Monster crew cab 
Custom-built Volvo VHD “crew cab” pickup gives customers unforgettable experience touring facility in a one-of-a-kind ride
The Volvo Trucks New River Valley manufacturing plant just got a little more interesting. Customers and other visitors can now experience a fully equipped Volvo VHD – in modified pickup truck form.
The bright orange, one-of-a-kind Volvo VHD chassis has a full-size crew cab and a pickup truck bed. The four-door, five-seat vehicle is powered by an EPA 2010-certified 500-hp Volvo D13 engine and features an I-Shift transmission.
Designed and built by a team of engineers and production operators at the New River Valley plant, the truck is an example of Volvo’s innovation and craftsmanship.
“Volvo is known for high quality and innovative technologies,” said Patrick Collignon, vice president and general manager at the New River Valley facility. “The VHD pickup shows the depth of our capability and versatility, from the engineering to the design to the craftsmanship.”
Collignon added that the team of Volvo engineers and production operators behind the VHD pickup is proof of what a talented workforce can accomplish. 
“The New River Valley region has the workforce, the academic centers and the communities to support Volvo and our commitment to innovation,” he said
In addition to showcasing Volvo’s industry-leading ingenuity, the VHD pickup is a powerful sales tool.
The vehicle makes getting around the large New River Valley site unforgettable for customers and visitors.
They get a first-hand sense of Volvo truck comfort and performance as they tour the facility or are transported to and from the local hotels and airport.
“We spend a lot of time educating customers about our technology – how it works and the value it brings,” said Ron Huibers, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Volvo Trucks North America.
“But explaining how impressive the I-Shift technology is, for example, doesn’t replace the driving experience. The new VHD with I-Shift pickup allows people who are not professional drivers to experience the technology for themselves.”
In addition to providing an unforgettable ride-and-drive option for customers and visitors to the Volvo New River Valley plant, the VHD pickup will be an eye-catching attraction at trade shows, parades and other special events.
The VHD crew cab pickup dwarfs a conventional pickup. The roof of a Ford F-150, for example, reaches just under the side mirror of the VHD pickup.
“This truck is like a pickup that’s been seriously pumping iron,” said Collignon. “Everyone who sees it wants a photo. It will be a great addition to Volvo events.”
