management summary

An iced adventure with a test-drive on a frozen ocean, the car’s dynamical characteristics plus the magnetism of winter, alongside the Volvo XC90’s comfort and safety with its ability to manoeuvre with ease and agility in severe weather conditions. This is how the journalists who took part in the Luleå winter test drive described the setting and their emotions toward the XC90 in the televised reviews immediately after the press meeting. Indeed, in some newspaper and television clips the location and adventure got more space than the Volvo XC90’s technical and dynamical contents, the journalist preferring to focus more attention on the adventurous side rather than the main reason for the expedition. (see  La Mia Auto 4x4 and Monsieur for an example)

Each article in every magazine and television clip (see La7 Motori) mentioned the spectacular location in their introduction. The car’s qualities were highlighted by means of large opening double-paged photographs or striking TV shots of the atypical test-drive, one of Volvo’s traditions. The severe weather conditions enabled the journalists to describe the event with a deep participation, this being shown by the general style of the analysis on the Volvo XC90’s characteristics. A significant amount of published material reported on the four-wheel drive system, the control systems for drive and stability, the engine and safety. Similarly, emphasis was placed on the comfort the Volvo SUV offers its passengers. Contrarily to the televised coverage, the publications put attention on the particularity of the car, underlining its technical and commercial features.

The diagram with the highest frequency of mentions illustrates that the subjects most treated in the articles were the description of the engine’s techniques, the Luleå location and the four-wheel drive. What is unique about this release is the absence of any mention of market competitors, almost implying the absolute uniqueness of the XC90. For the tables see the analysis .