And how does Ford fit into all this? Having become a division of FOMOCO in 1999, under the PAG umbrella alongside stablemates Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Lincoln - which incidentally was brought back into the American fold last year - Volvo has been on the most monumental upswing of its storied life. With new models focusing as much on style as substance, a metamorphosis began with the S80 sedan and V70 wagon and has continued more recently with the elegant S60 sedan and XC90 sport utility vehicle.
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| While Renault has recently struggled, Volvo has been experiencing the most monumental upswing in its history sparked by a new line-up of attractively styled, performance-oriented models. (Photo: Ford Motors) |
Renault on the other hand has been struggling to sell its controversial Vel Satis flagship sedan while a proposal to market partner Nissan's Infiniti luxury marque in Europe to take on BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and now Lexus, is in hiatus.
The result of all this talk is just that, talk. While Volvo execs should be given a boost of confidence from Renault's interest, Ford's PAG will no doubt have an even stronger desire to hang on to what is arguably their top success story, with a tighter grip no less.