Short Torque

Short Torque Volvo's new training center opened

Volvo Cars started the finals of the China competition for its international service award in its new training center in Shanghai on Wednesday, on the center's first day of use.

The Volvo China New Training Centre boasts standardization, people-centric service and digitalization to help dealership partners meet the high standards of professional and joyful service, according to a news release.

The 3,200-square-meter center has a training capacity of 75,000 trainees per year, 10 times that of the previous center, and is the largest and most modern center of all those of Volvo Cars worldwide.

Martin Persson, vice-president of customer service at Volvo Car Distribution (Shanghai) Co, said: "We are not only training the staff members with technologies, but also in corporate culture. ..Our service is customer-centric, with premium quality, and cares about environment and thinks about safety."

The premium carmaker expects its staff members to learn specific techniques and experience the marque's core values at the center, and convey their enjoyment to customers.

The Volvo International Service Training Award's China finals will last three days, and the winning team of a service consultant, a technician and a parts consultant will travel to Stockholm, Sweden, for the global final.

Start of China competition for Volvo 's national service award

No showgirls at Beijing auto show

There will be no showgirls at the Beijing auto show this year to ensure it is a professional event, the organizing committee said. The biennial event opens on April 25, with 1,600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions displaying 1,179 models during its 10-day run. There will be 112 global premieres, 46 concept cars and 147 new-energy vehicles, according to the organizing committee. It said the event would occupy 220,000 square meters, making it the largest auto show this year worldwide.

Naveco plans to introduce hybrid

Naveco, a commercial car division of the SAIC Group, said it plans to introduce a hybrid vehicle to consolidate its position in the Chinese market. The automaker released the plan earlier this month at an event to commemorate its introduction of technology in 1986 from Iveco, The Italian brand Fiat's commercial vehicle unit. Established in 1996, Naveco sold 20,815 vehicles in the first quarter of 2016, a slight increase of 0.92 percent year-on-year, while the country's commercial vehicle sector saw a 0.3 percent dip year-on-year in the same period.

Motoring

(China Daily 04/18/2016 page18)