Thinking outside the Box - How the S80 reshaped Volvo design

Volvo saved themselves from bankruptcy with the 700 series and the 850, but these cars propagated a boxy look that became the sort of thing stand-up comedians ridiculed. What Volvo needed was a new direction and the first car to use it was the S80. We’re very lucky to have the person behind this new design – Volvo’s lead designer, Peter Horbury to take us through it all. So, where did this new look come from, what management shenanigans drove the decisions over how the S80 was designed and how successful was it? Link to the full interview with Peter Horbury: https://youtu.be/ebTs3X1SU-Q A very special thanks to the people at Benaroya Hall, Seattle for letting me film: https://www.seattlesymphony.org Intro music: Dan Lebowitz - Tiptoe out the Back (from the YouTube audio library) If you'd like to support what I do, and get early access to advert-free videos and exclusive channel updates, please consider supporting the channel from just $1 or 80p a month: http://patreon.com/bigcar Support me using PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv Big Car merch: https://teespring.com/stores/bigcartv Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigcartv My second channel - Little Car: https://www.youtube.com/littlecar Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_ECC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Horbury https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1 https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/models/volvo-ecc/1992 http://web.archive.org/web/20160304084500/http://ranwhenparked.net/2014/09/02/1992-paris-motor-show-volvo-introduces-the-environmental-concept-car/ http://web.archive.org/web/20050426085921/http://www.lacar.com/lenfrank/volvoecc.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P2_platform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_D3_platform https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pdf/presskits/S80LaunchPressKit1998.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_700_Series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Modular_engine https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/tech/Tech_Spec_S80_2003.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20111219120844/http:/www.euroncap.com/tests/volvo_s80_2000/55.aspx https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/s80.shtml https://www.economist.com/business/1999/01/28/ford-swallows-volvo https://www.economist.com/business/2000/11/02/herr-luxury https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pdf/presskits/S80ExecutivePressKitMarch2001.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20060528103216/http:/autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060330%2FFREE%2F60327009%2F1024%2FLATESTNEWS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_B8444S_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_SI6_engine https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volvo/s80-2006-2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20151222141635/https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/18997 https://www.economist.com/business/2018/09/13/volvo-abandons-its-plans-for-an-ipo https://www.economist.com/business/2010/03/28/devolving-volvo https://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/26/geneva-preview-volvo-readies-updated-s80-for-swiss-debut/ https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/s80/2006USA/ecdtopic174.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P3/Ford_EUCD_platform https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/releases/2013/s80_2014.shtml https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/releases/2014/s80_2015.shtml https://mashable.com/article/volvo-polestar-1-electrified-cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polestar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geely #bigcar