Author: MATT MORTON

There’s a new man at the helm of Volvo – Nick Connor.

Nick, 47, who has been acting managing director since the sudden departure of former MD Peter Rask in 2011, won’t see his duties confined to the UK, though. Nick will also be in charge or Ireland and Iceland, too.

While Nick is a newcomer to the head seat at the top of the table, he’s something of an old hand at Volvo, where he has been employed for the last 16 years most recently as sales director but previously as group solicitor and company secretary.

“Being asked to lead such an important and well-recognised brand at such an important time of its recent development is a great honour and responsibility,” commented Nick on his appointment.

“Volvo’s new Designed Around You brand strategy is developing very positively and the new V40 five-door hatchback, due in showrooms in the summer is, arguably, the most important car for Volvo in terms of volume development for the last decade.”

The Volvo V40 is Volvo’s new competitor in the premium hatchback class – a direct competitor to the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. The V40 was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. The car features a diesel engine with CO2 emissions of just 94 g/km – which gives it a 13% company car tax bracket for 2012/13.

And an astonishing 78.5mpg on offer  suggests the new Volvo will have highly competitive whole life company car management costs, too.