Volvo by subscription not for Oz – yet

Volvo is bringing smartphone subscription plans to its cars in a world-first plan.

Announced in concert with the unveiling of the all-new XC40 small SUV overnight, the Care By Volvo plan will see customers across Europe subscribing to new Volvos at a flat rate and rolling into new cars every two years.

Likened to the plans people have long used for their phones and tablets, the plan is removed from Volvo’s existing leasing programs and customers will even be able to borrow larger Volvos whenever they need to.

Volvo’s Australian operation is keen to bring the program to Australia, though it admits it’s too soon to understand how it could fit in with the national dealer network.

Volvo Car Australia marketing boss Oliver Peagam said the subscription set-up would work best with Volvo On Call, which is not yet available in Australia.

“Care by Volvo will offer a range of digital concierge services, such as fuelling, cleaning, service pick-up and e-commerce delivery to the car, which is why Volvo On Call would help to get the best out of it,” Peagam said.

Care by Volvo’s subscription fee covers all maintenance, insurance, tyre changes and more, with no down payments, in seven European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and the UK. It is also slated to debut in the US at November’s Los Angeles motor show.

“With Care by Volvo, we introduce a new car access for the modern age. In a time where consumers are used to transparent flat-fees for all sort of services, the traditional process of buying and owning a car can be perceived rather complicated. Care by Volvo changes all of that,” said Volvo CEO and president, Håkan Samuelsson.

The new XC40, revealed this week in Milan, will be the first model with which Care by Volvo is offered, but it will cost €699 ($A1053) a month. Other Volvo models will be included over time, as will new digital concierge services.

“Our aim with Care by Volvo is to provide our customers with a transparent, premium car user experience,” said Thomas Andersson, vice-president of Care by Volvo.

“With a fixed monthly payment, Volvo Cars provides a truly customer-focused alternative to the traditional purchase or leasing.

“Time is a luxury for our customers, and with this service we are able to free up time in their daily lives. This is simply making life easier for our customers,” he said.