The eleventh Volvo Ocean Race will start this October; a fact that has provided the inspiration for a special limited edition of 600 specially-designed ‘Volvo Ocean Race’ Volvo FH and Volvo FH16 trucks.
"We're targeting customers who want a unique and exclusive truck and appreciate the values associated with the Volvo Ocean Race, regarded as the "Mount Everest of sailing", says Kristin Signert, project manager at Volvo Trucks, which will release a limited edition of specially-designed Volvo Ocean Race trucks before the start of the Volvo Ocean Race in October.
"The Volvo Ocean Race is an excellent opportunity to expose our brand and build relations with customers and other visitors. In fact, during the last race, almost four million people visited our exhibition in the ports," comments Christina Ohlsson Jones, who is responsible for the Volvo Ocean Race at Volvo Trucks.
Unique design
The design team at Volvo Trucks has worked hard to give the latest versions the right feel both inside and out. The cab is available in two colours: a white ‘Millennium Silver Metallic' and a dark blue ‘Dark Knight Pearl'.
Both colours have been especially chosen for the Volvo Ocean Race Limited Edition and so have the black painted grille, the side stripes with a wave decoration and the globetrotter sign displaying the words ‘Volvo Ocean Race'. There are also ‘Limited Edition' emblems on the sides of the cab.
Inspired interior - ‘Nautical, but nice' !
The sailing-inspired interior features exclusive materials and details. With plenty of leather, exclusive seams and embroidered details, the driver area exudes quality and craftsmanship. The leather-covered seats are embellished with a blue accent colour, while other interior details such as the steering wheel, mats, door panels and grab rails have unique accent blue stitching. Curtain retainers made of sheet cord are an unexpected feature that heightens the overall effect.
"We wanted the truck to evoke a feel of sail racing and reflect the sleek, refined design of the yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race. For this reason, the interior design features a lot of leather and dark materials with striking cobalt blue accent colours," says Nicola Fox, senior designer at Volvo Trucks.
Limited edition
The Volvo Ocean Race Limited Edition will be available for order from June 20th, with the first of the trucks to be delivered in mid-September - a few weeks before the start of the 2011 Volvo Ocean Race.
Specification
The Volvo Ocean Race Limited Edition is only available for :
Volvo FH with Globetrotter or Globetrotter XL cab and engine outputs of 500 to 540 hp.
Volvo FH16 with Globetrotter or Globetrotter XL cab and engine outputs of 540 to 700hp.
The spec includes Visibility+ package, Lane Change Support (LCS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), metallic paint, electric seats, reclining bunk, fridge and more - all from an additional £7,000 to a standard model FH or FH16.
The Volvo Ocean Race
1) The Volvo Ocean Race will start in Alicante (Spain) this autumn and finish in Galway (Ireland) in summer 2012.
2) The route covers 39,270 nautical miles with stopovers in Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajai (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France).
3) The first race took place over 37 years ago (as the ‘Whitbread Round the World Race') from 1973-74) and continues to test the crews against some of the most ferocious elements that man can encounter.
4) The 2011-12 race will be the eleventh edition of the event.
5) The design is regulated and the yachts are built for high speeds.