Swedish Soul, Chinese Steel: Volvo’s roots are key to defending its market positioning

Volvo sends Swedish engineers to China to teach factories "how to build cars the Swedish way" because, in a market flooded with Chinese brands, Volvo's European heritage isn't a liability; it's a competitive moat.

With China Inc closing in, Volvo Australia faces an identity crisis. Its response: lean harder into Swedish design, safety heritage, and experiential brand storytelling – and turn NVES credits into a revenue stream that rewards the disciplined.

Volvo Australia Managing Director, Stephen Connor, faces a question every automotive executive with Chinese ties now confronts: how do you maintain premium positioning when you're Chinese-owned, Chinese-built, and competing against an onslaught of Chinese brands – some of them your corporate cousins?

His answer is