Stefan Jacoby Steps Down as Volvo's CEO, is Replaced by Hakan Samuelsson

Stefan Jacoby's tenure as CEO of the Volvo Car Group has ended after only a little over two years with the Swedish carmaker announcing that he is being replaced by Håkan Samuelsson, currently Board member and former chief of MAN trucking, effective immediately.

Even though Jacoby did suffer a mild stroke last month, the vice chairman of Volvo Car Group, Hans-Olov Olsson told reporters that that his health was not the reason why Volvo's board members decided to replace him.

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Peter Horbury Talks About the Future of Chinese Auto Design

Unlike other powerhouses in the auto industry from Germany, Japan and the U.S., Chinese carmakers are still trying to find their way when it comes to design, with a sizable portion of domestic brands simply copying styling elements or even vehicles in whole from Western brands.

There are of course plenty of other vehicle manufacturers from China that are experimenting with designs in a bid to develop their own individual and distinct styles with mixed results.

One designer who is not only closely observing what is going on in China but is also participating in the process of defining the indigenous auto design is Peter Horbury, who last year moved to China to take over the role of senior vice president of design at Geely, Volvo’s corporate sibling under the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

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It's All About the Grille: Geely Englon SC7 Saloon and Hatchback Concepts

You would be forgiven to think that the design team behind the Bentley EXP 9 F study from Geneva had something to do with the styling of the Geely Englon SC7 concepts from the Auto China 2012 in Beijing.

However, you may be very surprised to know that the SC7-RV hatchback is based on one of Geely Englon's older studies from 2010 on a replacement for the classic London Cab, the TXN.

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Wanted: Automotive Partner for Small Car Development; Contact Volvo

Going it alone on new model development is a costly endeavor even for large automotive groups – and practically out of the question for smaller manufacturers.

Volvo until now has built all of its models around the platforms and powertrains from its former owner Ford. Now it is seeking a new partner to jointly develop its next generation of compact models.

Currently owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, Volvo recorded an impressive 20 percent increase in sales last year. Still, with some 450,000 units, it remains a small player in the global automotive industry, thus the need for cost sharing on new model development.

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