Archive for Volvo

Volvo has updated the specifications for the Volvo S40 here in Malaysia. The 2.4 liter engine has been replaced by a 2.0 liter unit which is essentially the Duratec unit found in the Ford Focus and the Mazda 3 here in Malaysia. It makes 145 PS at 6,000rpm and 185Nm of torque at 4,500rpm.

But what’s most interesting is the fact that the engine is now mated to a Ford Powershift transmission, which is basically a 6-speed twin clutch transmission. This makes it the first locally assembled (CKD) twin clutch car in the country. Powershift is a development of Getrag Ford Transmissions GmbH, a 50:50 Ford and Getrag JV.

Like VW’s DSG, there are two versions of the Powershift transmission out there – one with wet clutches and another with dry clutches. The unit installed in the S40 is the wet clutch version. Generally dry clutch versions like Volkswagen’s 7-speed DSG (the 6-speed used a wet clutch) are more efficient and lighter because an oil bath is not necessary, Ford/Volvo says wet versions have reduced wear and tear and thus last longer. Ford will use its dry clutch version on smaller cars like the Fiesta.

A twin-clutch transmission basically means the gearbox works like a manual transmission but it has two clutches, one for the odd gears and one for the even gears. While the odd clutch is in 3rd gear and is currently the active gear selected, the even clutch pre-selects 4th gear, so that when the time comes to shift, the switchover is much faster and smoother – an almost continuous flow of power.

0 to 100km/h with manual transmission takes about 9.5 seconds in a 2.0 liter Volvo S40 which is really quite far from blazing. The Powershift model is rated at 9.8 seconds, just fractions of a second slower than a true blue manual. As for fuel consumption, the car is rated for 11.3 liter per 100km in the city, 6.4 liters per 100km on the highway, and 8.1 liters per 100km on combined usage.

Other than the engine change, this new S40 specification also adds dual xenon headlamps and the Blind-Spot Info System that notifies the driver (with a blinking light) of objects in the car’s blindspot zone, which personally I feel is a little too sensitive.

The new Volvo S40 2.0 Powershift retails for RM169,950.00 OTR without insurance, which just happens to be the exact same figure as the 2.4 liter model. But what you’re paying for the Powershift is actually just slightly more than the 2.4 by a couple of hundreds of ringgit. This is because the OTR without insurance price includes road tax, and the 2.0 model naturally has cheaper road tax at RM379.50 as opposed to the 2.4 liter model’s RM815.

Look after the jump for a PDF brochure and pricelist of the new car.

Click here to read the rest of Malaysian Volvo S40 updated with 2.0 liter engine and Powershift twin clutch transmission!

Things have looked like Volvo was going to fall into the hands of a Chinese auto group for a few months now but here’s some good news for those who for some reason have been opposing such a takeover, mainly due to intellectual property and ‘brand bastardisation’ issues.

There is a new interested party that will be bidding for a Volvo takeover – a new consortium called Crown led by ex-Ford man Michael Dingman. Dingman was a Ford board member for 21 years until he left in 2002. He has partnered up with engineering man Shamel Rushwin, who is both ex-Ford and ex-Chrysler.

So far the Crown offer is reported to be lower than Geely’s US$2.2 billion bid but Crown says they intend to invest another US$3 billion in Volvo if it succeeds in taking over the company. Talk is cheap of course – I hope this is written down in black and white somewhere. Crown is backed by some US investors currently and are looking for some Swedish investors and partners – Volvo being Swedish and all.

The C30 hatchback has been updated to feature Volvo’s new front-end look, as per the convertible C70 recently. Most of the changes are aesthetic and also include new colour choices for the exterior and interior – total configurations thanks to the various options results in 2,561,328 possible combinations.

Other than the looks, the other most significant change to me is the new ’sports chassis’ option which basically means stiffer bushes, a 10% lower steering ratio, and suspension parts (these include new monotube stiffer dampers, stiffer springs and stiffer roll stabilizers) that are stiffer by 30%.

The star engines of the range are the T5 and D5 models. The petrol T5 puts out 230 horses and 320Nm of torque from its 2.5 liter inline-5 while the D5’s 2.4 liter turbodiesel makes 180hp and 400Nm of torque, yet consumes only 6.2 liters per 100km.

Look after the jump for photos and videos of the C30.

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The Volvo C70 coupe-cabriolet has received a facelift, giving it a new front end inspired by the S60 Concept Car unveiled earlier this year. This design update brings the marque closer to consistent family-look similiar to the XC60’s face. At the rear, the C70 gets new LED lamps. Other than that, there are not much changes. Being a CBU model, it should be easy for Volvo Cars Malaysia to bring this new facelit in. It only has to wait for the current stock of C70 to finish, if any. The C70 currently goes for about RM346k for the sedate 2.4i up to RM400k for the turbocharged T5 version – prices without insurance.

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The XC60 does look good but despite the hot turbocharged engine under the hood, the owner may feel a little jealous of his peer with an Audi Q5’s numerous bodykit and tuning options. No worries, Volvo’s new R-Design package for the Volvo XC60 will help buyers of Volvo’s sporty SUV spice it up a little. The changes are actually really really subtle though. Look after the jump for a gallery of the XC60 R-Design as well as another of a normal XC60 so you can “spot the difference”.

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The new Volvo XC60 is here, available in two variants but both with a 3.0 liter turbocharged six-cylinder T6 engine producing an exciting 285 horsepower and 400Nm of torque from just 1,500rpm, mated to a 6-speed Geartronic auto. The two variants are called the XC60 T6 LE and the XC60 T6 SE, and they retail for RM360k and RM330k respectively, OTR without insurance. It’s a rather handsome and dynamic looking car actually, a far departure from the Volvos of the past. Think of it as a smaller XC90 on steroids, buffed up and more toned.

The more expensive LE version is the one with all the goodies. For an additional 30k, you get a panoramic sunroof, a 12 speaker Dynaudio premium sound system, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning with Auto Brake, Lane Departure Warning, and Drive Alert Control. Collision Warning with Autobrake actually alerts the driver if the distance to the car in front of you suddenly decreases. If the driver does not react in time, the system brakes at up to 50% maximum braking power automatically.

The cheaper SE version gets an 8 speaker sound system. Both sound systems feature a 6-CD changer with AUX, USB, Bluetooth and iPod connectors. The interior leather can be had in either soft beige/espresso brown, or offblack. The trim inlays can be had in either a sporty brushed aluminium trim, or for something more classic, you have classic wood or Nordic light oak.

Here’s the rest of the equipment that comes with both LE and SE versions: dual stage driver and front airbags, dual chamber front SIPS (side impact protection system) airbags, Inflatable Curtain airbags, all-wheel drive, whiplash protection system, a 40:20:40 splitting rear seat, ABS, EBD, brake assist, ready alert brake, fading brake support, dynamic stability and traction control, roll stability control, rollover protection system, hill descent control, blindspot information system, rain sensor wipers, active bending lights, headlamp washers, ISOFIX points for the rear seats, speed sensitive power steering with 3 manual settings, electric seats for the front with memory for the driver, auto-dimming rear view mirror with integrated compass, powered tailgate, B-pillar ventilation vents, and a Personal Car Communicator for keyless entry and drive.

Optional over the prices above are various styling accessories which consist of larger 19 inch wheels, front bumper bars in matte aluminium, running boards, side scuff plates, and a rear bumper skid plate.

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There are no confirmed reports in the Western media yet, but Chinese website auto.sohu.com claims that Ford and Geely have already struck an agreement for the Swedish car company best known for their safety to be sold to the Chinese manufacturer. But it is the only news source that seems to be covering this story, so it either might only be a blown-up rumour or it might be so fresh that only the Chinese side want to talk about it at the moment.

Nevertheless even that news report is skeptical about how such a deal can pull through successfully. Geely’s market value is over 30 billion yuan, which is about 4.3 billion USD, and a Volvo buy would also require several billion USD, claims the site. They are saying Geely might take government loans and other financial assistance. And given Ford’s improving financial health, it will be less desperate to sell Volvo, which might raise the Swedish manufacturer’s price.

Elsewhere in media reports, people are still talking about another Chinese car company recently deciding to join the race to buy Volvo from Ford – Beijing Auto Industry Holdings. Beijing Auto currently has joint ventures in China with Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. Other names mentioned before in the press said to be interested in Volvo include Renault, Chery, and Changan.

Volvo and Swedish energy company Vattenfall will be cooperating on producing plug-in diesel-electric hybrid Volvos that combine electric motors with high capacity lithium ion batteries and turbodiesel powertrains by 2012. Volvo will manufacture the cars and Vattenfall will develop the charging systems as well as supply the cars with electricity for plug-in charging.

Three Volvo V70 demonstrator cars will be presented in summer this year by the joint venture. These demo cars will be used to gather information about the wishes and demands that drivers may have on the new technology, to determine their driving habits and to establish how they want to charge their cars.

Vattenfall will be using these demo cars to test various concepts for high-speed home charging and also for charging stations in public places, where owners pay to charge up the car with electricity instead of refueling it with fossil fuels.

Determining charging behaviour patterns are very important in order to plan and deploy a charging infrastructure that works. Conducting focus groups and verbally finding out what potential drivers may think they want is one thing but real life requirements may change once someone is actually driving a plug-in car, thus these demo cars are actually quite important.

Look after the jump for some shots of the V70 demo car.

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Heico Sportiv displayed this kitted up Volvo XC60 at the Essen Motor Show last year, and it’s the world’s first complete tuning program for Volvo’s baby XC90.

Other than aesthetic enhancements which include either a twin or quad tailpipe exhaust at the rear and sports springs which lowers the car by 30mm, both the petrol and diesel variants have an engine tuning program. The XC60 2.4D and XC60 D5 have engine outputs of 163 PS and 185 PS respectively but Heico tunes both up to 210 PS. The T6 turbocharged 3.0 liter inline-6 variant gets boosted up from 285 PS to 315 PS.

The XC60 will share some technical underpinings with the latest generation Freelander. It is set to join Volvo Cars Malaysia’s product line-up in either Q2 or Q3 2009. Look after the jump for more photos and a video featuring the diesel HEICO XC60’s exhaust note. You’ll be amazed that it’s a diesel!

Related Posts:
2009 Volvo XC60 to be unveiled at Geneva
VIDEO: Volvo XC60 Driving Shots Footage

Click here to read the rest of 2009 HEICO Sportiv Volvo XC60 (with video!)

Ford-owned auto maker; Volvo will launch the 2010 Volvo S80 at the upcoming motor show in Geneva which is set to take place next week. The refreshed S80 now gets a new front grille featuring a larger iron mark on the front fascia. There are also new bright work on the air intakes, lower part of the doors and under the tail lamps. The new treatment on the outside help give the S80 a slightly lower, longer and wider stance.

On the inside, the new S80 gets exclusive aluminium dials with decor trim with silk matte metal-effect finish on the four-spoke steering wheel which is also found in the gear selector, around the starter button.

Under the hood, the new S80 receives a brand new engine. Called the D5 power plant, it is a twin-turbo 5 cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel that is able to produce 205HP a nd 420Nm of torque. The new engine only consumes 6.2 liters per 100 kilometers while releasing 164 grams of emissions per kilometer. Potential buyers can also opt for the new 5 cylinder single turbo 2.4-litre diesel engine which is good for 175HP and 420Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is slightly lower at 5.8 liters per 100 kilometers while it releases 154 grams per kilometer.

Potential buyers can also choose between two chassis options including a standard chassis that is tuned to offer better comfort and a sports chassis that is well-suited for spirited driving. The standard chassis now features softer springs which is good for customers who would prefer a comfortable car over a sportier variant.

With the more rigid sports chassis, the car has been lowered by 20 millimeters at the front and 15 millimeters at the rear which also gives the car a more aggressive stance. Other improvements made to offer better handling include; shorter and firmer springs, shock absorbers with greater damping abilities, harder bushings on the sub-frame as well as firmer anti-roll bars.

Also offered as standard with the sports chassis is the automatic self-leveling system that raises the car when it is fully loaded. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

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