Thought you guys and gals may be interested in reading my first article for ROLLING. Let me know what you think.


Hudson Valley Volvo’s 4th Annual “Beach Party”

Hudson Valley Volvo, in Wappingers Falls, NY, hosted our 4th Annual “Beach Party” on July 23, 2005. The “Beach Party” started out as just another idea for a sales promotion to help drive business during what was usually a slow month for new car sales, as most people are away on vacation during July. The inaugural year was so successful that we brought it back for an encore the following July. Each year since, traffic to the dealership has increased and sales have grown as a direct result of this curious event. Curious because there is actually no beach in Wappingers Falls!

Details, details, details. Who needs a beach when you have a DJ, free food, promotional give-aways, a raffle for a vacation get away, end of the model year savings on new Volvos and of course vintage Volvos on display! This year was better than ever. Inflatable palm trees, July heat with a cooling breeze, paper parrots and sales consultants in tropical attire welcoming our guests with Hawaiian leis all helped to set the tone for a fun departure from car sales as usual. All in attendance tapped their feet and danced the day away to DJ Phil’s turn table wizardry while being well fed by our friends from The Wooden Nickel of Mahopac, NY. The kids enjoyed making sand castles in our showroom “beach front” and batting the beach balls around while giving dad time to discuss the great deals on a new XC 90 or maybe letting mom road test the 300 horse power S60 R.

Volvo’s rich heritage for quality, dependability and longevity could not be better emphasized than by showing off our history collection. Previous gatherings have seen Volvo’s oldest car in the United States, a 1927 PV 4, one of automotive history’s most sought after cars, a 1956 P 1900 and even a 1957 PV 445 pick-up truck. This year’s vintage Volvos included the following privately owned autos. A 1988 244 GL owned by General Manager Raul Colon, a 1960 PV 544 Sport owned by Sales Manager Gabe Levy and a 1960 PV 445 owned by one of our loyal customers Len Sapiro. (Len owns Pegasus Shoes in Woodstock and New Paltz, NY. Stop in and see his great selection of unique footwear or just ogle his gorgeous Duett!) Volvo Cars of North America also participated by lending us an extremely rare 1957 TP 21. Otherwise known as a Suga or as we all affectionately call it the “Hogster”.

The TP 21 was primarily used for radio communications by the Swedish Defense Forces for over three decades. Based on the PV 830 taxi but with a shortened wheel base and taller ground clearance for better off road capabilities, the TP 21 proved very effective and was the leading vehicle of its kind in the world. Sugas were produced during the years 1953 - 1958. Our “loaner car” for the “Beach Party” was chassis number 430 out of a total 724 ever made. A brief technical specification listing rates this 7050 pound rarity at 90 HP @ 3600 RPM and 49 lb/ft of torque @ 1400 RPM. A 3.67 liter straight 6 and a 4 speed manual gearbox drives the “Hogster” to a top speed of 55 MPH. At 9.8 miles / gallon on the highway and 3.6 miles / gallon off road and today’s gas prices the smart money is definitely on a new XC 90 V8 rather than this old Swede!

Did you know VCOA members are entitled to receive an extra $500 rebate from Volvo Cars North America on the purchase or lease of any new Volvo as part of VCNA’s Corporate Sales Program. Or, if you would like to see more of Volvo’s History Collection, take a tour of the Volvo Museum when you see “Europe by Volvo”, taking advantage of their amazing European Delivery program. For more details on these or any other current offerings please contact Hudson Valley Volvo or your local Volvo retailer.

Hudson Valley Volvo is a proud member of The Premier Collection family of automotive retailers operating 12 unique facilities in New York and Connecticut. Please visit our web sites, www.thepremiercollection.com and www.hudsonvalleyvolvo.com for the best overall value…period.

To all those that attended, enjoy your Hudson Valley Volvo beach towels and thanks for spending some time getting to know us. For those that missed the “Beach Party”, we hope to see you next year. Volvo for life!