Very much depends on how you define “premium”.
That would make a very good topic/debate on it’s own!
As for Volvo, whilst, always safety orientated, Volvo only started to transform into what is now “defined”, as a premium brand during the mid 2015’s, during Geely’s push to upmarket Volvo and enter it into the premium segment, to try strenghen it’s position in the premium market and increase brand perception.
As for another (once) Swedish brand, I often wonder where Saab would be today, if it had got into the right hands!
However, I think alot will change in the not so distant futue, where the automotive market is concerned, as both mainstream and premium european brands are either at a stand still or going backwards and you only have to look at VW for the latter.
Indeed @Rene a very good afternoon topic, I think!