Wilfred if you take the Volvo for a run through the forest--- or in our local area narrow offroad bush tracks (unmade 4 wheel drive roads) with harsh vegetation such as Tea tree and Bansksia & Prickly Moses on either side of track, the wooden strips have no hope of preventing scratches from branches on paintwork on sides of Volvo. This damage to paintwork discourages many late model Toyota Landcruiser drivers (who spent AUD 60-100k for car) from going offroad. Only the the dedicated are prepared to sacrifice the shiny paint and polish the scratches out.
If anything the wooden strips on the TGB should be relocated closer to the ground (along the bottom of skirt) to protect doors when opening and careless sedan drivers in shopping centre carparks.