Forget the idea of a traditional car leasing plan – at least as far as Volvo is concerned, with the Swedish company launching a clever new 24-month subscription service called ‘Care by Volvo’.
If you order a new XC40 online in Europe, you’ll be able to ‘own’ the model (drive it certainly) for a set monthly price, devoid of any extra fees like tax or insurance.
“We would definitely look at the idea of it, as we do with any of the plans that come out of Europe,” Oliver Peagam, Marketing Director for Volvo Australia, told CarAdvice at the XC40’s global unveiling in Milan.
It remains to be seen whether we will see this plan take off in Australia, even though Volvo will look at it, given the implications of compulsory third party insurance and other extra costs beyond simply registering a car in Australia.
In Europe, you’ll be able to share your XC40 with friends or relatives by using a virtual key, and even have the car cleaned or refuelled via a smartphone app. While it’s obviously very early in the way this system could roll out, it’s a window into the future in terms of how we might one day ‘own’ cars.
“There will be a clear difference between traditional leasing and this subscription model.” Hakan Samuelsen, Head of Volvo, said. “We want to provide customers with a clear, premium, typically Volvo user experience.”
While monthly Care by Volvo rates are yet to be determined, in Europe it will be a single payment that covers every aspect of the ownership experience. The Care by Volvo service will be added across the Volvo portfolio in the future along with new digital concierge services.
Stay tuned to CarAdvice for further developments.
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