Volvo Trucks introduces new FH series

“A truck that will carry us far into the future.” That is how Claes Nilsson,
President of Volvo Trucks, summarises the new versions of the Volvo FH and Volvo
FH16 that will be released shortly.
On Wednesday September 5, Volvo Trucks will launch new versions of the best
-selling Volvo FH and the prestigious Volvo FH16 (see the film on
www.youtube.com/VolvoTrucks).
“For almost two decades, the Volvo FH Series has provided haulage companies with
safety, efficient transport and high quality. With our new replacements, we are
going to be even better in all three areas,” says Claes Nilsson, President Volvo
Truck Corporation.

Setting a new standard

Never before has Volvo conducted so many tests among drivers and haulage firms
with the aim of ensuring that the new model meets the highest requirements. The
result is a product that not only meets today’s needs, it also offers properties
that nobody has previously experienced in a truck.
“It really is our customers who have influenced the end-product, and I’m
convinced that we’re setting a new benchmark for the entire truck industry,”
says Claes Nilsson.

“More like a car than a truck”

One prioritised goal in the development process was to create a truck with the
market’s best handling. Several structural improvements give the new Volvo FH
series a stable and flexible design, something that can be seen in a film
entitled “The Ballerina Stunt” on www.volvotrucks.com/fh where slackline walker
Faith Dickey walks the tightrope between two trucks travelling at 80 km/h.
“We’ve surpassed our expectations. The Volvo FH is more like a car than a truck
when it comes to precise response and confidence-inspiring directional
stability,” says Martin Palming, Product Manager at Volvo Trucks.

“Revolutionary” front suspension

With the new Volvo FH series comes a new Individual Front Suspension (IFS)
system for heavy trucks with left-hand drive.
“The Volvo FH without IFS will be number one on the market, but IFS is all set
to revolutionise handling in the truck world. The Volvo FH with IFS will have
the world’s best road manners,” says Martin Palming.

Individual front suspension means that each front wheel is suspended separately
from the other so it does not affect the movement of the other wheel. Since both
front wheels move individually, the result is gentler, more settled progress on
the road. Thanks to the fact that movements are not transmitted from one wheel
to the other, the sense of precision and control also increases.

Launch event on September 5

The world premiere and official launch of the Volvo FH Series will be held on
September 5 at 21.00 CET in Gothenburg. Parallel events are also being held in
Madrid, Birmingham, Paris, Rotterdam and Brussels. In addition, it will be
possible to follow the event live on the Internet, via the launch site
www.volvotrucks.com/fh.

Interest in the launch event is immense. For obvious reasons, according to Claes
Nilsson:
“For more than 15 years now the Volvo FH has been a reliable growth engine for
both Volvo Trucks and haulage companies the world over. The new Volvo FH will
play the same significant role. It’s an innovative truck that puts the driver in
firm focus while at the same time allowing haulage firms to do the best business
possible. It’s a truck that’s going to carry us far into the future.”

August 22, 2012

For further information, please contact:

Lennart Pilskog, Volvo Trucks Global Brand, phone +46 70 3183422, e-mail
Lennart.Pilskog@volvo.com

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Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and
demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks.
Customer support is secured via a global network of 2,300 dealers and workshops
in more than 140 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 16 countries across
the globe. In 2011 more than 115,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide.
Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for
marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services. The Group
also provides solutions for financing and service. Volvo´s work is based on the
core values quality, safety and environmental care.