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Posts Tagged ‘Volvo’

Volvo Boss: Five-Door V40 Hatch “Probably Not” Coming to the U.S., New XC90 Again Confirmed for 2014

18 Jan

Volvo’s upcoming V40 hatchback is set to debut at the 2012 Geneva auto show, but it will “probably not” come to the U.S., the company’s CEO, Stefan Jacoby, told us recently.

The hatchback, which is based on architecture evolved from the jointly used platform underpinning the S40 sedan, Ford Focus, and Mazda 3, doesn’t fit into the company’s product plans in the States. Volvo said in the past year that it would delete both the S40 sedan and the V50 wagon from its U.S. product lineup; the C70 convertible, meanwhile, has been given an expiration date of January 1, 2014, and no replacement has been confirmed. We’ve even heard that the C30 hatchback, a three-door car that’s not terribly practical, may bite the bullet globally.

Jacoby explained that Volvo is paring its U.S. lineup to focus on its volume products: the S60 sedan, the XC70 wagon, and the XC60 and XC90 crossovers. In relative terms, Volvo is a small company—it sold roughly 67,000 cars in the U.S. in 2011, compared to about 306,000 by BMW—and can’t support marketing, sales, and service for a broad range of products.

New XC90 Crossover in 2014

Jacoby also (re-)confirmed that a new XC90—the current version of which debuted at the Detroit auto show in 2002—finally will arrive in the U.S. in 2014. The image you see above is one of a trio of preview sketches the company released at the most recent L.A. auto show.

While Volvo is currently shrinking its American lineup, it nevertheless is still busy preparing new products. The company’s flexible new SPA architecture is moving along and will launch in a few years; the same is true of a new, highly configurable four-cylinder-engine family. (You can read more about both in our coverage of the recent Volvo Concept You.) Using similar chassis and powertrain tech across the entire portfolio will drastically reduce service complexity and equipment costs for dealers, so it’s possible that Volvo will again offer a wider range of products here once these engines and platforms join with sheetmetal.

 
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Volvo Designer Re-Imagines the 1960s-Era P1800 Sports Car for Its 50th Anniversary

09 Dec

To honor the 50th anniversary of its P1800, Volvo had its design director Christopher Benjamin pen a few sketches of what he thinks the P1800 of today might look like. An attractive 2+2 coupe that first bowed in 1961, the P1800 was later joined by an even-cooler hatchback/shooting brake iteration. In its day, the P1800 was more of a grand tourer than a sports car, but over its lifespan, it was still the sportiest member of Volvo’s lineup.

Benjamin’s sketches, posted on Facebook for public feedback, show a thoroughly modern coupe that borrows just enough detail from the classic P1800 for a familial link, but not so much that it can be considered retro. The basic grille shape and well-balanced proportions are shared with the old car, and Benjamin also incorporated the P1800’s signature upswept body-side character line. He even cleverly echoed that car’s “bull horn” front bumpers with subtle character lines on the concept’s front fascia.

The original coupe’s design was so good that it went nearly unchanged until it went out of production 11 years later in 1972. The hatchback model, called the ES, joined the lineup in 1971 and lasted until 1973. Its all-glass hatch served as inspiration for the current C30‘s funky rear end. With Volvo canceling less-profitable models left and right, it seems unlikely to devote resources to a low-volume sports car. Then again, CEO Stefan Jacoby has made it clear that the company is thinking about a replacement for the C70; maybe these sketches will influence that car’s shape.

 
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Posted in Concept, Road Safety Tips, Road Sign

 

Volvo to Offer Polestar Performance Tuning Packages for Turbo Fives and Sixes

28 Nov

Volvo is getting in on the factory performance-upgrade game with a new series of engine-tuning packages for certain T5- and T6-powered models. The upgrades are the work of Polestar, Volvo’s motorsports partner, and are similar to BMW’s performance kits for the 135i and 335i. Polestar’s ECU tweaks crank up the boost, alter throttle mapping, and advance spark timing to give Volvo’s turbocharged inline-five and inline-six engines not-so-modest power bumps.

In C30, C70, and S40 models, the T5 produces 227 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, while the T6 in the S60 and XC60 stumps up a healthy 300 hp and 325 lb-ft. Polestar’s tuning beefs up the T5 to 250 hp and 273 lb-ft (the same tune was applied to the limited-edition C70 Inscription that recently debuted at the L.A. auto show). The T6 sees output rise by 25 hp and 29 lb-ft to 325 hp and 354 lb-ft. Volvo R-Design fans will recognize those figures, as they are the same produced by the S60 and XC60 R-Design models.

The added power isn’t the only good news: The T5 upgrade costs just $1295 and the T6 $1495; both prices include the reprogramming work. Furthermore, because the tuning is restricted to the engine computer, it isn’t limited to any single car. Thus, the Polestar power boost is available for a wide range of old and new Volvos. Manual or automatic 2008–12 T5-powered C30s, C70s, and S40s can benefit from the software, as can the automatic-only 2011 T6 S60 and 2011–12 XC60s. Aficionados of small, slow-selling wagons in limited configurations, you may now rejoice: The all-wheel-drive V50 with a manual will soon join the approved list. As for the other vehicles mentioned, the T5 boost is already available at any Volvo dealership, and the T6 upgrades begin December 5. Both software packages are fully warranted and Volvo says they maintain factory fuel-economy estimates. Real-world mileage, however, is likely to suffer.

 
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Posted in Road Safety Tips, Road Sign

 

The People’s Allroad: Volkswagen Passat Alltrack to Debut in Tokyo

23 Nov

VW is expanding its lineup—in some markets—with a mildly modified Passat posing as a crossover model. Available only as a station wagon, the Passat Alltrack is a brother in spirit of the European-market CrossPolo, CrossGolf (which is based on the high-roof Golf Plus), and Touran Cross. Changes made to the regular Passat wagon to create the Alltrack include the addition of SUV-style bumpers, wider fenders and body-side moldings, and increased ground clearance.

VW says the Passat Alltrack is an alternative to an SUV; front- and all-wheel drive are available. The 140-hp diesel TDI four and the 160-hp gas-burning TSI four engine come with front-wheel drive; 4MOTION all-wheel drive is optional on the 140-hp TDI, and it is standard on the two top models, a 170-hp TDI and a 210-hp TSI.

Volkswagen Golf Country

The Passat Alltrack will make its first appearance at the upcoming Tokyo motor show and will be offered at dealers next year; as it is based on the European-market Passat (first drive review here), there is no chance the model will be offered here.

While a number of carmakers offer crossover models of this type—the Subaru Outback, Audi’s Allroad wagons, and the Volvo XC70 come to mind—VW can legitimately claim to be one of the segment’s pioneers with the prohibitively expensive Golf Country, which was launched in 1989. Ridiculed back then, the slow-selling model is now a sought-after collectors’ item. Go figure.


2011 Tokyo auto show full coverage

 
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Posted in Concept, Road Sign

 

2012 Buick Regal GS vs. 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design: Two Comfort Kings Consult the Book of Changes

18 Nov

2012 Buick Regal GS vs. 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design

China Syndrome: Buick and Volvo owe their continuing existence to China. The Regal GS and the S60 R-Design show the brands’ great aspirations.

Depending on whom you ask, China is either a rising dragon or a paper tiger. But one thing is for certain: The Middle Kingdom is a monster car market. Eighteen million cars, trucks, and buses were sold there in 2010, a jump of 32 percent from 2009. Another certainty is that both Buick and Volvo owe their continuances to China. The former due to a revered brand status that dates back to when that country’s various heads of state were choosing Flint’s finest and the latter due to Geely’s purchase last year.

Keep Reading: 2012 Buick Regal GS vs. 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design – Comparison Tests

 
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Limited-Edition 2012 Volvo C70 Inscription to Debut at L.A.; 500 Examples Coming to U.S.

08 Nov

Volvo’s C70 folding hardtop convertible may soon go the way of the dodo, but at least it’s going out in style: This limited-edition 2012 C70 Inscription will debut at the upcoming L.A. auto show before going on sale next year. Volvo describes the Inscription as “perhaps the ultimate expression of our iconic hardtop convertible.” Iconic? Probably not. Ultimate expression? We’ll play along: The car bundles not only the typical special-model styling upgrades, but a healthy power boost as well.

Cosmetically, the Inscription gets a gloss-black grille, black 18-inch wheels, and a rear spoiler, and is available only in Ice White or Black Sapphire Metallic. LED daytime running lights and xenon active headlamps are standard. It’s the interior, however, that really sets the C70 Inscription apart. The seats are upholstered in “Sovereign Hide,” and the dash is wrapped in leather and features contrasting stitching. In case the fancy interior trappings fail to remind of the Inscription’s specialness, Volvo embroidered “Inscription” onto the headrests and also throws in special floor mats and a unique handbrake lever.

The Volvo C70 may be a looker—even more so after its recent refresh for 2011—but the folding hard top and structural bracing mean it’s not exactly light or lithe. Reinforcing the standard car’s relaxed attitude is its 227-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a five-speed automatic. For the Inscription, Volvo squeezed out an additional 23 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque from the turbo five (for new sums of 250 hp and 273 lb-ft). The power bump comes courtesy of some ECU tuning by Volvo’s racing partner, Polestar.

Volvo has yet to announce pricing for the C70 Inscription, but it will undoubtedly carry a nice premium over the C70’s $40,825 base price. The company is planning a 2000-car global production run, with 500 of those units slated for the U.S. The limited production numbers and unique features ensure exclusivity, and make the Inscription an enticing swan song for Volvo’s attractive boulevardier.

2011 L.A. auto show full coverage

 
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Posted in Road Safety Tips, Road Sign

 

Volvo Recalls C70, S60 Vehicles for Mislabeled Spare Tires

01 Nov

Volvo is recalling certain models of vehicle due to incorrect label information on the spare tire that came with the recalled cars, report news sources.

Subject to recall are approximately 20,000 C70 and S60 vehicles. The C70 vehicles were manufactured from November 2005 through July 2011; the S60 models were built from July 2010 through April 2011. The recall stems from a label for the spare tire having incorrect tire pressure information. The correct tire pressure information was contained in the owner’s manual and on the tire itself.

Volvo determined that for vehicles that had the spare tire added at port or by the dealer, the label information may have been incorrect. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has urged the automaker to correct the situation.

As a Columbia car accident lawyer, motorist safety is something that I am very aware of; I encourage owners of the recalled vehicles to make sure they are aware of correct tire pressure for their vehicle’s spare tire. Because of my experience as a Columbia personal injury attorney, I know that the effects of a faulty product can range from inconvenience and frustration to injury and sometimes death. I hope that no one has been harmed as a result of the mislabeling issue.

Volvo Recalls C70, S60 Vehicles for Mislabeled Spare Tires is a post from: South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Related posts:

  1. Volvo Recalls Vehicles for Faulty Fuel Pump
  2. Volvo Recalls Vehicles for Steering Issue
  3. Volvo Recalls 7,500 Vehicles
  4. Audi Recalls Some A3 Vehicles Due to Fuel Leak, Fire Risks

 
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Now Sixty-Six Percent More Practical! Volvo’s Five-Door C30 Hatchback Spied

12 Oct

2013 Volvo C30 5-door (spy photo)

Volvo’s C30 hatchback may be attractive and a decent value, but its packaging prioritizes style over function in a very un-Volvo way. With just one door on each side and a small rear opening, the C30 would have a hard time challenging a VW Golf or Audi A3 in day-to-day practicality. And for Volvo’s sake that’s exactly what it needs to do.

The heavily disguised car you see above is probably the five-door version of the C30. Whether it’ll still be called a C30, or the badge reads V30 or H30—Volvo filed for a trademark for the latter last year—it’s too early to say. Based on the stance of the vehicle in these pictures, it seems like it’s riding too low to be the compact XC30 crossover that we’ve learned will, eventually, make it to production.

2013 Volvo C30 5-door (spy photo)

Regardless of name, expect the five-door hatch/wagon to be more practical than the current C30. It should seat five comfortably and, as a result of its more conventional shape, the glass hatchback door appears to have been replaced with a more normal half-glass/half-metal unit. Chances are it will be powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines—Volvo has told us, after all, that in the future it will only sell cars with four-pots—and Europeans will no doubt have a slate of diesel and gasoline engines from which to choose.

As for Americans, the future of both the five- and three-door C30 is unclear. Volvo is having a hard time selling small cars anywhere—especially in the States—and has been dropping models left and right. The S40 sedan and V50 have both been canceled in response to dismal sales. At the time that decision was announced, the company said that the C30 hatch and C70 convertible would live on, as they were always expected to be niche products. But since then, the C70 convertible has been given an expiration date, with no confirmation yet of a replacement model. This may very well mean that the five-door C30 is a nonstarter for the U.S., too.

2013 Volvo C30 5-door (spy photo)

 
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2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Long-Term Test Intro: A Polar Bear Moves into C/D’s Vehicular Zoo

20 Sep

2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD

A polar bear moves into Car and Driver’s vehicular zoo.

Last year’s purchase of Volvo by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited can be summed up in two words, which also happen to be one translation of Geely’s Mandarin name:  good luck. The double whammy of a global recession and anxiety over the transaction prompted a near-death experience for the venerable Swedish brand: Only 21,423 Volvos were delivered in the U.S. in 2010, down by more than 100,000 units from the decade’s highest mark.

Keep Reading: 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD – Long-Term Road Test Intro

 
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Volvo Concept You Debuts in Frankfurt: Finding the Way to the Next S80

13 Sep

Volvo Concept You

Volvo wants You to help it figure out what its customers want.

Volvo wants a better idea of what luxury buyers desire in a D-segment sedan, and it’s testing the waters by building concepts to gauge reactions in important markets. The Concept Universe, shown earlier this year in Shanghai and used to poll consumers there, was the first such endeavor, and the Concept You debuting at the Frankfurt auto show is the brand’s next crack at a new flagship design.

Click here for full coverage of the 2011 Frankfurt auto show.

Keep Reading: Volvo Concept You – Auto Shows

 
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Volvo Caps Future Engines at Four Cylinders

13 Sep


Four, according to Volvo president and CEO Stefan Jacoby, is enough. During the unveiling of the brand’s Concept You in Frankfurt, Jacoby announced that V-8s and six-cylinders are out, to be replaced in the Volvo lineup by efficient and assisted four-cylinders.

Fours in place of sixes and sixes traded for eights are becoming more commonplace, but this may be the most extreme commitment to downsizing we’ve seen. Once the current S80′s tenure is up, the Concept You—or something like it—will sit atop the Volvo lineup, motivated by what we assume will be a turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder. Volvo’s next large sedan will weigh several hundred pounds less as well—some of that due to the cylinder and displacement reductions themselves—making the small-engine pill somewhat easier to swallow. The goal is to produce four-cylinder engines that are more efficient than the current ones, with more power than today’s V-6s. And what will they sound like? “Not exactly like a V-8, but close.” They’re working on it.

 
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Volvo Gives a Glimpse at Frankfurt “Concept You” in New Video

08 Sep

Volvo has released a video clip previewing the Concept You it’s bringing to the 2011 Frankfurt auto show next week, and the car looks like an evolution of the automaker’s recent Concept Universe. In fact, we think it might be just a slightly tweaked version of the Universe, which was unveiled at this year’s Shanghai auto show. At that show Volvo played up the Universe’s China-centric design and importance, but promised it would show the concept in other parts of the world later.

The You’s front end—it is shown briefly as a sketch during the clip—wears a look that is very similar to that of the Universe, but with more traditional Volvo detailing. The Universe’s strange grille slats and headlight design gives way to Volvo’s signature eggcrate grille and headlights that feature what look like horizontal rows of LEDs on the You. The You’s hood even features a Universe-like semi-circular power dome on the hood. If the You is an extension of the Universe, we hope it looks more interesting; we described that car as being “styled with all the innovation of a Top 40 pop song.” We will have to wait and see what Volvo’s Concept You has in store when it is unveiled in Frankfurt.

Click here for full coverage of the 2011 Frankfurt auto show.

 
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2012 Volvo S60 R-Design First Drive: Return of the Volvo S60R—Kind Of

16 Aug

2012 Volvo S60 R-Design

Volvo’s newest R-Design has more R than design. We’re okay with that.

“High performance” is not a descriptor typically employed for products from Volvo, the safety-savvy Swedish company previously operated by Ford and now owned by China’s Geely. But three years after cancelling its R-badged performance derivatives of the V70 and S60, Volvo is dipping its toes back into the sporty pool with the 2012 S60 R-Design, a more powerful, more stiffly sprung version of the firm’s mid-size sedan. (The XC60 R-Design, which was introduced last year with an upgraded suspension, also gets a power boost for 2012.) While this higher-performance S60 shares the throne of most powerful production Volvo ever with its sister XC60 R-Design, it has an uphill battle to win over the Euro-sport constituency—it’s priced right up against some serious and well-established competition.

Keep Reading: 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design – First Drive Review

 
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DriverAlertControl: Volvo’s new automotive safety technology

12 Mar

Recently, Volvo Motor Company has made a breakthrough in security technology innovation. They developed a new automotive safety technology, named DriverAlertControl. DriverAlertControl could effectively avoid the distraction and fatigue of drivers and brake automatically.

The DriverAlertControl system is make up with a camera, a number of sensors and a control unit, will be applied to the Volvo car In the near future.

 
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