The first model to roll off the local assembly line in November 1967 was the Volvo 144.
SINCE the early 1960s, Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has grown and progressed together with the country, and over the decades has been a brand with a mission to make life better and safer for Malaysians.
Volvo’s technological advancements have given Malaysians the confidence to move freely in the past six decades.
In 1967, the popularity of Volvo cars locally led to the establishment of the Volvo Car Manufacturing Malaysia plant in Shah Alam, and it is now the country’s oldest and longest-running vehicle assembly plant.
The first model to roll off the local assembly line in November 1967 was the Volvo 144, which was a spacious four-door saloon known for its timeless styling, a large luggage compartment and many new safety features at the time.
Also, the premium Swedish marque has been behind some of the most important inventions and innovations in the history of car safety.
Volvo became the first automotive brand in Malaysia to offer a full range of PHEVs for all its models.
These include the patented three-point safety belt introduced in the Volvo Amazon 120 series and PV 544 in 1959, and Volvo Cars waived its patent rights so that everybody could benefit. To date, it’s estimated that over one million lives have been saved by the three-point safety belt.
In 1978, Volvo Cars invented the world’s first belt-positioning booster which allowed children from four years of age to travel facing forward – with increased protection and comfort.
And 15 years ago, starting with the first-generation Volvo XC60, the autonomous emergency braking system City Safety became standard equipment in all new Volvo cars. The system used laser detection and was developed to reduce the risk and consequences of rear-end collisions at speeds up to 30km/h.
Sustainability milestones
It's worth noting that in 2016, VCM marked a milestone as Malaysia was the first market to locally assemble the XC90 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) outside of Sweden – paving the way for the local assembly of other Volvo PHEVs.
PHEVs come with regenerative braking (energy created when braking is stored in the car’s battery), allowing one to drive more sustainably and economically.
PHEVs give owners the choice between the electric motor and internal combustion engine – or both at the same time – thus optimising the performance, range and fuel consumption.
In February 2021, Volvo became the first automotive brand in Malaysia to offer a full range of PHEVs for all its models.
The Volvo PHEV range includes the XC60 Recharge (a five-seater midsize SUV) and the XC90 Recharge (seats up to seven people) sport utility vehicles (SUVs) – priced at RM355,888 and RM432,888 respectively without insurance.
Both the PHEVs comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, and eight-year or 160,000km warranty on the PHEV battery.
In line with Volvo Cars’ 96th anniversary and Malaysia’s 66th independence day, Volvo Car Malaysia is offering great promotions. – dsf.my photo
In March 2022, VCM embarked on its electrification journey with the launch of the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric – the company’s first pure electric vehicle (EV) presently priced at RM278,888 on-the-road without insurance.
This meant that VCM became the first luxury car brand in the country to locally assemble EVs.
This was followed by the December 2022 launch of the C40 Recharge Pure Electric priced at RM288,888 on-the-road without insurance.
VCM aims to bring greater awareness on the current climate challenges to Malaysians and become a leader in sustainability in the automotive industry through its product offerings, business operations and local initiatives.
This is in line with the Volvo Car Group's global ambitions – to be a fully electric car company by 2030, and a climate-neutral company by 2040.
By 2030, Volvo intends to only sell fully electric cars and phase out any car in its global portfolio with an internal combustion engine (ICE), including hybrids.
BEVs (battery electric vehicles) such as the XC40 and C40 deliver a more powerful performance as well as smoother and quieter ride, compared with conventional cars.
Great deals
In celebrating Volvo Cars’ 96th anniversary and Malaysia’s 66th independence day, Volvo Car Malaysia is offering the following promotions.
When purchasing a new Volvo Recharge Pure Electric Models (XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and C40 Recharge Pure Electric) from now until Sept 30 with Volvo Car Financial Services, you get the following benefits:
> Instant final price reduction: Get RM20,000 off your loan principal and reduce your financing amount when you pay extra on monthly instalments.
> Special rates: Get in touch with a Volvo Car Financial Services representative to find out more about your eligibility for special rates and how to save on finance charges.
> Early settlement: Enjoy shorter tenure on your financing by paying on time. No exit fees on early settlement.
When purchasing a new Volvo hybrid electric vehicle (XC60 Recharge and XC90 Recharge) from now until Sept 30, customers can receive a promotion package worth almost RM20,000. Other benefits include:
> Volvo Service Plan: Five-year VSP worth RM12,900. VSP is a comprehensive car service package offered by Volvo Car Malaysia that covers your first five car services including wear-and-tear items and labour costs, free software updates, and vehicle health checks.
> Free insurance: Complimentary car insurance for the first year worth RM7,000.
Journey through the years
Join Volvo Car Malaysia on a drive down memory lane at Makers of Tomorrow – an exclusive exhibition that celebrates the heritage and transformation that has led to the development of Volvo's latest electric vehicles.
Visitors can also see and test drive Volvo’s latest range of electrified cars there.
Date: 16th - 20th August 2023
Time: 10am - 9pm
Venue: Main Concourse, Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL
Check out Volvo Car Financial Services' promotion by visiting https://www.volvocars.com/my/l/volvo-car-finance
For details on the promotion including a savings simulation, go to https://www.volvocars.com/images/v/-/media/Market-Assets/Malaysia/Applications/Local-Pages/pdf/VCFS-Booklet.pdf.
For more information on Volvo Car Malaysia’s plug-in hybrid cars, visit www.volvocars.com/my/v/cars/plug-in-hybrids.
Follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook and Instagram.
