Auto News & New car review

If our 234bhp ‘Grand Challenge’ Lexus Soarer smokes its inside rear wheel like a bastard (as they say) at the slightest provocation, then how does our new Volvo C30 T5 manage to put down just 7bhp less through its front wheels? The answer is pretty darn well, actually. Read the rest of this entry »

Inside and out, the all-new Volvo S80 provides first-class luxury and safety features, a V8 engine and All-Wheel Drive.

The S80 also features Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning and Brake Support. Not only does the system automatically maintain a selected distance to the vehicle in front; even when it’s off, a buzzer and warning lights will alert the driver if the gap to the vehicle in front closes too quickly. At the same time, it prepares the braking system for sudden use. Read the rest of this entry »

“The S80 is all about evolutionary design – all the shapes and materials represent a continuous development of our design language” says Steve Mattin, Volvo Cars’ design director. “On the outside, we have given the S80 a more youthful, dynamic stance. Inside we have created an even more inviting atmosphere with refined materials that blend smoothly with smart, user-friendly technology.” Read the rest of this entry »

The stunning Volvo C70 is two cars in one; a spacious 4-seater coupe with eye catching style and, in just 30 seconds, a striking convertible; simply perfect for whirling away those summer days. The car’s good looks, class leading safety standards, refined driving experience and high quality equipment levels are now joined by two more tempting features. RTI Navigation System and Keyless Drive, worth £2,200 are available on all new C70’s at no extra cost from April this year. Read the rest of this entry »

Volvo’s new sports inspired R-Design package is now available on the Volvo XC90 and is given its first public appearance at the North American International Auto Show this month. Already a popular specification on the Volvo C30, S40 and V50 models the R-Design package is made for customers who want a car with refined and expressive attributes and one which makes a bold statement on the road. Read the rest of this entry »

The Volvo S40 continues to enhance Volvo’s reputation as a maker of superb sports sedans. The S40 looks and acts like a sports sedan. The Volvo V50 is the wagon version and our impressions carry over here. The V50 looks like a sport wagon and drives like one, which is to say it drives just like the sedan.

Volvo is a leader in safety engineering and it’s clear the company put a lot of effort into building a structure designed to protect its occupants. The S40 and V50 models come loaded with active and passive safety features to help drivers avoid accidents, then protect them if there is a crash. This may be the safest car in this size class. Smaller than most luxury sedans, the S40 is much easier to park in tight spaces and it’s easier to maneuver on narrow roads. Read the rest of this entry »

Volvo will launch a new sport utility vehicle called the Volvo XC60 that’s expected to go on sale in Spring 2009.

Expect the XC60 to have about the same footprint as the S60 sedan, but to be much more utilitarian and versatile, and to have styling almost as dramatic as that of the concept car, unveiled At the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Read the rest of this entry »

Steve Mattin, Volvo’s senior vice president and design director, unveiled the new XC70 at the 2007 New York Auto Show on Wednesday. First launched in 1996, the XC70 introduced the cross-country concept, and this latest generation of the XC70 maintains its tough and capable attitude while adding a dimension of luxury into the mix. He compared it to the XC60 concept car unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, calling both cars “a partner for urban life” that can also get you to your destination. Read the rest of this entry »

Volvo is finally coming to grips with the fact that the brand doesn’t stretch much beyond wagons. Reflecting this new/old reality, rumors abound that Volvo’s about to axe their range-topping S80 sedan in favor of an upmarket V100 wagon. Add in a recent Consumer Reports’ study showing that American consumers still rate Volvo number one for safety, and you begin to understand the importance of the new V70 wagon. As wagons are what keeps Volvo’s ost on their smorgasbord, “getting it right” was essential. So, did they? Read the rest of this entry »

The S60 is Volvo’s neglected middle child. Baby brother S40 is hipper, faster, and gets all the chicks. Older brother S80 is bigger and more luxurious. Where does that leave the S60? Not languishing on dealership lots, given that it’s Volvo’s best-selling sedan (if barely). But I’m hard-pressed to figure out why. Apparently, Volvo can’t figure out why either– the S60 has purportedly been on the chopping block for a couple of years now, though no one seems willing to make that final cut yet. So let me take a stab at it.
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