Automotive Industry

Volvo goes California dreamin'; Concept center helps automaker monitor N.A. trends.(News)

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Byline: Bradford Wernle

More than most European car companies, Volvo Car Corp. depends on North America for its success.

So it has set up the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center here to be Volvo's eyes and ears on its largest and most important market.

The center designs Volvo concepts and monitors trends in technology, transportation and society as a whole.

"We sell 30 percent of our cars here, 10 percent in Sweden and 55 percent in western Europe," says Lars Erik Lundin, general manager of the center.

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He contrasts that percentage with archrival Audi, ...