Volvo China Jan-Aug sales up 42% to 12,000 units

Shanghai, September 18 (Gasgoo.com) Volvo Cars Corp, which Chinese carmaker Geely Group wants to buy from Ford Motor, saw its sales in China surge by 42% from a year earlier to 12,000 units in the first eight months, Volvo Cars China recently said to China Daily.

The company said the strong performance was mainly due to the popularity of Volvo's flagship model, the S80L sedan. From January to August, combined sales of its S80L and S80 models soared by 150% year on year, Volvo Cars China said, without revealing a specific sales figure.

The Volvo S80L rolled off the production line at Ford Motor's China venture Changan Ford in early March and came to the Chinese market on March 12, with the 2.5L and 3.0L models, priced at 428,000 yuan ($62,660) to 688,000 yuan. Changan Ford plans to produce 20,000 units of the Volvo S80L annually.

Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Cars China, said main drivers for the robust growth include the company's deeper understanding of the local market, successful product strategy, effective market program and its premium brand image.

Volvo's current lineup in China also includes the imported XC60 and XC90 SUVs as well as C30 and C70 coupes. It now has a total of 75 showrooms and sales stores across the nation .

The company said it will continue to introduce new models and expand its sales networks in the booming Chinese market.