The Ford-pwned Swedes say 2007 will be the last model year for cars bearing the R designation. That's how Volvo denotes souped-up models like the S60R and V70R. The loss of a high-performance sub-brand may be bad news for fans of the "flying bricks," but the move is a response to poor sales. According to Automotive News, the company has met only a fraction of its sales target for R models. Last year it only sold 1,098 S60Rs and 538 V70Rs, compared with expected sales of 3,800). The R cars were to have expanded the perception of Volvo's models to encompass a high-performance orientation. Instead they confused the crap out of suburban professionals, who thought they'd wandered into a BMW dealership.
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