Volvo S60 ticks all the right boxes

Many industry insiders were understandably concerned for the future of Volvo when the Swedish manufacturer was sold off by Ford in 2010 to the Chinese concern Geely Automobile, feeling that while the alliance was a welcome short-term fix, its long-term future was questionable.

In fairness to the Chinese, the acquisition was a very good one for a number of reasons: firstly they bought it for just $1.8 billion, a knock-down price considering Ford had paid $6.45bn for it not ten years previously; secondly, it immediately gave them access to a variety of technologies and manufacturing processes it would have taken them years to develop themselves; and thirdly, it gave them access to a premium automotive brand - one they had no hope of establishing themselves.

But western pundits being the sceptics they are, it was felt that the Chinese would not simply sit back and allow their new Swedish purchase to continue doing what it was good at doing and that the meddling of the new management would soon spoil the broth and see the valued name of the brand diminished beyond possible resuscitation.