[Wimbledon]

Will the new 2013 Volvo V40 be sold in the United States?

What are your thoughts? There is some debate on the issue.

From Autocar:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/261464/

Autocar understands the car will be marketed at young, active families and will be a premium product within the VW Golf class. Such billing will also appeal to the North American market, which Volvo is keen to expand in further.

Due to be launched officially at the Geneva motor show in March, the new V40 will be joined by a baby SUV, dubbed the XC40. The V40 is set to replace both the S40 and V50 in Volvo’s line-up, but the future of the three-door C30 is less clear.

Inside Line on the other hand says that the 2013 Volvo V40 will not be sold in the US:

http://www.insideline.com/volvo/v40/2013-volvo-v40-leaked-on-facebook-2012-geneva-auto-show.html

A Polish auto magazine has leaked official photos of the 2013 Volvo V40 on its Facebook page, ahead of the car's formal unveiling at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show. The car is intended mainly for European and Asian markets, and is not expected to be sold in the U.S.

Perhaps we will know more once the car is officially presented in Geneva?

 

[Wimbledon]

I have asked Volvo on Twitter if the new V40 will be sold in the US. Let's see if they respond.

 

[Wimbledon]

UPDATE

Here is the official response from the Volvo Cars US twitter account:

@VolvoV40Club At this time, we can't comment, but stay tuned!

If the V40 was not coming to the US, I think Volvo Cars would flatly deny the car's arrival. Yet the ambiguity of "stay tuned" is encouraging -- perhaps we will get the V40! I am an American so I will be eagerly watching this news...

 

[Wimbledon]

Report from Autoblog indicates that the V40 will not be sold in the US. Hmm...

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/28/volvo-not-bringing-new-v40-to-these-united-states-w-poll/

There are some cars we enjoy writing about more than others. Those tend to be the ones with the big horsepower numbers and seldom more than two doors, but the new Volvo V40 that was officially released today stands as an exception, because while it is hardly what you'd call exotic, it did pique our interest more than a workaday hatchback should. But we'll have to try not to like it too much, because we just received confirmation that it is not, we're sorry to report, coming to the United States.

In an email we received today from Geno Effler, head of public relations for Volvo Cars of North America, we were told that – and we quote – "The V40 is not coming to the United States." Rats.

Effler further states in the correspondence that "The V40 is not replacing an existing model; it is a new model." Which may be true enough, but we wouldn't be surprised to see the existing C30 hatchback, S40 sedan and V50 wagon all go the way of the dodo in due course.

But then we wouldn't be all that surprised, either, to see a three-door version spun off of the V40 to officially take the place of the aging C30, a sedan version to replace the even older S40 and maybe even a longer wagon to take the place of the V50. For now, however, this is one more stylish European hatchback we'll just have to admire from afar.

So do you think Volvo ought to change its mind and bring the V40 to these shores?

 

[Wimbledon]

Volvo V40 not coming to US or Canada

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/02/volvo-tells-us-that-v40-won-be-coming.html

We had a hunch that the all-new V40 hatchback wouldn't be making it to the United States after the Swedish automaker stated that it expects to sell 90,000 units per year with 85 percent of those or 76,500 cars earmarked for the European market.

Nevertheless, just to make sure, we contacted Laura DiStefano, who is the Corporate Communications Manager for Volvo Cars of North America, asking her if the Swedish company had "plans to bring the new V40 or any of its future derivatives to the U.S.A. or Canada".

DiStefano replied, "We have no plans to bring the V40 to the U.S. market".

(Update) We also received an email from Volvo Cars North America Technology and Product Communications manager Jawanza Keita, who elaborated further:

"U.S. sales data and our continued market analysis confirm that demand for a five-door hatchback like the V40 would not be strong enough to warrant bringing it to the United States. On the other hand, the V40 is highly compatible with the interests and tastes of European automotive consumers, so it's expected to be very successful in European markets."


Of course, these things are not written on stone and depending on the situation, Volvo may have a change of heart in the future, but for now, U.S. buyers can cross the V40 from their shopping list.

 

[icezzz]

Dear Volvo, please send this car to Canada and the US. North Americans don't dislike hatchbacks, we dislike ugly hatchbacks. When presented with nice hatchbacks, such as the V40, we buy them in great numbers. Take a look at the new Ford Focus. Both hatchback and sedan versions have been selling well. Thank you.