Vern's Volvo

Vern’s Volvo is the car that he is currently driving. The question is worded using “is” as the verb. Therefore, we are talking about the present and not the past. In the past, the heap of parts was a part of Vern’s Volvo. But in the present, Vern is driving the Volvo and not the heap of parts. Additionally, the apostrophe that follows his name indicates possession. Vern does not own the heap of parts anymore. It is Grace’s property. Even if Grace could assemble those parts into a car, the car would not be Vern’s property.
The main problem with this question is that as humans we have the illusion of that objects must remain in their original forms to be called their original names. For some people, not only are inanimate objects constant, but human beings can also never change. Just the other day, as I was on my way to school I was listening to National Public Radio. The radio station reported that a Wesleyan University study found prisoners who were given education were much more likely to lead productive lives after their term compared to the normal prisoners. In a world in which some people believe death row is the only solution to capital crimes, this case study deflates that theory. The prisoners changed their attitudes toward life, yet they still are themselves. Even though people and cars experience change, their inner essence still exists. People are still people, and cars are still cars. Vern’s Volvo may have changed parts, but it still functions as a car. It has not suddenly metamorphosized into person or a bug. Similarly, a person could undergo plastic surgery or a kidney transplant, yet he would still retain his identity as a human being.
Essentially, the word “Volvo” is too strict. As I initially read the question, I was convinced that the heap of parts was the right answer. Yet, I have come to realize that the word “Volvo” is essentially a stereotype. A Volvo does not have to have its original parts to be called a “Volvo.” It does not even have to carry the Volvo logo. Just as a person does not have to conform to the stereotypes of his race, gender, or culture; Vern’s Volvo is not strictly limited to the original parts of the Volvo Company.
But above all, the most important aspect is that the question asks: which is Vern’s Volvo. The car parts are not the property of Vern’s anymore. He has given them to Grace. Therefore, as Grace is the owner of the parts, Vern cannot own the parts and thus the parts cannot logically be in his and Grace’s possession at the same time. On a side note of irony, Ford has recently sold the Volvo brand to Geely, a Chinese car brand. Like Vern, Ford cannot simultaneously sell and consider Volvo to be its brand.