GÖTEBORG, SWEDEN – Volvo Cars is starting the countdown to the Volvo Ocean Race by launching a series of specially designed cars. The new Volvo Ocean Race Edition encompasses three models: the Volvo V70, Volvo XC70, and Volvo XC90. Customers can choose between two exterior colors: Ocean Blue and Electric Silver.

“The Volvo Ocean Race reflects the values that our customers look for when they choose a car. It’s all about an active lifestyle, adventure, and passion,” said Lennart Stegland, president of the Special Vehicles division at Volvo Cars. “The cars in the Volvo Ocean Race Edition radiate all this. We are convinced that the marine design connection will make them very attractive.”

When Volvo organized the Volvo Ocean Race the very first time in 2001-2002, the company sold 4,500 special edition Volvo V70s and X70s. In conjunction with the 2005-2006 race, the Ocean Blue family was extended with the Volvo XC90 and sales increased to 8,600 cars. The most recent Volvo Ocean Race Edition will reach dealers in June 2008, and Volvo Cars expects to sell about 9,000 cars. The five largest markets are Germany, Sweden, Finland, Great Britain, and Japan.

The Volvo Ocean Race emblem has a new, more exclusive design, and the cars’ marine aura is enhanced by the Ocean Blue livery in combination with exterior details in chrome. The Volvo Ocean Race Edition cars are also available in Electric Silver. All the cars feature full leather upholstery in exclusive soft leather and the interior is available in soft beige or offblack, with the center console and other details in a silk matt aluminium finish. The cars in the Volvo Ocean Race Edition series can be specified with the full range of engine alternatives available for each respective model and market.

The Volvo Ocean Race is an extreme race that consists of 10 legs. The vessels start off on Oct. 4 from Alicante in Spain. The finishing line is in St Petersburg, Russia, on Jun. 27, 2009, after stops in Cape Town (South Africa), Kochi (India), Singapore, Qingdao (China), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Boston (USA), Galway (Ireland), Göteborg (Sweden), and Stockholm (Sweden). The 2008-2009 event also includes an inshore race in most of the ports.