Volvo is back.
That's the message dealers are trumpeting, says Chip Gengras, 46, chairman of the Volvo Retailer Advisory Board.
But Volvo's annual U.S. sales need to reach 100,000 vehicles to give dealers the impetus to make further investments in their stores, he said.
Last year, Volvo sales rose to 70,047 in the United States, an increase of 24 percent from 2014. U.S. sales peaked at 139,067 vehicles in 2004.
Volvo Car USA executives have said they expect sales of at least 100,000 in 2017.
The dealer board has seen Volvo's future vehicles, and there's optimism among retailers, Gengras said.
The redesigned XC90 crossover that went on sale last year has won numerous awards and accolades from the press and customers, said Gengras, owner of Gengras Motor Cars in East Hartford, Conn.
Its two stablemates -- the S90 sedan and V90 wagon -- both go on sale this year.
Each Volvo family, including the compact 60 and the even smaller 40, will have the same three variants as the 90: a sedan, crossover and wagon, Gengras said.
The long-wheelbase S60 Inscription compact sedan was launched last year but hasn't been moving as briskly as dealers want because of inadequate marketing, he said. It is the first car built in China that is being sold in the U.S.
Customers haven't asked, nor do they appear to care, about the car being made in China.
