Weston Volvo

What auto maker's breaking into the big bucks during their third-quarter 2010 profits? Well, Volvo for one. The car company posted a huge surge in profit for Q3, and new models along with brand loyalty are to blame.

According to Reuters, Swedish carmaker Volvo, owned by Chinese group Geely Automobile, made an operating profit in the third quarter, the company said on Friday. Volvo, bought by Geely from Ford in August,

"The absolute elite among Volvo's hybrid technology experts are the driving force behind the project. They are true enthusiasts, every last one of them. I'd go so far as to say that 'Mean Green' is the world's fastest hybrid truck," says Swedish truck racing ace Boije Ovebrink about the new Volvo hybrid truck.

Ovebrink holds the fastest land speed record in a truck, and has since November 2007. What do you do to top that? Break your own record.

Volvo Cars is recalling Garmin nüvi 760 and 765 navigators for safety reasons. The Garmin product, which has been installed in several Volvo models, may have a defect that causes some battery types to overheat.

Volvo Cars' own navigation system, Road Traffic Information (RTI), is not affected by the recall. Only the Garmin navigators are subject to the recall.

As of the end of November 2010, the Volvo XC60 can be specified with the new Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake safety system.

At the same time, the XC60 gets the new infotainment system that has been introduced in the Volvo S60 and V60. All the information is presented in a five or seven inch colour screen integrated into the upper part of the centre console.

The new four-cylinder direct-injection 1.6- and 2-litre GTDi engines are now beginning to make their entry throughout the entire Volvo Cars' model range.

Volvo Cars is now taking the next step towards next-generation electric car technology. Backed by research support from the Swedish Energy Agency the company is initiating development of a fuel cell that can extend the electric car's operating range without any carbon dioxide emissions.

The aim is to have two prototype chassis based on the Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric ready for testing in everyday traffic in 2012.

Volvo is hoping to knock the socks off customers looking for smaller, economy-style vehicles. And maybe take on the small car competition as well. It plans to offer a small competitor as part of a plan to expand the automaker's line up.

Speaking in London last week, Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby said the next generation of the entry-level Volvo "will be a derivation of the C30, a Golf competitor," according to the Web site www.autocar.co.uk.