volvo sweden trip program

Overseas Delivery Tourist

Sweden is calling! Explore the Overseas Delivery Program.

Your journey begins

•Visit your local Volvo retailer to design your custom Volvo or request information. •Place and confirm your order with a $3,000 deposit.

•Roundtrip Airfare for Two (2) - Volvo will fly you and a guest to Gothenburg, Sweden. •Design your vacation with our Overseas Travel Concierge who will help book your complimentary core travel package.* •Premium cabin airfare will be provided on select airline partners •Priority boarding and security line access

Hotel accommodations & VIP Delivery

•Hotel accommodations in the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden (2 nights and 1 dinner).** •VIP Delivery by a Factory-trained Delivery Specialist at Volvo's Factory Delivery Experience Center. •Temporary European vehicle registration and insurance coverage while in Europe.

Home Shipment

•Once your adventure concludes, drop off your Volvo at the Factory Delivery Center or at one of our many other authorized drop off points across Europe and we will ship your Volvo home to your local retailer.*** •Home shipment from the European port to the US port is included****

See what awaits. Your refined adventure begins in Gothenburg.

When you land in Gothenburg, Sweden, we'll pick you up and drive you to your hotel. The next morning, we'll give you a ride to the Volvo Factory Delivery Center where your new Volvo awaits.

Have a seat at the Factory Delivery Center's restaurant and experience the wonder of our Swedish culture with a gourmet lunch.

Factory Tour

When our factory is open, you'll have the opportunity to see where your new Volvo came to life and discover what makes our vehicles so unique. You can also visit our Volvo Museum – just let us know if you're interested.

VIP Delivery

You'll get to know your new Volvo and all of its exciting features with the help of our specially trained staff. In the afternoon, get to know your Volvo one on one. Begin a new journey on the roads of Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to some common questions and learn more about the program..

The Overseas Delivery program is only available to residents of the United States at Retailers located in the United States.

• XC60 • XC60 Recharge • XC90 • XC90 Recharge • XC40 (excluding XC40 Recharge fully electric) • V60 Recharge • V60 Cross Country • V90 Cross Country

For pricing and available discounts, please contact your preferred Volvo Retailer.

We suggest placing an order approximately four months prior to the desired delivery date. Most importantly, due to the variety of factors that may play a role in an order, we suggest discussing your vehicle preferences with your preferred Volvo Retailer. For approximate transportation times from Europe to North America, click below.

There is no separate cost to the program, but an upfront, non-refundable deposit of $3,000 is required at the time your Volvo Retailer places the order. This deposit is applied to the final cost of the vehicle.

The journey begins with your preferred Volvo Retailer, who will place the order according to your specifications. Our travel partner, Adventure Travel, will contact you within 30 days of your order documents being electronically signed and submitted to get started with your travel. Final payment for your new Volvo is due 30 days prior to taking delivery in Sweden. You may finance the vehicle or purchase it outright.

Your personal concierge

Volvo concierge.

For questions regarding Volvo Overseas Delivery or custom ordering, speak with one of our Overseas Delivery or product specialists. We are available via chat, by phone at 800.631.1667 or by email at [email protected] .

Overseas Travel Concierge

If you have any questions when planning your travel, or with your travel excursions, ADTRAV Vacations is here to assist you. Please contact them directly at 833.710.0842 or by email at [email protected] .

* Volvo is only responsible for the core travel package, anything outside this package, including additional travel and activities will be between the customer and our travel agency. ** 2 night hotel stay only eligible on any new orders. *** Tourist vehicles must be exported from EU within 6 months from their delivery date – provided the exportation is made in Sweden. Drop off locations in Sweden are covered for 6 months. For vehicles dropped off outside Scandinavia, an export declaration in connection to the new vehicle delivery is required. The vehicle must then leave Europe within 90 days from the delivery date – this reduces your use of the car to 2 months in Europe. If you fail to drop off your vehicle for home shipment within the 2-6 months’ timeframe, Volvo Cars will be required to disclose your personal information (including your SSN) to the Swedish tax authority. You will also be responsible for payment of Swedish VAT and other applicable cost and taxes, in addition to possible penalties in Europe. The VAT is 25% of the car purchase price **** Vehicles dropped at locations other than Gothenburg will incur an additional fee. Please refer to the Volvo Home Shipment Program page for a full list of available locations and pricing. US destination charge still applies.

How to get a free trip to Sweden (NOT a raffle!)

by Dan Miller | Feb 23, 2018 | all , car rentals , roadtrips | 34 comments

Volvo overseas delivery

The program is called Volvo overseas delivery , and here’s the basic way that it works:

• You pick out any new Volvo from a local (US) showroom. Typically you will get a “no-haggle” price from your Volvo dealer that is 8% off of MSRP (see also this review of the program at kbb.com )
• You are given 2 roundtrip tickets to Sweden.  Since we’re in the miles and points game here, I should point out that I would assume that you would earn miles on the flight 😀
• When you land, you are picked up by a Volvo limosine and taken to a first-class hotel in Gothenburg (as of this writing it’s the Radisson Blu in Gothenburg), as well as picked up (by limo again!) the next day and given a tour of the Volvo Gothenburg Factory Delivery Center in Sweden, where you pick up your new car.
• You’re given European insurance, and can then drive anywhere you want in Europe for up to 6 months.  There are 20 dropoff points all around the continent, and if you bring it back to Gothenburg, then you will pay nothing to ship it back
• Volvo ships the car back to the US, where you can pick it up from your local US Volvo dealer in about 8-10 weeks.

Why does Volvo do the Volvo overseas delivery?

So, I’ve heard of new car incentives, but this kind of takes the cake, right? 😀  So why does Volvo do it?  My thoughts on the reason involve taxes and shipping.  If Volvo is shipping their car from their plant to their showrooms, then they have to pay all the associated taxes, duties and import fees.  But if YOU buy the car in Sweden, then it’s YOUR car, and you’re just contracting with Volvo (probably actually not the car company but an affiliate company) to ship YOUR car to YOU, which shouldn’t have any taxes or import fees.

(UPDATE: gfb in the comments suggests that the tax savings is NOT the reason – that in fact it’s more likely the marketing aspect of the program that provides the real benefit to Volvo)

How much less?  Well I’m not sure, but one can only assume that it’s enough for Volvo to afford to fly 2 people to Sweden and give you a night in the Radisson, as one would assume Volvo is not a charity :-D.

You do have to be a US citizen at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license and passport.  European citizens (even those living in the US) are not eligible for the Volvo overseas delivery program.

Similar programs from other European automakers

Several other European automakers offer similar programs, but none is as lucrative as the Volvo Overseas Delivery program, as far as I could tell

• Audi Overseas Delivery program – you get 5% off your car, free transportation from the Munich airport and a night at a hotel, but no plane tickets.  You also have to pay for your insurance
• BMW European Delivery – 7% off your car (negotiated with the dealer), and discounts on hotel and flights
• Mercedes-Benz European Delivery – 7% discount on your car, 1 night stay at a hotel, and 15 days of car insurance
• Porsche European Delivery – You negotiate the price like a regular sale.  1 night stay at a hotel, and discounts offered on flights.

Is the Volvo Overseas Delivery program worth it?

Well, only you can answer that question.  Generally a new car is not considered to be a great investment, but if you’re on the market for a new car anyway, something like this could make sense.

You DO get a 8% discount off the MSRP, so it seemed like you could get a decent deal on selling a “nearly-new” Volvo with only 1000 miles or so once you returned to the US.  You might not break even, but considering the other benefits you got while doing the Volvo Overseas Delivery program, it might make sense.

What do you think?  Ever done something like Volvo Overseas Delivery program or would you consider it?

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More from points with a crew, 34 comments.

Might be one of the coolest perks for buying car… I could totally buy a Volvo and take a trip to Sweden. Thanks for the awesome find!

If you do it – totally let me know how it goes!

The taxes reason is an urban myth and the math does not work out. Import duty on vehicles is 2.5%. A pair of cheap airline tickets to Sweden could arguably be gotten for $500 each, plus say $150 for the hotel & transfers. The insurance and car registration in Europe is at least $150 ($50 for registration, low estimate of $100 for 6 mo insurance.) This adds up to $1300 on the very low end.

The cheapest Volvo that you can do Euro Delivery on (from what I can tell) is the S60 at ~$33k including the discount. With taxes at 2.5% they are paying $825 total in import duty on that car. The taxes are not high enough for depreciation to make the numbers work.

The current belief amongst Euro Delivery aficionados is that the marketing benefit of these programs is where they are making money, not a tax difference.

sources: http://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-car https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/Vehicles/Export-and-temporary-registration1/Temporary-registration/Temporary-registration-when-exporting-new-vehicles/

Awesome! Thanks so much for the long reply and for correcting me on the reason for why they do this. I guess that explains why all the other European automakers aren’t nearly as generous as Volvo!

One more quick tip (I’ve done 3 Euro Deliveries with BMW) is that the Euro Delivery MSRP is not set in stone, it can be negotiated just like a normal car pickup negotiation and you can save a lot of extra money. I have heard that each manufacturer has different leeway on negotiations, possibly based on the number of additional extras they throw in to the program like flights, hotels, etc. You can easily save enough money negotiating below ED MSRP to pay your own flights and hotel 😉

Check out one of the BMW ED forums for more details: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

I read that the real saving in these programs (for the car company) is that they save a lot on dealer promotions, incentives, and commission costs.

This is has been on my bucket list for many years and I’ve checked into this extensively. Volvo actually has the price listings buried on their website that shows the cost for each package and option. Volvo is one of the best European delivery plans still around. Mercedes used to own this space but Volvo still offers the free flight and extras that the other companies have done away with. One of the best features of the Volvo plan is that you can pick up the car in Sweden and drop it at various ports throughout Europe. You can also select some colors not available in the USA market to make your car really unique and maybe more valuable at resale. Travel in Sweden is very expensive but you also save on the cost of a rental car while your in Europe. With the drop in the Euro this may be the year to do this. If you want a delivery for this Summer though you need to go to the dealer and order now. There is a waiting period and certain delivery dates.

One thing to keep in mind with some of the other companies is that not every model is available for European delivery. For example if you want a BMW X5 that might be tough as they are made in the USA for this market. I guess you could always go pick up your new Mercedes in Alabama but it’s not quite the same experience. It’s also near impossible to buy a non-USA market car like say a Peugeot unless it’s 25 years or older (then it’s easy). Also Asian car companies don’t typically offer this service as there is not VAT tax advantage there like in Europe.

It’s was on a tour of the BMW plant in Spartanburg, SC and asked that question.

ALL of the BMW X-vehicles (x3/x4/x5/x6 SUVs) in their world are built there, then shipped to whatever market they are intended for in Europe, Asia, or the USA.

It is possible to choose an x3, for example at your dealer in the US, specify if for pickup at the factory in Munich (they’ll put it on the boat with rest of the Europe-bound cars), tour Europe, then have it shipped back to the US. In fact, they can even ship it BACK to the Spartanburg plant, where you could go pick it up, take the factory tour, stay overnight at BMWs expense, then have a ‘driving experience’ at their US delivery center.

Just have to allow the extra time for the 2 ocean voyages for the car…….

Incorrect – you cannot do European Deliveries on BMW X1/3/4/5/6 that are built in USA. You can only do ED on BMWs that are built in Germany plants. Same goes for Mercedes – you can only pickup MB cars that are built in Germany.

This is a great idea! I am not really in the market for a new car, but something to put on the back burner if it comes up. Sounds like it would be worth it just for the experience. Anyone who does it should definitely write it up in detail. I can see this as the basis for a European summer adventure. Points for hotels, and your own car as your “rental” throughout Europe.

Slight correction needed. It’s Gothenburg as you point out with the Radisdon Blu hotel not Stockholm. Stockholm is on other side of country. The hotel they provide might be the best location in Gothenburg as a base for visiting the area. Stayed there last year and although quirky it’s well worth the points to stay longer.

No way I woukd make the flight in coach so if you are considering this think about upgrades you will want them.

Thanks for all the posts this past week!

Thanks – I corrected it in one place (from Stockholm to Gothenburg) but missed the other.

Volvo now supplies tickets in Economy Plus on SAS or BA. The hotel they currently use is the Clarion Post in Gothenburg.

OK, so I just came across this old post, and I’m not sure anyone is still interested in more info about this program, but here goes anyway. We bought a Volvo XC90 years ago and took advantage of the Overseas Delivery Program (OSD). We’re now looking at buying again through OSD because of our terrific past experience. The purchase through a local dealer was no hassle, no haggling, and 8% off the cost. On a hot high-demand vehicle (as was when we bought) with dealers offering little or no discount, any cost reduction was appreciated. There also was no destination fee (around $900 savings). A nice benefit is you can build the vehicle to suit your tastes, by adding options that you choose, without the need for the packages sold in the US (altho packages are offered). We also added some options that were not available in the US.

The round trip airfare for 2 was on SAS and included lounge access. The transfers were on time, drivers were gracious, and we were transported in new Volvos. The factory tour was excellent and we enjoyed lunch at the factory. Our vehicle was presented to us, and we drove out and into the Swedish countryside, We also added a 5 day travel package to Barcelona. The Europe trips vary in price, but at the time of this post, a trip to Rome was running $1090 for two people (including a $500 discount). Our trip (and presumably the excursions being offered now) included airfare, all transfers, accommodations, and breakfast; Currently, Volvo is also giving another $1000 off most models for OSD sales.

We’re ready to replace our XC90, and are looking forward to another OSD experience.

RickyLee, Did you have any luck with your new OSD order? I just visited two local Volvo dealers and they categorically told me that the 8% discount was “many years ago” and that I can now only order using the european list price which is only very slightly lower than the MSRP in the USA. It is still OK deal if you need to tickets to Sweden but no longer a great one. If you had better luck with your Volvo dealer I would very much appreciate his contact number or address.

Hi, I am considering an OSD order of Volvo 2017 XC90 hybrid. The price is slightly lower than the MSRP at local dealers. I’m going to ask about the 8% but what I have been hearing from car brokers and dealers is that the Xc90 is in such high demand they are not generally negotiating below about a $2k discount. The great thing about it is you get EXACTLY the features, colors, etc. you want without stuff you don’t need/don’t want to pay for. Curious if anyone else has negotiated a better discount on Volvo OSD. The dealer rep for the OSD program is extremely professional so far and it’s worth it for the free tickets, factory tour, etc. IMO. Hope that helps.

With this OSD, does the Volvo dealer here in the US allow for a trade in? Thanks for the info

Ricky Can you let us know if you ended up going the OSD route? Did you get any discount?

Any updates with reference to OSD program lately? Looks very interesting and I would like any fed back. Thanks!

Is it eligible for other countries?

Is this offer for Canadians as well ?

Is this offer everywhere? Puerto Rico, maybe?

This sounds freaking great!

I had no idea about these offers, totally worth it to have a trip to Sweden (always wanted to go there), any weird or secret hidden fees that we should be aware of?

The OSD looks really interesting! I just bought so I won’t be looking into getting another for a couple of years but it is something to know. Very useful! Know where I could find some details of anyone who has done this already? Thanks!

I’ve opted for European Delivery! I have tickets to travel to Sweden and tour the factory this Christmas. Volvo said the reason they are offering this is to promote tourism to Sweden. That isn’t to say the only benefit, but that is the “official dealership” stance.

Interested in Volvo V90 cross country

Question: If we purchase the car (from inside the US) and will be the owners but someone in our family travels to Sweden, picks it up and drives it, do the rules/benefits change? To put it another way, if we buy the car and will be the owners of record, but are not the ones to travel to Sweden, drive it and then have it shipped home, do the same rules apply? Or, does the purchaser/owner have to be the same one who travels to Sweden and drives the new car?

I just met a guy at a body shop who did this. He was thrilled with the offer and enjoyed Europe! Sadly, three days after the car arrived in the US someone rear-ended him, thus why I ran into him at a body shop. Good news, the Volvo withstood the impact quite well, the guy who hit him though? His car was totaled! Wish I could post a picture of it! It was unbelievable! Volvo’s are incredibly safe vehicles. This gentlemen I met made a believer out of me. Think I’ll need to get my kids through college first though. Hopefully they sill offer the plan when I’m ready to buy…and fly!

I would like to get more information on your program. I am based in South Africa. Where does it leave me. Is there a program activated in South Africa with the same benefits mentioned in the US program.

I did the Overseas Delivery on an XC60 and was impressed how Volvo handled all the logistics of the trip, Air, Hotel, Meals and a driver to take you from and to the Airport and to the Factory. You get the car well below what you could at a dealership and get to enjoy it while in Sweden with insurance provided for up to 15 days. No tricks, no hidden fees, it was all good and beyond my expectations

Does this program exist in 2023?

I don’t have any first-hand knowledge of the program, but a quick Google search makes it seem that it does

https://tourist.volvoprograms.com/

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Volvo Will Give You a Premium, Expenses-Paid Trip to Sweden When Buy a Car

T here’s no place quite like Sweden, whether you travel there for Stockholm or all of the gorgeous places outside of Stockholm ). It can, however, be pricey. For those in the market for a new car, you can get that plus a free trip to Sweden when you purchase a Volvo. The car brand has a new buying option called the Overseas Delivery Tourist Program , where you can visit Sweden as a perk of buying one of the vehicles. All you have to do is buy a car and pick it up in Gothenburg.

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect perk to buying a vehicle. To take advantage of it, all that’s needed is to visit your local Volvo dealership to design your custom car or pick out a vehicle. The models that are available for this program are:

• XC60 Recharge
• XC90 Recharge
• XC40 (excluding XC40 Recharge fully electric)
• V60 Recharge
• V60 Cross Country
• V90 Cross Country

Once you have chosen your vehicle, you put down a deposit and pick up your car at the Volvo factory in Gothenburg. Volvo will fly you and another guest there with premium airfare, priority booking, and other flight perks. Volvo will also cover the cost of your hotel accommodations for two nights and dinner and when you arrive in Sweden. Volvo will pick you and your guest up, drive you to your hotel, and give you a ride to the Volvo Factory Delivery Center, where you will have lunch, tour the Volvo factory and visit the Volvo Museum and pick up your brand new car.

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Buy a Volvo: Get a Free Trip to Sweden!

//  by  Lisa 8 Comments

Want a free trip?! Well, if you are in the market for a new car, and that car happens to be a Volvo, you can get a free trip to Sweden  with the Volvo Overseas Delivery Program. Seriously. What’s the catch? Ahem, none.  Buy a new car, get a free vacation .

Boom. Too bad I’m not in the market for a new car (and hope not to be for awhile as I love being car-free!). But if you are, here’s the deal:

Table of Contents

Volvo Overseas Delivery Program

The Volvo Overseas Delivery Program gives U.S. car-buyers two complimentary tickets on Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) to Gothenburg, Sweden   — home of Volvo since the 1920s (although it has since been owned by Ford and now Geely of China) -— where you can pick up your new wheels right off the factory floor.

Then take your Volvo for a spin ‘round Sweden (or all of Europe really) by taking a road trip in your new car. The first night hotel and 15-days of car insurance is covered. The rest is up to you!

You are free to roam around wherever you can drive or at least until your tourist Visa runs out. If you return it to the factory, your new ride will be shipped back for free to you in the States. And through this program you even save about 8% off the price plus don’t have to deal with certain taxes, import duties and such.

Free Trip to Sweden with Volvo

If you follow my Facebook Page for daily updates, photos, and other goodness, you may recall I was very fortunate to be invited over to Sweden. The good folks at Volvo and the Car + Vacation promotion, welcomed me in order to tool around the countryside with my boyfriend by my side in a Volvo and see some more of this beautiful country.  The funny thing was, I had actually tried to do this story about a decade ago for the ABC television show that I produced, but it never worked out.  Nice how it came back around.

Gothenburg Sweden

Before we even hit the road in our Volvo, we had to check out Gothenburg , Sweden’s second city. We toured the city while a cloud of jet lag hung over us, putting us in a bit of a zombie state.  A break was in order, so we stopped for a fika in the Haga, Gothenburg’s oldest (dating back to the 1600s) and most charming cobblestone area full of outdoor cafes, bistros, and the largest cinnamon bun you will ever had.

Where to Eat in Gothenburg

We had a lovely dinner at Marcus Samuelsen’s (Gothenburg’s hometown boy that has hit it big in the U.S. with NYC’s Red Rooster in Harlem amongst others) new restaurant, Norda Bar and Grill .

Where to Stay in Gotheburg

Then we crashed in our modern, comfy hotel inside the city’s former post office – now the Clarion Post .  This neo-classical building was built in the 1920s and now has 500 contemporary rooms plus a rooftop pool and wood-decked sun terrace.

Our free trip to Sweden with Volvo was off to a stellar start!

Road Trip Sweden Day One 

Feeling much more refreshed, the next morning we were ready for a road trip. After fortifying ourselves with what would be many huge Swedish breakfast buffets to come complete with smoked fish, herring, breads, cheeses, fruits, and other goodies, we were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the Volvo headquarters. They shared a bit of the company’s history and demoed some of their famous safety and security engineering concepts. We learned more about this amazing Volvo overseas delivery program… and of course stuffed our bellies with…Swedish meatballs.

First Stop: Kladesholmen —  Salt & Sill

Once we were safely strapped in our new vehicle, we hit the open road (making sure to watch for Moose – or at least ‘Moose crossing’ signs).  Considering I never drive when traveling, let alone have a car back home, traveling by car in Sweden was a breeze. The roads were all like new and signs were abundant and easy to follow.  We drove up West Sweden’s coast passing its many islands and fishing villages. Our first stop? The island of Kladesholmen (Herring Island) with a stay at the delightful Salt and Sill , Sweden’s first floating hotel.

This area was once all about herring production. There are still a handful of processors…so make sure you try the strong and savory herring board at the Salt & Sill restaurant and get a taste of six different delectable herring preparations.  It may not be for everyone as it is “fishy,” but I loved it!

The accommodations here were, hands down, my favorite in a long time. The 23-room hotel consists of six cubic two-story structures built on pontoons that float on the water. It is a mix of clean, fresh and bright, with woody cabin feel; think white-washed Pottery Barn style.

Have more time for a longer road trip? Check out the charming area of Småland on  your holidays in Sweden .

After a hike around the mostly residential, charming island which reminded me a bit of New England fishing villages, we enjoyed dinner at the restaurant, and dessert on the terrace while watching the late Sweden sun sink into the sea. Then we drifted off to sleep rocked like babies from the gentle waves of the sea.

Read the next posts from our Swedish Road Trip:

Part  II: Fjällbacka & Weather Islands Part III:  Skåne – Båstad & Malmö Part IV:  Video of West Sweden & Skåne

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Lisa Lubin is an established travel/food writer and photographer, three-time Emmy® award-winning TV producer, video consultant, and travel industry expert. After more than a decade in broadcast television she took a sabbatical, which turned into three years traveling around the world. She created this blog in 2006. Lisa also owns LLmedia, a media & video consulting business. Her writing and photography has been published by American Way, Hemispheres, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, West Jet Magazine, Scandinavian Traveler, Orbitz, and Luxury Las Vegas. Her book, The Ultimate Travel Tips: Essential Advice for Your Adventures, is available on Amazon.

These posts may also interest you!

Sweden Road Trip (Part IV): Video of West Sweden & Skåne

Road Trip Sweden (Part III): Skåne – Båstad & Malmö

Road Trip Sweden (Part II): Fjällbacka & Weather Islands

Fancy a Swedish Fika?

Sweet, Sweet Sweden: Stockholm in Winter

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Reader Interactions

March 26, 2013 at 4:18 pm

What a fabulous looking trip!!

March 28, 2013 at 10:04 am

Well, if I was in the market for a new car, then a free holiday would be one way to sweeten the deal 🙂

March 29, 2013 at 11:30 am

It’s a pretty neat deal…of course I have no plan to buy a car (let alone a new one) anytime soon. Happy with my current vehicle: my bicycle!

March 28, 2013 at 10:45 am

Yes, I do remember your Facebook updates about your trip. Loved following along with you. Being a fan of road trips, I can just imagine driving around beautiful Sweden! The Volvo Overseas Delivery Program sounds like a very cool deal.

March 29, 2013 at 11:31 am

I think you would love Sweden Cathy! It reminds me of New England in some ways…very quaint and green!

March 28, 2013 at 10:54 am

Yum, zoom, and fun! Looking forward to the next post. 🙂

Thanks Katrina! I love eating it more…but sure have fun photographing my food!

November 18, 2013 at 11:50 am

I’ve done this trip and bought a 2012 Volvo. Going back next year to do it again. You’re right, about the catch. I kept trying to figure it out. No catch. It was a great way to travel and we were treated like royalty. That’s why were doing it again. Plus, I love my Volvo and it was bought at a discount.

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Buy a Volvo and See Sweden for Free

By Jennifer Dombrowski 18 Comments

Have you heard of the Volvo Overseas Delivery Tourist Program ? We hadn’t either until Volvo and Visit Sweden contacted us to help them promote the program. We’re here in Sweden right now, and though we didn’t buy a Volvo, we’re experiencing all of the aspects that a customer who has opted to enjoy the Volvo Overseas Delivery Program would…and more. Though we’re only mid-trip, we think this program is pretty awesome!

What is the Volvo Overseas Delivery Tourist Program?

It’s actually pretty simple. US customers order the Volvo of their choice at their local Volvo dealer and Volvo gives you two round trip airlines tickets to Sweden, plus hotel and transportation to and from Volvo, so that you can pick up your brand new car right from the Factory Delivery Center in Gothenburg (or at any official delivery location in Europe). With 15-day European car insurance coverage, including Swedish temporary registration, you can test out your new Volvo on Sweden’s roads with one of their tours like the Explorer tour we’re on right now.

When you’re ready to head back home, just drop your Volvo back off in Gothenburg or any official drop-off location in Europe and Volvo will take care of shipping it to your authorized Volvo dealership back home. They even take care of the paperwork involved when importing a car, from excise taxes to import duties. What’s not to love?

Volvo Museum

One of the perks of the Volvo Overseas Delivery Program is a free visit to the Volvo Museum and if you’re a car lover like us, car museums are always a lot of fun. Like any car museum we’ve been to from Ferrari to Porsche , the museum walks through Volvo’s nearly 90-year history. Volvo began right here in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1927 and the car company calls April 14th its official birthday in honor of the very first road-ready Volvo to roll off the assembly line.

The Volvo Museum is a cool collection of classics from the good ‘ol days, passenger buses with fun stories about the first public buses in Sweden, and even a set of quirky racing 18-wheelers. Of course, you don’t have to be a Volvo customer to visit the Volvo Museum. You can just head on over to check it out; there really is a lot for everyone to experience.

The Volvo Museum is open Monday – Friday from 10am – 5pm and Saturday – Sunday from 11am – 5pm. Closed June 20 and 21. Admission is free to Volvo Overseas Delivery customers.

Volvo Factory Tour

Photographs aren’t allowed in the Volvo Factory for security reasons, even for press like us, so you’ll just have to take our word for it that a visit is definitely interesting! Volvo Overseas Delivery customers hop aboard the Volvo Blue Train and it takes you through a guided tour of the production plant. The plant can produce 52 cars per hour and is highly automated with a number of robots working on various parts of the production process. Of course, the robots are all supervised by humans to make sure everything is always in order.

One of the things we learned and found most interesting is that all of the cars in production in the plant are already sold. So you won’t find any of these cars just sitting on a lot and waiting for an owner. The plant produces the car models in the sequence the car orders were placed, so you could be seeing any number of models on the production line during your tour. It’s pretty cool to see everything from components being made to the body parts being welded together.

A 4-star Stay in Gothenburg

Volvo also puts their customers up in style while you’re in Gothenburg. We’ve experienced both the Radisson Blu Scandinavia , located right in the heart of the city, and the stylish 4-star design hotel Radisson Blu Riverside . Though we loved the location of the Radisson Blu Scandinavia because so much is literally steps away, the Radisson Blu Riverside has a more boutique hotel feel and stunning views of the harbor and city.

Between the Gothenburg’s public transit system and your Volvo, Radisson Blu Riverside’s location isn’t at all an issue. We loved the rooftop spa facilities and definitely took advantage of reviving our weary bones in the sauna and jacuzzi. The rooms are spacious and unique with custom designed wallpaper and a variety of hip furniture created especially for the hotel. And you’ll love the quirky Cuckoo’s Nest restaurant that plays on the hotel’s location in the Lindholmen Science Park with scientific equations scrawled on the glass, vintage apothecary tables, and a Waco bi-plane flying overhead.

What to do on Your Trip to West Sweden

We won’t give it all away just yet – you’ll have to continue following us on Facebook , Instagram , and X formerly Twitter all this week. Of course, as you can always expect here on Luxe Adventure Traveler, we’ll have info-packed posts on what adventurous things to see and do in West Sweden once we’ve experienced it all to give in order to you the best recommendations. So stay tuned!

Loved this post? We love when you share our content! ~ Jen & Tim

About Jennifer Dombrowski

Jennifer Dombrowski is an independent travel publisher and an American expat who has lived in Bordeaux, France since 2016. She previously lived in Northern Italy in a small village near Venice for seven years where she fell in love with wine and wine tourism. She is an award-winning travel writer. She is also a travel correspondent on Traveling on the American Forces Radio Network. Luxe Adventure Traveler was named one of the top travel blogs to watch by the Huffington Post and TripAdvisor, and has been featured by top publications such as National Geographic, CNN, Buzzfeed, and Business Insider. Jennifer's photography has also been featured on publications such as USA Today and Travel + Leisure and on the Travel Channel.

Katherine Belarmino says

June 4, 2014 at 11:21 PM

I have a friend who has talked about wanting to buy a Volvo in Sweden and drive it around. I’m not sure he knows about this program though. This is pretty awesome.

Karlyn says

December 24, 2014 at 10:03 PM

We have done this, and it is wonderful!!! Going to do it again this coming September. The travel part is all mapped out for you, and your itinerary is very well written. Do not go in July when the Volvo plant is shut down for a month for their holiday.

August 14, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Super cool idea

TRACY Pleet Troain says

October 8, 2018 at 3:58 PM

Hello???from Pennslvania! We pick up our car 11/19/18 at factory Sweden. Not had good luck getting support to plan past airfare. Looking to do some driving, take in fjord boat trip, and train/fly to Lapland for northern lights Would appreciate insight. Thank you

John Rogan says

July 1, 2019 at 3:45 AM

Are there drop off shipment back to the usa in Germany or Polamd…sites they ship to in the usa ..ca smog done in sweden?

Jennifer Dombrowski says

July 3, 2019 at 1:46 PM

Yes, you can drop off your Volvo for shipment to the US from any official Volvo drop-off center in Europe. There is no charge from Gothenburg, Sweden but the other official drop-off centers have a small fee. You can check the full list and associated fees here: http://www.flyvolvo.com/msg8.htm

Jasmine says

October 1, 2019 at 8:26 AM

Hi I’d like to know how to enter or access this program ?

Barry Hutton says

November 9, 2019 at 7:10 AM

Is this program available for Canadian buyers ?

Wilson says

June 14, 2020 at 7:10 AM

I am.interested and want to know if the program is applicable to Nigerian who want to buy Volvo and ship back to Nigeria?

June 18, 2020 at 7:40 PM

I don’t believe so. You could contact your local Volvo dealership to inquire about the program.

Joe Arthur says

January 11, 2021 at 6:50 PM

I am a Volvo fan and have owned 850 wagon and V70XC previously. I am now interested in V60, can I buy it from Sweden and ship to Ghana?

Stacey S says

January 31, 2022 at 8:56 PM

What kind of timeframe would it be on the shipping to the United States?

February 15, 2022 at 7:17 PM

You would need to speak to Volvo to inquire about that as it may vary from location to location.

February 15, 2022 at 9:56 PM

This hasn’t been available in Canada, and was told a while ago that stopped this in the states. I have spent a whole lot of money on my new Volvo and am considering ordering a C40. Why would I not be able to participate? Very unhappy

Martin F Lidgren says

October 9, 2023 at 7:36 PM

Do us Canadadians with Swedish routes whose Grandfather first emigrated to Minnesota before coming to Saskatchewan Qualify??

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Welcome to VisitVolvo.com

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How it works

1. Place your order Visit your local Volvo retailer to design your custom Volvo. Place and confirm your order with a $3,000 deposit.

2. Design your vacation Book your refined adventure using 

3. Pick up your vehicle Pick up your new Volvo at the Gothenburg  Factory Delivery Center  in Sweden.

4. Explore overseas You will have the freedom to move in a safe and sustainable way. Explore the roads of Sweden and Europe on your terms.

5. Ship your Volvo home When your adventure concludes, drop off your Volvo at the Factory Delivery Center or at one of our many authorized drop off points across Europe.* Volvo will then take care of all requirements to get your Volvo home to your local retailer.

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Hotel accommodations in the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden.

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Visit Sweden: Volvo Factory

Photos and text by Gabrielle.

As part of my agreement related to this Sweden trip, I was asked to include the hashtag #inavolvo as I document our trip. A separate blog post about Volvo was not part of the agreement. So this post is not a sponsored post. But I wanted to write about what I learned at Volvo factory because I think you’ll find it interesting. I certainly did.

The Volvo factory is just outside of Gothenburg, and part of our itinerary included a visit to the facility to attend a safety demonstration and get the scoop on the Overseas Delivery Program . This program is pure genius and whoever figured it out wins the prize for… I don’t know, being a genius.

Basically, it’s this: If you live in the United States or Canada and you buy a new Volvo, you’ll get airfare for two to Sweden, plus a night in the Radisson Blu in Gothenburg (a lovely hotel, I included a photo of it at the bottom).

Why? For several reasons (free trip to Europe!), but the main one is that it actually brings down the price of the car. For reals. As a customer, you buy the car from your local U.S. Volvo dealer, then you come to Sweden, pick up the car from the factory, drive it around the countryside, or maybe take a side trip north to Norway. Then, you drop it off at the factory again, and they deliver it at no charge to your U.S. dealer. By doing this, it allows the car to be brought to the U.S. as “used” instead of “new” and the import tax is lower. Which, like I said, brings down the overall cost of the car.

So in a nutshell, if you’re buying a Volvo, taking a free trip to Sweden will get you the best price!

Fantastic, right?

While we were at the factory, we met three couples from the U.S. who were all taking part in this Overseas Delivery program. One of the couples was taking part for the 5th time! The program has been going on for about a dozen years, and apparently there’s at least one couple who buys a Volvo every year, and then spends the summer touring Europe. Hah!

Of course, I asked a million questions. The first of which was: So, why doesn’t every Volvo customer participate in this program? And the answer was three-fold. One, not everyone enjoys traveling. Two, sometimes a customer wants to buy something off the lot because they need a car in a hurry (ordering a car through the Overseas Delivery program is a 2 to 3 month process). And three, not every dealer participates, so not every customer knows about the program — but you can find the nearest participating dealer here .

Other things I learned about the program from Volvo reps and from the couples who were participating:

When you pick up the car, it has a temporary license plate and temporary insurance. The insurance is good for two weeks, or you can increase it up to 3 months for an additional fee. The license plate is good for 3 months at no extra cost. What that means is that you don’t have to keep the trip to 24 hours, you can travel around while you’re there — for a few days, two weeks, or even up to 3 months! Related, many European countries have visitor visas that expire after 3 months, so this timing matches that.

The couples we spoke to were all making an extended trip out of it — the trip of a lifetime for one of the couples: three weeks all over Scandinavia. Gothenburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Finland, Oslo, Bergen and the fjords! This is all totally drivable.

Another couple was driving the car south to France and Spain. They are going to drop it off in France after their travels are done. Then, the Volvo dealership will send it back to Gothenburg (for a fee) and it will be shipped at no cost to their U.S. dealer.

So basically, you can use the free airfare and turn this into a European dream vacation if you’re so inclined.

On the other hand, if you simply want the better price, you can make the trip as short as possible and drive around Gothenburg for a bit, then hand the car back over to the factory for delivery.

Another thing I learned is that by ordering a car through this program, you can specify exactly what you want. Make, model, color, upholstery, add-ons, accessories — you get to build your ideal Volvo. This appeals to me for obvious reasons.

Okay. So I’m obviously fascinated by the Overseas Delivery program. But as I mentioned, I also attended a Volvo safety demonstration. I wasn’t expecting to get much out of it, but Ben Blair and I have since discussed it at least twice a day since we attended.

First we talked about the importance of safety, and what happens to the weight and impact of humans, pets and objects in a car during a wreck. Then, three volunteers got to test their speed reflexes — Ben Blair’s were the fastest (of course). I already associated Volvo with safety, but just assumed it was their marketing tactic. I didn’t understand it was the company’s core guiding value, and the number one thing they’ve focused on from the beginning. They take safety super seriously.

They invented the 3-point harness, then, when they saw how effective it was, quickly made it available to all car manufacturers. And to this day, it’s the safety innovation that saves the most lives. But they didn’t stop at an improved safety belt.

Every time there’s a serious accident here in Sweden that involves a Volvo, their engineers go to the scene. They study and document the wreck, then they recreate the same crash in their massive safety labs so they can figure out how they might lessen the impact to the people inside the cars. They don’t just sort-of recreate the crash. Their machinery allows them to stage a wreck inside the lab from any angle or point of impact. It’s truly amazing.

My brain doesn’t work like that. Like everyone, I know serious car wrecks happen every day, and I just assume it’s part of the gamble of life. I hear about safety improvements in car advertisements, and shrug and think they don’t really change the overall safety statistics. I accept that cars are dangerous, and try to block out the worst case scenarios from my mind.

But Volvo engineers’ brains are different than mine. Like me, they know car crashes are going to happen, so they figure out every possible way to either prevent them, or lessen their impact. They take what they’ve learned from studying real-life wrecks and make improvements. Real improvements. A decade or so ago, 10% of car crashes involving a Volvo resulted in major injury or death to the people in the car. Then, they made more safety improvements, and brought the number down to 4%. Then, they made more safety improvements, and at this point, they’ve brought that number down to 2%. Those numbers represent real people and real lives that are being saved.

Their current goal is to bring the number to 0% by 2020. And based on their track record, I have no doubt they’ll reach it. Just think: By 2020, if you are driving a Volvo and get in a serious accident, there will be 0% chance that you will receive a serious injury. Zero percent chance that you will die. I’m stunned by that thought.

And that’s what Ben and I have been discussing. We don’t own a Volvo. We’ve never owned a Volvo. There isn’t actually a Volvo that seats 8 people, so we’ve never even considered it. But suddenly, we were feeling irresponsible for driving around our kids in anything but a Volvo. Or what about teen drivers who are particularly at risk for car wrecks? We have two teenagers, both working toward their drivers licenses — if we could reduce their chance of being seriously hurt in a car crash to 2 percent, why wouldn’t we do that?

Of course, that brought up bigger questions like: should safety features this good be required by law for all new vehicles? And even though these safer cars are more expensive to make, do they ultimately save money for a country because of fewer catastrophic injuries and related medical care? Would safer cars mean less car insurance and far fewer associated legal battles? Should governments subsidize the purchase of safer cars to make them available to all income levels?

Obviously, these are big questions, and I don’t pretend to have the answers, but as you can imagine, we have been discussing this topic repeatedly since the safety demonstration, and I’m sure we’ll be discussing it for weeks and months to come.

As we finished up at Volvo, the last step was to pick up a car that we could drive up the coast. The car they loaned us for the week is a V-60 R-Design. It has sporty details and smart features — like it shows you on the dashboard what the speed limit is on whatever road you’re driving, and the number changes instantly whenever the speed limit changes. It’s both good-looking and highly functional — exactly what I expect from Swedish design.

We love it and we feel safe as we drive on these new-to-us roads. If you’re following along on Instagram , you may have seen  a peek of it. It certainly feels like the ideal car to be driving around Sweden, where something like one in every 7 vehicles is a Volvo. : )

I know I covered quite a bit in this post, but I’d love your thoughts on any of it. What do you think of the Overseas Delivery program? Does it get your European vacation imagination going? And what are your thoughts on the 0% serious injury goal? I’d love to discuss either with you!

P.S. — Related to that 0% goal, in the next 3 years, there will be 100 self-driving cars in the streets of Gothenburg. These will be customer cars, not test cars. Wow!

50 thoughts on “Visit Sweden: Volvo Factory”

Holy crap. I want Volvo! We have been living without a car for 6 yrs in the UK and last year we bought a car. We didn’t give this much thought. Now I can’t help but think we need a Volvo! ….and a European vacation.

Man I want these programme in the UK, now! I don’t even want to know my tatty old car’s safety record :S

Volvo also has a great Overseas delivery program for diplomats and military and we always thought it would be great if they did it for civilians as well – happy to know they have this in place! The discounting can be really significant so the savings can definitely pay for any Euro-gallivanting – glad that you guys got the opportunity to see Scandi!

Friends of my parents bought a car through the overseas delivery program last year. My husband is Danish, so he helped them build their itinerary to tour all over Scandinavia. He even arranged for them to visit with my mother-in-law in her small town about an hour outside of Copenhagen. It’s great to read how committed Volvo is to safety (how often do you hear things like that, nowadays?)–we’ve had several volvos in the past but not currently…sending this post to my husband now. :)

I love the ODP and have done it twice. Two notes:

It’s not just volvo. Almost all European manufacturers have a program. I think VW is the big exception.

It’s only a little cheaper than the sticker price (msrp) and it’s not negotiable. And nobody pays msrp for a new car. Last month we bought a new car that ended up about being 3500 below msrp with several options throw in, a pretty average negotiated rate. And cheaper than the ODR. Sometimes it can still be a deal, but often it’s not.

Can I bring that older Volvo home! Adore!

Right? I don’t want “a” Volvo, I want *that* Volvo. And a vacation.

I participated in the Overseas Delivery Program in 2011 when we bought our XC-60. It was fantastic. The price to us was about the same as the price we would have negotiated the dealer down to, so there was no savings on the price of the car, but we got a fantastic vacation out of it. Things I loved about the program, beyond what you wrote include: -There’s no negotiation on the price of the car. I always hate haggling at car dealerships and we avoided it. -Touring around Sweden for a week in our new XC-60! -The tour of the Volvo factory and spending a weekend in Gotenburg was amazing. The precision involved, the great design elements, and the attention to workers rights all made me happy about my choice of car.

And three years later we’re still driving our XC-60 and haven’t had any issues with it. But when we were there they were talking about discontinuing the program because the dollar was so weak. Is that still on the table?

What a fascinating post! Thanks for taking the time to share this. I had no idea about the Overseas Delivery Program, but it sounds wonderful. It’s also nice to hear a little more about Volvo’s attitude towards safety and how it is making a real impact. Wouldn’t it be great if ALL car makers/designers were as focused and committed to that 0% rate?

Wow. So, I’m in. This program is ringing and faint bell for me, but I think I convinced myself it was too good to be true and wrote it off as hype. We are due for a new vehicle so…

Cool! I know Audi, BMW and Porsche also have this service. I have one friend who did this via Porsche and said it was amazing! Got to “race” the car on a track in Germany.

Audi has it, too? That’s awesome. An Audi is going to be my big 40th b-day splurge, maybe we’ll make a trip out of it!

Yup! http://www.audiusa.com/inventory/european-delivery Sounds decedent – enjoy!

We were tempted to do this when we ordered our A6 but the delivery date was too close to another delivery date. ;)

I was fantasizing about getting a Mercedes sprinter RV and doing something similar, but all of the RV conversions are aftermarket so I had to tuck that dream to bed.

Be aware the Audi program does not include airfare. The Volvo program does!

“Drive safely” was not just a Volvo advertising slogan at our house. A 22 year old rust colored 1978 Volvo was the teenage driver car and safety was drilled into said drivers. We raised good drivers with good driving records who tease about their parents being the “safety police”, but are secretly very proud.

I knew my mom would comment on this post because we both read this blog and Volvos are special to our family. I drove the old 240 and it was safe and fun for a high schooler (and now as a parent I know my parents must have worried much less about our safety!) This looks so fun and I would love to go to the museum. Someday!

I wonder if it’s possible to have the car shipped to another country than the US? We currently live in the US (and could pay in US dollars) but we’ll be moving back to Australia in a year or so. It’d be great to buy a car using this program but have it shipped to Australia instead of the US.

This was indeed a very interesting post. I’ll be sharing this information with my husband and others. Thank you!

Where was this post 2 months ago!? :) We just bought our 4th Volvo and wish I had known about this before now. However, my impulsive husband might not have been able to wait. We both love our Volvos (S 60 and XC60) and might not ever change. I love the safety features! I was once rear ended with my 6 month old baby in the rear seat. He never even woke up! When I’m ready for the station wagon, now I think I’ll need to plan a vaca with it :)

When I was born in the early eighties my dad bought a volvo wagon just to drive me in and then later my brother. He kept his studebakers and thunderbird for driving when he didn’t have kids in the car. We are kind of a car family. He let me restore 1961 comet when I was a teenager but I wasn’t allowed to drive it because it didn’t have airbags.

We have always had a volvo wagon and Dad upgrades every time they come out with a new safety innovation like side airbags. Its what I learned to drive on and my dad swears by them. It breaks his heart a little bit that I love my toyota corolla and have been refusing switching to a volvo. We always buy late model used cars, and the ones in the late 90s are kind a lemons, or at least all of the volvo mechanics we know (and at this point we know a lot) say that, and then I don’t like the lack of pick up under 30 in the ones after that until the most recent models since I am mostly a city driver, but I just moved to Northern Idaho and I like to cross country ski so if I do start getting into the back country I think my dad might get his wish. He literally has an extra volvo wagon that he got a great deal on waiting for me.

Love this…but…everyone I know who had owned a Volvo recounts horrible stories of repair costs and delays and frustration. Thoughts?

As the child of a life long Volvo mechanic….in a lot of places, especially dealerships these days, they don’t hire people who have been trained on Volvos and then it does take them longer to fix them, because they’re different than a lot of cars and regular mechanics have trouble figuring it out. Not sure why, but my dad frequently fires guys who lied and said they understood Volvos, but really they thought they could fake it. The key is to find a good trust worthy Volvo mechanic and always use them. But I realize that can be hard to do. I don’t own one because I live in a different state than my father and couldn’t find someone good where I live.

I drove an S60 for nine years and had a lot of trouble with it, despite bringing it to multiple “Volvo certified” and Volvo dealerships for repairs. It eventually became so costly and unpredictable (it stopped running at 145,000 miles and the dealership told me there was nothing more they could do), so I had to trade it in for $500. I drive a volkswagen now, which I like, but it’s not the same as Volvo. I won’t buy another one, though. :(

We bought a Volvo V70 wagon 14 years ago. I was so excited-I was about to have our 2nd child-I knew how safe Volvo cars were. Without a doubt, it was the most luxurious car I’d ever (or may ever) have. It also turned into the biggest expensive mistake we ever made. It was constantly back at the dealership for various repairs. They could never figure out what was wrong with it. The 2nd Volvo dealership and shop we took it to kept it for a few YEARS as a tester of all their new equipment. Finally-we just donated it-pretty much as scrap. As much as I wanted to love that car, we will never buy another Volvo, and we tell everyone we know what a lemon it was.

We almost did the Overseas program, but bought our Volvo in the U.S. I love my XC90! However, we have had a lot of problems with the car which technicians couldn’t figure out. We got a new engine in the end. I don’t know if I would buy another one. Safety was a definite selling point.

We’ve got a Volvo (an 850 now called V70) about 15 years old, and I always feel safe in it (compared to my 24 year old Golf). We actually saw the 850 model as a 8 seater (with the very back “bench” being rearfaced) in UK just a couple of weeks ago – and my sister-in-law, who also has five siblings said that used to be their family car! But probaby discontinued ages ago….

So sharing this with the husband!

I love that you got to have this experience. My dad is a Volvo mechanic. (In the south bay area if you ever buy one.) I love Volvos and ohhhh how I want to buy one and go get it overseas. Maybe in a few years. :)

My first car was an old 70’s burnt orange colored station wagon. GREAT teen first car. My siblings and I all had our turn on the pumpkin mobile and I think my cousin even got it eventually. I highly recommend you guys look for one for the kids. If it was in decent condition and not too old, you could probably pass it all the way down to June.

Did they talk about fuel efficiency at all on the tour? I was in a pretty bad car wreck in February and when I needed to buy a new car, I had to weigh a heightened need for safety with fuel efficiency. For Americans who drive everywhere, there has to be a balance. Ultimately it was the fuel costs that kept me from a Volvo. But if they improved that, I might be sold next time around. Especially if it included a trip to Sweden!

The current S60/V60 get an average 37 mpg on highways.

Check out the new line of Drive-E engines from Volvo- they have bet their future on this very sophisticated line of turbo-charged, and turbo/supercharged inline 4 cyclinders that strike a fantastic balance b/w performance and fuel economy. Even the new XC90 is powered by a 300+ HP 4-cyclinder! I drive a 2013 S60 T5 AWD and the only thing I’m not crazy about is the fuel economy (solid 24 mpg in mixed driving). I’ve got one year to go on my 3 year lease and I’m already planning a trip with my wife to Sweden to pick up a 2015.5 or 2016 S60 T6 through the Overseas Delivery Program. Can’t wait!

I love my Volvo! I have a 2001 V70 wagon. It seats 7 with the rear jump seat. It’s not considered a “cool” car by my teen driver, but I feel better when he’s in it on the road.

We just bought that model in a wagon and I love it. I’m worried about repair costs because Volvo parts are pricey and the car is old but it’s in great shape from the original owner & even still smells new. A change of pace from dedicated Honda owners but we wanted a station wagon.

We just bought an old classic 240 brick wagon. My husband uses it as a work car right now but we definitely had our future teen drivers in mind when we bought it. Plus, it’s just rad.

We plan on doing this at some point, maybe when the new xc90 comes out! My sister in laws family got a Volvo through overseas delivery and drove it all over europe a few summers ago. Last summer my husbands parents did it with an Audi and also spent a few weeks driving it all over Europe. Such a great idea!

Can you ask them what I should do with my Volvo 2003 XC90 ( well taken care of) that stopped on the highway ( yes stopped..no power steering, no power brakes, no lights). When I took it in for service they checked it out charged me $300 and said no problem found. I refused to take it back and asked for more tests. They said no problem charged me an extra $400 and returned it to me saying no problems were found. So I paid $700.00 for them to tell me nothing needed fixing. I’m terrified and refuse to put my kids in it. Will the Volvo team investigate if it happens on the highway again and the semi slams into me? I’m sorry to leave this comment but truly I’m stymied as to my next approach.

The same exact thing happened to my husband when he was driving on the DC Beltway. So scary. None of the Volvo shops could ever figure out what was wrong with it. We ended up donating the car as pretty much scrap. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news-but we did not have a good experience with Volvo.

I grew up being mortified by our old 240 station wagons, but now I have such a fondness for them! My parents still have my college 1985 240 and we all think it’s going to outlive us!

BMW also has an overseas delivery program and my husband and I participated in that several years ago. We had so much fun driving all over southern Germany and Austria in our brand new convertible. They have drop off sites all over Europe, which was a piece of cake (although Italian drop sites were discouraged as the cars were then driven to the actual shipping points by people who enjoy speed). We’re always trying to think of reasons to go back and get a new car. Although airfare wasn’t included, we saved about $3,000 (my husband is a pilot so our airfare was free, which was a nice perk). I highly encourage anyone who can take the time to do it to participate in this program–SO much fun!

Hej Hej! My husband and I participated in the Volvo Overseas Program last year. We ordered a 2014 XC60 and began to plan the “vacation of a lifetime”! My great grandfather was born in Granna, Sweden and I had longed to visit his birthplace since 1980, when I researched my family history. My husband yearned to see the beaches of Normandy, France.

Adding to our enjoyment, my niece ordered a Volvo too, so we spent the next 4 days as we travelled across Sweden with her family and my brother. In all, we visited 7 countries in 17 days, beginning in Gothenburg where we were met by a Volvo representative. Our Volvo was presented to us the next day, and off we went! We spent time in Granna, Stockholm, And Kosta, before heading south through Denmark, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, then back to Brussels to drop off the car. One of the BEST time of our life. Memories to last a lifetime!!

A friend of mine did this with BMW. He had fun, but hadn’t told his partner he was buying the car… Whoops.

I’ve also heard a lot of bad things about Volvo reliability that doesn’t jive with the reputation for quality. I’ve heard this attributed to Ford’s purchase of Volvo, but can’t substantiate that.

Congrats on the new car! We purchased the V-60 in May in SF. Not one single regret! The gas mileage is amazing as well!

Incredible! I own a Volvo S60 (2009 to be exact) but hope to buy a new one when kids come into the picture. I think a trip to Europe sounds like a wonderful way to pick up a car :)

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What a wonderful article – thanks so much for the details!! I love Volvo and finally decided to spend the extra money on one. I’m now on my 2nd S60 and feel that I will be a Volvo customer for the rest of my life. I do lease my cars, so it seems like I am not a candidate for the free trip, though. I am planning to travel in Scandinavia during the summer of 2016 and would love to tour the Volvo factory when I’m in Sweden. Are the tours open to the public?

I do believe you can take the tour even if you’re not picking up a car. Definitely worth a phone call!

I am “in process” for my 2nd OSD from Volvo in Gothenberg. My first (way back in 2001) has been a great car with minimal expense beyond routine.

When I picked up the 1st car, the factory tour wasn’t available (Summer shutdown), so I definitely look forward to the tour.

Oh, and my choice for my 2nd Volvo… V60 (more practical and better looking than its sibling S60)

OSD is not a stellar deal the way it used to be — my 1st car was approximately 10% cheaper than local dealer. But, the 2 airfares and hotel night offset the pricing somewhat — and, what price can be attached to a European family vacation?

Nya bilar i Sverige . Sök efter rätt ny bil för dig , vet exakt på väg priset och discounts.In carprice.se hittar du alla senaste och nya bilar modell på bra och rimligt pris .

Hi, about to do an OSD and just one thing popped out to me about your write-up. Were you not actually buying a car/is that why you got a loaner? We are planning to pick our car up and get out of Sweden pretty quickly, so the idea that we would not have our intended car gave me a shock!

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Tour Sweden's World of Volvo before It Opens

The old Volvo museum closed its doors in December 2023, but the new World of Volvo location is a Swedish experience like never before.

• The World of Volvo is situated near Volvo Group headquarters and only 14 miles from the Gothenburg airport.
• We got a behind-the-scenes look ahead of its grand opening on April 14.

BMW Welt, a stone toss away from the company's HQ in Munich Germany, has Double Cones. The Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen has a 911 kebab—or, as they call it, "Porscheplatz"—out front. And now, in the heart of downtown Gothenburg, Sweden, there are three giant tree trunks—the arms and legs of Volvo's new museum, exhibit, delivery program, meeting place, and eatery—World of Volvo.

Volvo invited us to explore the new facility ahead of its grand opening on April 14, which by no accident is the very day 97 years ago that the Swedish automaker's first vehicle, the four-door ÖV4, left its assembly line. The nearly 240,000-square-foot chunk of Gothenburg was designed by the Danish architecture group Henning Larson . It stands 14 miles from the Gothenburg-Landvetter airport and just 11 miles east of Torslanda, the home of Volvo Group headquarters and its oldest plant.

The space is Swedish beautiful. Its lack of extravagant shiny metals or spaceship style makes it feel real, welcoming, and warm. We overheard more than just a few fellow media guests compliment the spruce and pine fragrance that acts as a natural canopy over the structure's smooth concrete floors. The top floor, home to several rentable conference halls and classrooms, conceals the nearby highway thanks to the tilted roof below it. It took four years to design and construct, using some 2800 tons of lumber, and a few leftover lamp bulbs from the SAAB gearbox building that once occupied a portion of its space.

World of Volvo is five stories tall, and while its entrance honors Sweden's " Allemansrätten ," or "everyman's right to roam," with free admission, its grandiose event space, colorful and interactive exhibits, and restaurant run by Michelin-star chef Stefan Karlsson each require a handful of Swedish krona.

Its debut exhibit is a balance of Volvo's history, its pledge to safety, and future products. There are distracted-driving simulations, VR goggles, and an area that lets you scoop rubber balls out of a pit with a mini Volvo excavator. One clever installation shows the role speed plays in a car accident, using a stack of wooden chairs. It's an interesting way to see crashing without a seatbelt at 15 km/h (9 mph) versus crashing at 30 km/h (19 mph). The lesson? Not wearing a seatbelt is about as smart as falling headfirst from a stack of eight chairs.

Of course, there is no shortage of Volvo cars, concepts, trucks, and technology featured here. The Volvo Experimental Safety Car (VESC) is impossible to overlook. This concept, which originally debuted at the Geneva auto show in 1972, was a test bed for all types of innovative safety equipment: front and rear airbags, concealed headrests that would deploy during a crash, a steering wheel that would pull away from the driver during a collision, and a 6.5-mm F/1.8 rear-facing camera that would feed video to a CRT screen in the dash.

In another room, one of the White Buses sat parked. Painted white, with red crosses on the roof to avoid being bombed by allies during their attempt to ferry more than 15,000 prisoners to Sweden, these buses served a heroic purpose toward the end of World War II. The display is surrounded by literature about the nurses, drivers, and soldiers who carried such a dangerous undertaking.

The Volvo YCC was on display. We asked if we could take it home, but were told no. The YCC (Your Concept Car) originally debuted at the 2004 Geneva auto show and was created by an all-female crew for women. It had a special compartment to store a purse, a headrest designed to comfortably accommodate a ponytail, and washable seats. The team also gave the YCC gullwing doors and the special project would go on to win many awards for its design and effort.

There are other vehicles on display, such as tractors, boats, logging trucks, and semi-trucks. The white F88 from the 1970s wears its significance across the top of its cab. Globetrotter was the top trim level of Volvo trucks, and the moniker is still used today on its trucks specifically designed for long travel. That takes you back to a time when refrigerators, kitchens, and spacious cabs were inspired by companies building trucks in America.

The FH, Volvo's biggest-selling truck ever, is on display behind the F88. It was the first to be built, in 1993. This FH12 was just the start to the Volvo trucks sold today, which are now offered with a range of electric, gasoline, and diesel powertrains. Exhibits big and small enter the space via a massive freight elevator just outside the building that can carry up to 48,500 pounds of Volvo history. Which is more ice wine than we're able to drink in a single visit.

The World of Volvo building will become home to its Overseas Delivery service, making its location relative to the airport and assembly plant so crucial. The site, which is the result of a collaborative effort between Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, is intended to be the home of future product reveals, TED talks, and—we hope— Car and Driver editors, because we so desperately want to play with those excavators again.

Tickets are available at the World of Volvo website or can be purchased at check-in. Choose an annual pass to get a small discount for future events while enjoying unlimited visits throughout the year.

Yes, he's still working on the 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo project car he started in high school, and no, it’s not for sale yet. Austin Irwin was born and raised in Michigan, and, despite getting shelled by hockey pucks during a not-so-successful goaltending career through high school and college, still has all of his teeth. He loves cars from the 1980s and Bleu, his Great Pyrenees, and is an active member of the Buffalo Wild Wings community. When Austin isn’t working on his own cars, he’s likely on the side of the highway helping someone else fix theirs.

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Sweden’s new volvo museum is inspired by scandinavian nature.

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Henning Larsen Architects created a building for 'World of Volvo' based on Scandinavian landscapes ... [+] and nature.

Few brands embody Scandinavian industrial design as distinctly as Volvo. Known for its focus on safety and reliability, Volvo has long been one of the world’s most prominent brands synonymous with the principles of Nordic design.

To celebrate the brand’s long history and its deep connection with Scandinavian values and aesthetics, Volvo has unveiled a new experience center in Gothenburg, Sweden, that’s packed with vintage vehicles, and a whole lot more.

Natural light fills the World of Volvo experience center.

The World of Volvo , born from a partnership between Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, is a museum and event space designed as a demonstration of the human-centric philosophy laid out by its founders.

Beyond the exhibitions, the World of Volvo is designed to be a dynamic space, capable of hosting cultural events, talks, and conferences. Two dining spaces round off the visitor experience.

Inspired By Scandinavian Nature

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Spanning 236,000 square feet, the World of Volvo embraces Scandinavian design. From its use of wood to the expansive windows letting natural light flood in, the experience center is integrated with the natural world.

The extensive use of wood and expansive windows are two major design features of the World of Volvo ... [+] experience center in Sweden.

Designed by the renowned Henning Larsen Architects , the building is a homage to the Scandinavian outdoors, constructed mostly of wood sourced from both Sweden and the south of Europe.

The striking building is supported by 2,300 large wooden beams and 2,700 cross-laminated timber (CLT) boards, with the three largest beams stretching an impressive 111 feet each.

The timber construction is a striking feature of the new World of Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden.

“Not long ago, working with timber on this scale was hard to imagine,” said Fabia Baumann, structural design engineer on the project. Architects had to build a tailored digital workflow to support the design work.

“It's just amazing that we could make this happen, from initial sketches that were all free form and had to be rationalized to now seeing it unfold in construction,” she added.

The History Of A Swedish Brand

Volvo has chosen April 14 as the opening date for an important reason. On that very day in 1927, the first Volvo vehicle rolled off the production line in the Gothenburg factory.

Volvo has been a brand synonymous with safety for decades.

Now, 97 years later, visitors get the chance to learn about the remarkable story that followed.

Over the decades, Volvo expanded its footprint globally, evolving from a domestic carmaker to an international brand recognized for its innovations in safety.

In 1959, Volvo introduced the three-point seatbelt, a revolutionary invention it generously made available to other manufacturers, highlighting its safety first ethos.

The World of Volvo showcases the range of vehicles produced over the brand's history.

Today, Volvo Cars, now a separate entity from the Volvo Group which focuses on commercial vehicles, continues to push boundaries in design, safety, and technology.

With Volvo Cars and Volvo Group coming together for the new project, World of Volvo showcases the full range of vehicles produced over the brand’s history.

How To Visit World Of Volvo

The new experience center seems sure to become a premier tourist attraction in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city . Situated just south of the Liseberg amusement park, the center is conveniently located about a 40-minute walk from Gothenburg Central Station.

World of Volvo is a new attraction in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Tickets ($16-$21) are sold for a specific entrance time, which means booking online in advance is essential to avoid disappointment.

Adding to the visitor experience, World of Volvo houses two restaurants, Ceno Brasserie and the conference restaurant Ceno On Top. The culinary concepts, led by award-winning chef Stefan Karlsson, focus on local and seasonal ingredients.

Whether you want to indulge in Swedish fika or enjoy something more substantial, Ceno Brasserie will be open to the public during the center’s opening hours.

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