Editing Volvo (section)

===Partnerships and merging attempts===
In 1977, Volvo tried to combine operations with rival Swedish automotive group [[Saab-Scania]], but the latter company rejected it.<ref name="B2"/>

Between 1978<ref name="B2"/> and 1981, Volvo acquired [[Beijerinvest]], a trading company involved in the oil, food, and finance businesses. In 1981, those sectors represented about three quarters of Volvo's revenue, while the automotive sector amounted for most of the rest. In 1982, the company completed the acquisition of [[White Motor Corporation]]'s assets.<ref name=diver/>

In the early 1970s, French manufacturer [[Renault]] and Volvo started to collaborate.<ref name=R1985/> In 1978, [[Volvo Cars|Volvo Car Corporation]] was spun off as a separate company within the Volvo group<ref>{{cite book |last=Styhre |first=Alexander |title=The Innovative Bureaucracy: Bureaucracy in an Age of Fluidity |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-203-96433-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TW99AgAAQBAJ&q=Volvo&pg=PT204 |access-date=21 October 2020 |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406043917/https://books.google.com/books?id=TW99AgAAQBAJ&q=Volvo&pg=PT204 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Renault acquired a minority stake,<ref name="B2"/> before selling it back in the 1980s after a restructuring.<ref name=R1985/> In the 1990s, Renault and Volvo deepened their collaboration and both companies partnered in purchasing, research and development and quality control while increasing their cross-ownership. Renault would assist Volvo with entry-level and medium segment vehicles and in return, Volvo would share technology with Renault in upper segments. In 1993, a 1994 Volvo-Renault merger deal was announced. The deal was barely accepted in France, but it was opposed in Sweden, and the Volvo shareholders and company board voted against it.<ref name="B2"/><ref name=R1985>{{cite journal |date=2004 |url=http://www.cddc.vt.edu/digitalfordism/fordism_materials/Donnelly.pdf |last1=Donnelly |first1=Tom |last2=Donnelly |first2=Tim |last3=Morris |first3=David |title=Renault 1985–2000: From bankruptcy to profit |issue=30 |series=Working papers (Caen Innovation Marché Entreprise) |oclc=799704146 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060920122519/http://www.cddc.vt.edu/digitalfordism/fordism_materials/Donnelly.pdf |archive-date=20 September 2006}}</ref> The alliance was officially dissolved in February 1994 and Volvo sold off its minority Renault stake in 1997.<ref name="B2"/> In the 1990s, Volvo also divested from most of its activities outside vehicles and engines.<ref name="B2"/>

In 1991, the Volvo Group participated in a joint venture with Japanese automaker [[Mitsubishi Motors]]  at the former [[DAF Trucks#Car business|DAF]] plant in [[Sittard-Geleen#Born|Born]], Netherlands. The operation, branded [[NedCar]], began producing the first generation [[Mitsubishi Carisma]] alongside the [[Volvo S40|Volvo S40/V40]] in 1996.<ref name="awr">[http://www.automotiveworld.com/VMSI/about.asp?profileid=4 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Vehicle Manufacturer Strategic Insight] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223231158/http://automotiveworld.com/VMSI/about.asp?profileid=4 |date=23 February 2009 }}, Automotive World (subscription required)</ref><ref name="nedcar_history">{{cite web |url=http://www.nedcar.nl/content/view/19/34/lang,en/ |title=Once upon a time..." History, Nedcar.nl website |publisher=Nedcar.nl |date=1 May 2006 |access-date=16 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070729195627/http://www.nedcar.nl/content/view/19/34/lang,en/ |archive-date=29 July 2007 }}</ref> During the 1990s, Volvo also partnered with the American manufacturer [[General Motors]]. In 1999, the [[European Union]] blocked a merger with [[Scania AB]].<ref name="B2"/>