Well ahead of places like Brazil. Was in the FT. No way they are able to save $10k by building it in China. Maybe if they built it in Vietnam.

IIRC the jist of the report was that MFG wages in LatAm had really stagnated over the last 15 years in real terms whereas in China wages had been growing by 7 or 10% per year in real terms. It adds up pretty quick.

[rrocket]

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

I think the S60 is being built there??

I know they're building an XC90 plant in India.  Not sure if that's where they will come from.

[rrocket]

As I understood it just as a start. "Limited production" will occur in Sweden. North American products will mostly be built in China. This could be just the S90 though. What is the vin code for China?

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/chinese-built-volvo-s90-headed-our-way

S90 production is definitely moving to China but I was under the impression they only build LWB models there. The new S60 will be build in South Carolina. The new XC60 will continue to be built in Europe.

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

Also I saw some report from one of the European think tanks  (might have been Euromonitor) that basically had Chinese mfg wages at roughly Mexico levels. I assume that is similarish to eastern Europe (Poland etc.). Well ahead of places like Brazil. Was in the FT. No way they are able to save $10k by building it in China. Maybe if they built it in Vietnam.

IIRC the jist of the report was that MFG wages in LatAm had really stagnated over the last 15 years in real terms whereas in China wages had been growing by 7 or 10% per year in real terms. It adds up pretty quick.

Last time I saw the report, Chinese wages were about 1/5 of Mexico....about $1.50 per hour.  And there normal shifts were 12 hours.  Also, at some manufacturing, they have barracks on site where the workers and families live.

I'd be surprised if the wages suddenly jumped that high.

[mmret]

$1.50/hour is laughably low. As is 5x that for Mexico ($7.50 USD? Really?)

I can't find the text article any more but the video summary is here. https://www.ft.com/video/566dc6b8-db59-38b9-b5ce-07205c76626c

I'm going to assume that FT & Euromonitor are rather more authoritative sources than the last time you saw "the report"

[rrocket]

$1.50/hour is laughably low. As is 5x that for Mexico ($7.50 USD? Really?)

I can't find the text article any more but the video summary is here. https://www.ft.com/video/566dc6b8-db59-38b9-b5ce-07205c76626c

I'm going to assume that FT & Euromonitor are rather more authoritative sources than the last time you saw "the report"

Yes, that was the wage for Mexico, all-in.

You don't have to believe me.  But I know what I'm talking about.  It certainly, I suppose, would depend which plant. I've heard primo, top shelf blue collar wages are $5-6...but those are the exception and not the norm for factory workers. But there's a big reason products from China are cheap...because they essentially have no labor cost.

I'm too lazy to find the article.  But this was the gist of it.

[ChaosphereIX]

lol heath insurance and other benefits: "unknown"


because there are none...

[rrocket]

lol heath insurance and other benefits: "unknown"


because there are none...

Yep.  And little to know safety regulations and little to know environmental regs.

[ChaosphereIX]

lol heath insurance and other benefits: "unknown"


because there are none...

Yep.  And little to know safety regulations and little to know environmental regs.

autocorrect?

[mmret]

Your charts do not have Mexico on them, by the way.

Also, I'm sorry, but I'm going with FT and not the Huffington Post.

[rrocket]

Your charts do not have Mexico on them, by the way.

Also, I'm sorry, but I'm going with FT and not the Huffington Post.

Sigh...Is this any better?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-05/how-mexico-s-unions-sell-out-autoworkers

[ChaosphereIX]

Your charts do not have Mexico on them, by the way.

Also, I'm sorry, but I'm going with FT and not the Huffington Post.

are their facts wrong? They state their sources at the bottom. Check them. Are they wrong?

bias towards an article just because of it's publisher is exactly what is wrong with much of the public and modern media

it is all about facts and sources - if they check out, even rags can be credible

[rrocket]

Here's another:  American automakers pay Mexican workers $8 to $10 per hour, including benefits.

Nearly exactly the $7.50 figure.
http://www.reuters.com/article/autos-uaw-mexico-idUSL2N0WR1KX20150326

And about China:  The average Chinese factory worker makes about $300 a month.
They work 8-12 hours a day, 6 days a week.  Do the math.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2017/05/china_embraces_automation_shed.html

[Scaerio]

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

I think the S60 is being built there??

I know they're building an XC90 plant in India.  Not sure if that's where they will come from.

Most S60s are built in Belgium, like my C30.

[rrocket]

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

I think the S60 is being built there??

I know they're building an XC90 plant in India.  Not sure if that's where they will come from.

Most S60s are built in Belgium, like my C30.

They are being built at the new plant in the USA:  http://www.volvocars.com/us/about/our-company/south-carolina-factory

[dirtyjeffer]

I think they opened a big new factory in the US, one of the right-to-work states, for XC90 production. Makes sense.

I think the S60 is being built there??

I know they're building an XC90 plant in India.  Not sure if that's where they will come from.

Most S60s are built in Belgium, like my C30.

They are being built at the new plant in the USA:  http://www.volvocars.com/us/about/our-company/south-carolina-factory

well, they will be when production starts a little over a year from now...ah, i remember when this region was the automotive hotbed of NA.