Dolph Lundgren Puts Volvo Excavators Through the Most Epic Drill Ever

Volvo has teamed up with Swedish star Dolph Lundgren to showcase the ultimate in excavator endurance in stunt-filled mini-movie Pump It Up, created by Forsman & Bodenfors.

Revealing the toughness, versatility and intelligent engineering behind Volvo CE's full range of excavators, the film tests the limits of heavy equipment during an exhilarating and entertaining army bootcamp, led by drill instructor Dolph Lundgren. The '80s powerhouse behind films including Rocky IV, Universal Soldier and The Expendables drives the action in a cinematic display of man against machine.

In the film – a comic nod to the action movies that Dolph Lundgren is renowned for – a line-up of Volvo excavators weighing between 1.5 to 95 tons are put through their paces in an exhausting assault course. The spot was directed by Tompa & Rondo, and produced by The Producers in Sweden. 

During a series of extraordinary stunts, the machines are seen pulling Dolph Lundgren atop a huge concrete block , flipping gigantic tires across a muddy track and taking part in what is thought to be the world's first ever excavator pull-up – fulfilling the film's final message that they really are 'excavators for any challenge'. All of this is set to the iconic beat of the 1989 hit song 'Pump up the Jam' by Belgian music group Technotronic.

Bill Law, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Volvo CE, said: "This is a good demonstration of the flexibility and strength of our excavators, from the small to the mighty. The result is a feel-good mini movie with Hollywood impact. Some of these stunts are a little out of the ordinary, but we wanted to be daring and set ourselves a challenge to push them further. Our excavators work hard every day at construction sites all over the world, something that requires precisely that power and stamina, together with skilled operators behind the wheel."

With a background in engineering and a scholarship to the renowned US university MIT, Dolph Lundgren is well matched against the brains and brawn of Volvo's excavator range: "This job was probably the most unusual role I've ever taken on. It was fascinating to see Volvo's excavators and its skilled operators performing all the various physical exercises - with absolutely no movie stunts involved," he said. "Honestly, I didn't think it was even possible. Being born in Sweden, I have a long relationship with this classic Swedish brand. As a young boy, I rode in the back of my dad's Volvo.  To me, Volvo represents some great Scandinavian values, like clean design, excellent quality and a true care for the environment. I'm really pleased to get this opportunity for us to work together."