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According to this leaked Volvo dealer product update, the V70 wagon's getting the axe after 11 years of production. The V8-option in the S80's also going bye-bye and the V50 wagon's not long for this world. More »
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When super car brands are brought up, Volvo doesn't usually come to mind. That might change thanks to Koenigsegg engineer Mattias Vöx and his re-imagined, 600HP, V8-powered modern Volvo P1800. More »
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Nobody will argue that the Volvo XC90 is a pretty decent SUV. It's stylish, comfortable, and even comes with a V8 now. But all that doesn't explain why it won "Russian SUV of The Year"...for the third time. Considering the soft nature of the big Volvo, we would have thought the hardened fist of Russian nationalism would have pushed for a more domestic entry. But if they won't, we will: Thus, Jalopnik's "No Bolshevik" nominations for Russian SUV of the Year. More »
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The problem topic of older drivers remains a hot-button issue, and with the Baby Boomers plowing toward retirement, the number of older drivers on the road is expected to double over the next few decades. To address the politically sensitive implications of this progression, the MIT AgeLab has converted a Volvo XC90 into an Aware Mobile. The crossover is outfitted with a collection of sensors and doodads, not help the elderly drive, but rather to properly determine when a senior should hand in his or her keys. More »
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There's a stanza in a Stephen Malkmus song that goes "And the trashed young Scandi mistook me for a Swede. her slurred medieval accent was like a puddle at my feet. You could see chopped tobacco in her teeth." This made us wonder if Swedish people actually were into chewing tobacco and, by extension, if there were Swedish rednecks... because where there are rednecks there are El Caminos. Did this mean that there were Swedish El Caminos? Indeed. Here's a prime example of an XC70chero (owned by Ford) looking awesome outside the Volvo Museum. To make it better, it's being pulled by a six-wheel XC90chero. Pinch us. More »
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We all know that Volvos XC90 and S80 are safe places to be, but check the "executive" box in participating countries and you could also be in for all the creature comforts that being an exec entails. In addition to the pastures worth of hand-sewn bovine and forests of wood inserts you'd expect, the Volvo also gets eight-inch LCD screens, crystal glasses for the rear passengers, ambient lighting and emblems galore. But our favorite feature has to be the massage chair feature built-in to the front seats. The system works by inflating five pockets of air built into the soft hide leather that inflate and deflate sequentially to mimic a wave-like motion. This is a nice feature for the chauffeur who needs to relax after a long day of getting his Swedish meatballs busted by some whiny CEO. Press release and more pics below. More »
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Do you drive a Volvo C30, S40, V50 or XC90 and are worried your neighbors don't quite understand you purchased an S40 to show off your commitment to seat-of-your-pants performance? Volvo has the answer in the form of the R-Design line. Vehicles modified with the package get sportier wheels, satin matte-finish grilles, color coordinated side moldings and other custom touches. What they don't get is more power of any kind, revised suspensions or great aerodynamics. When Volvo released photos earlier they didn't show us the XC90, so our intrepid photographers hunted one down for your viewing pleasure. More »
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The Swedes (who are now more dangerous than ze Germans) over at Auto Motor Sport Sweden have it on some authority that Volvo's XC90 is going to get the axe, despite a planned facelift in 2009. They claim the decision is due to the increased cost needed to keep weight down, absence of new engines/transmissions and the lack of hybrid technology. More »
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Because their customers really want to listen to Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me in High Definition Hybrid Digital, Volvo is going to make HD standard and almost every model. And if you think we're joking about that, we'd note they made the announcement in Boston. The list includes S40 T5, V50 T5, C30, C70, S80, V70, SC70 and XC90 models, which is a nice way of saying every model except the standard-issue S40 and V50. HD offers an interesting alternative to satellite radio, with many stations offering supplemental programming on the HD2 multicast channels. Press release below the jump: More »
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Volvo will begin selling cars in India this fall, to the delight of the small percentage of Indians that can actually afford one. Volvo Car India will sell the S80 and the XC90 with three engines: the 4.4 liter V8, 3.2 liter inline six and the 2.4 liter turbo inline five. If you're in New Delhi, Mumbai or Chandigarh, you'll be able to walk into a dealership and drive out in style (sort of). According to news reports, the Indian Volvo HQ was opened "in line with the Indian tradition..." headed by the Minister of Transport, the Ambassador of Sweden and the Swedish Trade Commissioner. We hope that means the Swedish Trade Commissioner has to show up for an event to be considered in line with the Indian tradition. [Al Bawaba] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=318641&view=rss&microfeed=true Volvo recalling certain 2005 XC90 SUV's for "fire risk." No word yet on if it's the same "fire risk" causing FoMoCo trucks to shoot flames out the exhaust. Oh wait, no, it's got something to do with the vehicle's jack. [SeattlePI.com] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=283298&view=rss&microfeed=true We're waiting for the Detroit show to get a better look at Volvo's new small SUV, the XC60 in concept form, before deciding whether the world really needs another miniature truck. For now, we can check out some b-roll of the concept's interior, in particular, the sci-fi-modern center stack, and hope the retractable tailgate will make it anywhere near production. Also, feel free to insert your own icy Scandinavian triphop soundtrack. – Mike Spinelli More »
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We've always been partial to kitted-out Volvo XC 90s, and a new set of cosmetic upgrades from Heico do little to dull such partiality. The Volvo tuning shop's come up with a body kit for the mildly facelifted 2007 model that's made of a plastic composite called PU-RIM (l'chaim!). The three-piece kit includes a fascia implant with wide intake, side skirting and a rear diffuser accommodating dual exhausts. All of this jewelry reminds us Volvo's missing an opportunity to take on the BMW X5 4.6is — and rumored X5 M — with a better-performing XC90 (above the new "Sport" model). Why is this, we ask? – Mike Spinelli More »
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Yes, either the Pope didn't like the XC90 that Volvo sent over back in June, or the boys n' girls at Volkswagen are seriously worried over whether or not they'll be reaching the pearly gates. Maybe that's why the German automaker's giving his excellency a brand spankin' new 450 hp Phaeton. We're hoping, for Pope Benedict's sake, the plans for this particular Phaeton weren't in the same laptop German Chancellor Merkel's were in or it'll be back to the popemobile. Check out the gallery below. [Hat tip to Zerin!] – Ray Wert More »
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We've mostly decided we're tired of SUVs. We've owned one for three years, and the utility is fantastic, and worked wonderfully for us for a while. But now that we rarely drive (and if we do, it's often in a press or rental car), we're thinking about ditching ours for something that's well, more fun. Also, we're tired of SUV assholes, and if there's any relation between Americans and their British forefathers, well, check out the bit after the jump. More »
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To be honest, Volvo's treasure hunt and tie-in with a certain Disney movie sequel starring Johnny Depp lost us after about three minutes. But apparently it's over, and one man, David Hutz, a 30 year-old computer programmer from Herndon, Virginia, has located and unearthed the buried XC90 SUV that 52,000 people had been searching for. On Volvo's The Hunt site, you can check out how he used his finely honed GPS-caching skills to outwit, outlast and outgeek the other participants. We'll be here, embroiled in our own six-month search for our car keys. More »
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It's not the XC90 R super bus we've been wanting the Fordie Swedes to build since we saw this tuner, but Europeans will get a sportier XC90 SUV, for better or worse. It's the Volvo XC90 Sport, a new version of the family bus that's tuned for crisper handling. According to the company, it''s got a "dynamic" sport chassis, stiffer anti-roll bars, firmer shock absorbers, a sport-tuned, speed-dependent steering system, and larger, 19" wheels. Volvo's self-leveling system, Nivomat, is standard in both the five and seven seat models. It'll be available to Europeans — no US model announced yet [UPDATE: It'll arrive on US shores in late '06 - ed.] — in 4.4-liter V8, 3.2-liter six and inline-five diesel engines. Click through for an eyeful. More »
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Pope Benedict XVI received a brand new XC90 from the boys and girls at Volvo, custom-tailored for his papal use. His worshipfulness was presented with the keys for his brand-new SUV at a ceremony today at the Vatican. The V8 ride is dark blue with a light interior and Volvo officials say the car, like every Volvo XC90, is designed for safety with features like bulletproof glass ROPS (RollOver Protection System). More »
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The artistes at Germany's AutoBild turned their digital tablets on Ford's new range of compact utes on the way, predicting what the European Focus C-Max, the Land Rover Freelander and the Volvo XC50 will look like. All of them are expected to face down the RAV4s of the world in the next two years, though only the second two of the three — all of which are to be built on Ford's flexible C1/P1 platform — will be coming to the US. The Freelander will be the first to arrive, in late 2006, followed by the others in 2007. More »
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Give the Capitol some! Volvo didn't forget the car-loving lawmakers, lobbyists, lawyers and legislative lapdogs of Lithuanian lineage (well, there must be at least one) of our nation's capital. On the occasion of the Washington DC auto show, the company launched a new special-edition package — the Volvo Ocean Race — commemorating Volvo s sponsorship of the long-distance sailing event of the same name, being held simultaneously. The VOR Volvo XC70 AWD and the VOR Volvo XC90 V8 AWD both include special metallic blue paint with body colored mirror caps, door handles and electric silver side molding, 17-inch polished Oreander wheels aand all-terrain tires, tinted rear windows, power glass moon-roof and special VOR badging — along with special interior appointments. For more on the Volvo Ocean Race, tack this way. More »
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Director Brett Ratner's Evolve XC90 takes the Hollywood route (did you expect anything less from a hack?) and goes all midnight on our asses. Black, black, everywhere black. Blacker than Huey P. Newton. Blacker than Blackface Jesus. Definitely blacker than Wayne Newton. It quotes Chuck D. It's so black, it's at war with its wheels and trim. More »
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Volvo will unveil another XC90 show truck at the Los Angeles show today, this one tweaked to the hilt by Volvo tuning house Evolve and owned by film director Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "Whatever Happened to Mason Reese" [yes, that Mason Reese] ). Just like the XC90 tuners Volvo showed at SEMA in 2004 (pictured) and New York (among other places), the new truck (in Ultra Black) has a a lowered sports suspension, big-ass wheels (in this case, 22") and low-profile meats. This one has 15-inch slotted front rotors stopped by eight-piston calipers (13-inch, four-piston rears) an extensive body kit, EVOLVE Exhaust System and minted out interior. These are usually very cool SUVs; we were all "I wish I knew how to quit you," when we saw the last one in New York. Worth a look. More »
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Why you shouldn t buy this car: If you adore big, brawny V8 engines, the XC90 s Yamaha unit is too highly-strung to earn your affections. Also, if you re a PC suburbanite intent on burnishing your tree-hugging credentials, you ll want a more fuel efficient, hybrid-powered SUV. More »
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Exterior Design: ***** More »
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When it comes to car design, dull but worthy is a winning combination. Volvo has been mining this rich vein of sheet metal mediocrity since the 60 s, creating vehicles so non-descript you only notice them when their owners pull a maneuver so absurdly dangerous it betrays the driver s brand-specific belief in personal immortality. When Volvo finally entered the SUV fray, their blend of inoffensiveness and invincibility remained unchanged — except that the XC s four and five-cylinder engines added the word slow to the mix. More »
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