Vehicle travels the world: International top ten strength brand development strategy

Author: Li Yifeng / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Ford vehicles, which are the exclusive rides of the spy James Bond, have accompanied the protagonist of the famous British spy film series 007 for 16 times, leaving a memorable chapter in the history of cinema. Aston Martin is also one of the 007's preferred cars. Since 1964's "Goldfinger," Aston Martin has been inseparably linked with 007. The DB5 in the film was equipped with "optional" features such as ejection seats and rocket boosters. DB5 also performed excellently in subsequent films like "Thunderball," "Live and Let Die," and "GoldenEye." In the new 007 series "Die Another Day" (the 20th film), 007 has his fourth Aston Martin—the new V12 Vanquish. Wolfgang Reitzle, Vice President of Ford Group and Chairman of Ford Premier Automotive Group, excitedly stated, "When people think of James Bond, the first car that comes to mind is Aston Martin." The major innovations of Aston Martin are reflected in this V12 Vanquish: an aluminum and carbon fiber body, a Formula One-style transmission, a 460-horsepower V12 engine, and a top speed of no less than 305.9 kilometers per hour! It represents the forefront of automotive design. It is the most advanced car in the history of Aston Martin.
Mobile safety fortress—Volvo's "armored car" enjoys global acclaim
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Gothenburg. It is a Swedish car manufacturer that gained fame after World War II, earlier than Saab. Its buses and trucks dominate the Nordic market. On April 1, 1999, Ford acquired Volvo's passenger car division. Currently, it is more appropriate to translate Ford's passenger car division as "Volvo," while the independent Swedish truck and bus division is translated as "Volvo." "Volvo" is Latin for "rolling forward." Volvo cars are renowned for their safety and robustness. Early models like PV444/544, 121/122, and 142/144 were incredibly sturdy and hailed as "armored cars," with their six-digit odometers being particularly famous. In 1968, Volvo established a new naming system for its new cars, such as the first digit of the 164 representing the model series. The second digit indicated the number of cylinders, and the third digit was the number of doors, meaning 1-series, 6-cylinder, 4-door models. Until 1983, the third digit was uniformly changed to 0, as Volvo had discontinued 2-door cars at that time. Volvo's representative model series include the S and V series. The S series includes: S40, 570 (now replaced by S60), S80, S90, and the V series includes: V40, V70, V90, etc.
A luxury brand with the highest safety standards
Volvo has always prioritized "safety." From 1392 to 1943, Volvo included multiple safety features as standard equipment, establishing a unique "safety" image. After 1944, Volvo intensified its focus on "safety," proving itself as the safest luxury brand through undeniable advanced design. In the fall of 1944, the prototype of PV444 was exhibited in Stockholm, attracting nearly 150,000 visitors. It had an outstanding design, a powerful yet fuel-efficient engine, and a safety windscreen. Priced at 4,800 Swedish kronor, 2,300 units were sold on the spot, with the contract prices for the orders being several times higher than the original price. From 1944 to 1990, Volvo introduced 32 active or passive safety features. In 1954, Volvo introduced a 5-year car quality guarantee in Sweden, but the Swedish government accused Volvo of violating insurance law. After a 4-year lawsuit, Sweden's Supreme Court ruled in 1958 that Volvo's "confident in quality and protecting consumer rights" measure was "innocent." This car quality guarantee has now become a "safety benchmark" for consumers when choosing a car brand. In 1970, Volvo established the "Volvo Traffic Accident Research Commission" (VTRC), which studies over 100 traffic accident cases annually to serve as a reference for automotive safety design. To determine the factors affecting car safety performance, Volvo also launched a major driving safety research program in 1972—the VESC (Volvo Experimental Safety Car). The first results of the VESC program were applied to the 1974 240/260 series. The belief and achievements in safety car manufacturing have been recognized and rewarded by the public. Volvo's model series have won multiple "Best Family Car" awards in the U.S., especially the 244 model becoming the "standard car" for U.S. national car safety performance regulations in 1976. The 243 model also won the 1976 British car "safety award."
No longer boxy
For a long time, Volvo from the Nordic region was renowned for its sharp-edged design style. Its loyal fans took pride in owning such "boxes": beneath a highly conservative exterior lay endless "luxury" and "safety," symbolizing noble status and ensuring driving safety. However, aesthetic trends are always in constant flux, and the "boxy" design style can no longer satisfy the new generation seeking freedom and boldness. Peter Horbury, Volvo's chief designer, once stated, "In the past, people believed that safe cars should be boxy and angular. But now, a sturdy exterior does not necessarily mean safety; safety is ensured through new technologies like electronics and information. As people pursue higher safety, they increasingly demand beautiful and smooth designs." Automotive analyst Peter Schmidt put it more bluntly: "To expand market share in the premium segment, one must find selling points, and changing the boxy exterior is a viable path. After all, only when owners face danger do they truly experience Volvo's safety guarantees, but who would want to personally test it? People are more pursuing driving pleasure." Volvo's designers began to incorporate soft curves into the traditional style. In 1991, Volvo introduced the 850 model, marking a step toward changing the traditional style. The new S60's exterior has a sports car-like vibe, making one wonder if it still inherits Volvo's design tradition. However, this shift also drew criticism from loyal traditionalists. They believed that the new design would push current Volvo owners away. A CNW market research survey in the U.S. showed that Volvo's current design style has reduced brand value! This is because, in the eyes of most fans, the new design negatively impacts Volvo's safety performance. Designer Horbury expressed bewilderment. He said, "Is it true that only sharp lines symbolize safety? In today's high-tech era, such a view is untenable." It is undeniable that Volvo's current design style has attracted more young people while also hurting the hearts of loyal fans, though the latter is something Volvo would rather avoid. However, the improvement in sales shows that the shift in design style has been successful. CNW President S. Pinella pointed out that while the design style has changed, the safety that modern people value cannot be compromised in the slightest. In other words, aesthetics and safety must be pursued together, and both must be strong. Only in this way can Volvo truly win the market.
The aristocrat of SUVs—Range Rover
Looking back at the history of Range Rover is like flipping through the evolution of the British automotive industry. After a century of struggle, Range Rover has become the largest car manufacturer in the UK, selling 500,000 units annually and driving across 150 countries, becoming the "light of Britain."
The ancestor of modern bicycles
In 1883, John Starley and William Sutton collaborated to create the Rover safety bicycle, which is considered the ancestor of modern bicycles. In the early 20th century, King Edward of the United Kingdom believed that the British automotive industry should not fall behind that of Central Europe, so he vigorously promoted and rewarded private car manufacturing. Starley and Sutton were inspired and created the first three-wheeled motorcycle and one single-cylinder four-wheeled car in 1903. This "vehicle" featured a steel-framed chassis.