Why Volvo

Volvo Polestar STCC Pre-Season test 2010

Recently, sharp-eyed citizens in Copenhagen have had the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the upcoming, sporty Volvo S60 – which won’t be introduced to the world until next year.

A disguised prototype of the new sedan model has been rolling through the streets of the Danish capital in order to test a groundbreaking new safety technology that can detect a pedestrian in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver doesn’t react in time, to avoid an accident.

The new technology – Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection – will be introduced together with the all-new Volvo S60 in 2010. Volvo Cars’ safety experts have been working with Pedestrian Detection technology for ten years and test cars have been rolling all over the world – most recently in the busy streets of Copenhagen.

“Factors like traffic behavior, road conditions and climate must be taken into account in the design of the final system. All told we have collected more than 300,000 miles of real-life data. We can also use the information from these traffic tests to conduct advanced computer simulations,” says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Adviser at Volvo Cars.

The next step – protecting the unprotected

The new safety functions in Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection represent the next stage in Volvo Cars’ continuous development of technology to detect risky situations and help the driver mitigate or avoid accidents by providing support in the decision-making process.

“The previous stages were developed to help the driver avoid collisions with other vehicles.

Now we are taking a giant step forward with a function that also boosts safety for unprotected road-users. What is more, we are advancing from fifty percent to full automatic braking power. To the best of our knowledge, none of our competitors have made such progress in this area,” explains Thomas Broberg. He adds:

“This technology helps us take an important step towards our long-term vision of designing cars that do not crash. Our aim for 2020 is that no-one should be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo.”

First a warning, then automatic braking

Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Safety consists of a new dual-mode radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera behind the inside rear-view mirror and a central control unit. The radar and camera continuously monitor the road in front of the car. The radar’s task is to detect objects and measure the distance to them. The camera determines what type of objects they are.

In an emergency situation, the driver is first alerted by an audible warning together with a flashing light in the windscreen’s head-up display. In order to prompt an immediate, intuitive reaction, the visual warning is designed to look like a brake light coming on. If the driver does not respond to the warning and the system assesses that a collision is imminent, the car’s brakes are applied with full braking power.

“Active brake deployment requires that the object is confirmed by both the radar and the camera. Thanks to state-of-the-art sensor technology, it is now possible to engage full braking power,” explains Thomas Broberg.

Images  Copyright Volvo Car Corporation

The biggest changes in the new Volvo C30 R-Design, which make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September, are actually hidden beneath the skin. Despite the car’s extrovert body kit and design cues. Because it is the chassis and the steering that have been the main focus of attention. All with the aim of creating a sporty driving experience and a sophisticated feeling of comfort to match the very best.

C30 R-Design Package

The R-Design package allows customers the option of choosing between seven exterior body colors and offers a range of specially designed exterior and interior details.

Exterior:

* R-Design badge in the grille
* Grille and door mirror housings in special silk metal finish
* Body kit with front and rear spoilers, lower door trim molding and side-skirts color-matched to the rest of the body
* New 17-inch five-spoke Cratus aluminum wheels (18-inch optional)
* Tailgate spoiler
* Visible chrome-plated sports tailpipes (90 mm)

Interior:

* Upholstery in two color combination: cream-colored leather with sides in dark grey Flex-Tec, or off-black leather with edges in off-black (new)
* Embossed R-Design emblem in the front seats
* R-Design center stack and panel inserts
* Gear lever knob trimmed in leather and aluminum
* Sports pedals in aluminum, with rubber ribs
* Sports steering wheel trimmed in leather, with R-Design emblem
* Blue speedometer and rev counter gauges
* Textile floor mats with contrasting piping

The restyled Volvo C30 is more comprehensive than is usually the case with Volvo’s models. The entire front clip has been redesigned, including the soft nose, front fenders, grille, headlights and lower front spoiler. This gives the car a radical new appearance from the front, carving out a distinctive personality which clearly separates the new C30 from the Volvo S40 and V50.

The other new exterior features:

• Elegant and trendy new body color, Orange Flame Metallic
• Visible exhaust tailpipe in the T5
• The option to choose five different colors on the lower trim – the C30 Contrast Color Collection.
• Available Sport Chassis,  for performance handling.

The new Volvo C30 also offers a range of new interior options. Among other things, there is now an all-new color combination known as Espresso/Blond, consisting of a dark brown upper section and a blond, fresh shade on the lower door sides. The blond tone is somewhere between grey and beige and is an expression of Volvo’s strong Scandinavian design tradition. The Espresso/Blond interior permits the integration of energetic new highlight colors such as orange, green and blue in the fabrics, as well as a new color for leather upholster, Cranberry.

Engine facts in brief:

• The engine is extremely compact and installed transversely in the engine bay for the best possible safety and maximum cabin space
• 227 horsepower tubocharged five cylinder.
• A six-speed manual gearbox is available for the T5
• A five-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic is available optionally

A few facts: the number of possible combinations, new Volvo C30*

• The new Volvo C30 is available with a choice of 13 different exterior body colors and with the lower spoilers in five different colors. All told, there is a choice of 49 exterior combinations (previously 13 combinations)
• If the 11 different aluminum wheels are added, the customer now has 529 possibilities of creating a unique car
• The 27 upholstery choices (previously 15) now make 14,553 combination possibilities
• A choice of 4 decor inlays in the center stack increases the range of combinations to 58,212
• Being able to specify the car with or without a rear spoiler doubles the number of configurations to 116,424
• The customer can specify a roof hatch – or not. The available variants have now increased to 232,848
• The C30 is available with eleven different drivetrains (manual/automatic transmission included), making 2,561,328 possible combinations
• What is more, the Volvo C30 can be equipped with a choice of three different audio systems, a variety of safety and security functions, parking assistance, Bluetooth and so on to suit customer wishes
• All in all, there are so many unique variants that Volvo estimates that if every single person in Britain – about 60 million people – were to order a new Volvo C30, no two cars would have to be alike!

*Not all variants are offered in the U.S.

The new Volvo C70 launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September has the same smart three-piece steel roof, practical seating for four adults and world-leading convertible safety as before. With an updated design and elevated premium feel, the C70 also delivers an “I want” aura of absolute world class.

Modernized, self-assured front

With its new front, the Volvo C70 reveals traces of the S60 Concept Car that was unveiled in early 2009. Thereby the C70 is upgraded to relate more closely to the design language of the larger cars in the Volvo model range

Bodywork details such as the front wings have also been redesigned, contributing to the decidedly altered appearance. The nose is more wedge-shaped and has been given added three-dimensional depth by moving some elements of the front both longitudinally and vertically. The new headlamps and the decor around the fog lamps, for instance, have been angled offset up and to the rear, at the same time as the detailing of the lower grille has been enhanced.

From head-on, the front forms an open, inviting “V”. The enlarged iron mark and the new, larger air intake reinforce the self-assured stance. Owners who want to be seen even more can specify a dramatic new red color, Flamenco Red Pearl.

“The new C70 has a clearer, more pronounced face. The car’s natural elegance has been modernized so it blends seamlessly with the most up-to-date, the most sophisticated backdrops,” says Fedde Talsma.

Exclusive new rear design

The exclusive high-tech LED lamps, of the same type as found on the Volvo XC60, are the most noticeable update at the rear. The entire lamp unit is clearly integrated with the oval that frames the new C70′s rear panel.

As at the front, new lines and details in the bumper and elsewhere have been integrated to emphasis the depth and dynamism of the design language.

Interior that rewards the driver

The interior has been updated in several respects to create a unique ambiance in the Volvo C70. The instrument panel has been redesigned, giving it a wider, sleeker look and the surface of the panel has a new texture that enhances the feeling of quality.

The exclusive new instruments, with gauges and graphics specific to the C70, are yet another example of how the car’s premium feel has been emphasized still further.

“We’ve focused the new interior features around the driver to give the owner a stronger perception of being rewarded behind the wheel. The seats are upholstered in a new type of soft hide and there is even better detail finish to make driving a more pleasurable experience than ever before,” continues Fedde Talsma.

World-leading safety among convertibles

The new Volvo C70 has been engineered as one of the safest convertibles on the market, as regards both preventive and protective safety. The car has an advanced body structure and several solutions that are unique in the world of open cars. The lack of a fixed roof has been compensated by structural reinforcements and sophisticated technology.

Protection in roll-over accidents

The Volvo C70 has sturdy metal hoops that shoot up behind the rear seat passengers to create added protective survival space should the car roll over. These hoops, which are part of Volvo’s Rollover Protection System – ROPS – are activated by a gyro-sensor. Since the Volvo C70 has a proper glass rear window, the hoops shoot up through the glass if the roof is up. They have therefore been fitted with small hardened metal spikes that break the glass to guarantee proper protective function.

Unique door-mounted inflatable curtain

One important part of the side-impact and rollover protection is the inflatable curtain, IC, which is installed in the door since there is no roof rail in which to fit it. The curtain has an extra-stiff design featuring twin rows of panels that are offset somewhat in relation to one another. As a result, the curtain can remain upright and help protect the head in an effective way even if the window is open. What is more, the curtain deflates slowly, helping to provide added protection should the car roll over.

Side-impact airbags and safety belt pre-tensioners for all seats

In addition to the inflatable curtains on either side, the front seat occupants also have side-impact airbags. The size of these bags is dimensioned to shield both the chest and hips. What is more, the inflatable curtain interacts with the belt pre-tensioners to contribute to the best possible protection for front seat occupants in a side impact or rollover situation. All four seats come with safety belt pre-tensioners.

Elegant three-part steel roof

The Volvo C70 transforms smoothly from a cosy coupe into an open convertible. Just press a button and the three-part steel roof folds quickly and silently away, disappearing neatly into the boot.

Facts about the roof of the Volvo C70:

• The car has to be at a standstill when the roof is raised or lowered
• The car only needs 2 meters of free vertical space when the roof is raised or lowered
• There is no need for extra space behind the car while the roof is being raised or lowered
• The roof takes about 30 seconds to open/shut (irrespective of climate)
• An electric motor, hydraulic pump and computer are used to open and shut the roof
• The boot lid has two opening modes: for handling of the roof or to provide access to the luggage compartment
• The roof is divided into three sections
• The roof panels are made of steel
• The seams between the sections are sealed with rubber
• The side windows slide up against the roof rail after roof closes.
• The boot lid is made of aluminum and steel
• The body’s torsional rigidity improves by about 15 percent when the roof is raised

Engine range, Volvo C70

Advanced engine and exhaust filtration technology means Volvo’s engines combine high performance with low environmental impact. The Volvo C70 is available with the following petrol and diesel engines. The fuel consumption and CO₂ emission figures apply to versions with a manual gearbox running in the mixed driving cycle.

The Volvo XC60 R-Design gives this already sporty crossover ATTITUDE.  Something I believe was needed and I’m so glad they put it out YEAR 1.

On the outside it is easy to recognize those typical R-Design attributes: door mirror housings, trim moldings and decorative  trim in matte silk metal finish, skid-plates and twin chrome tailpipes. The five-spoke Cratus aluminum wheels are also unique for the R-Design models. In standard form they measure 18 inches but there is also the option of a stunning 20-inch. This dimension is new to the Volvo XC60 and is only available with the R-Design pack.

Another new feature is that the lower section of the car is now color-matched to the rest of the body on the XC60 R-Design, instead of the matte black execution of the standard model. This creates the impression that the car sits closer to the ground and gives it a more dynamic look – even though ground clearance remains unchanged.

Volvo XC60 R-Design – An overview

Exterior:

• Grille in silk metal finish with R-Design badge
• Front fog lamp decor in silk metal finish
• Door mirror housings in silk metal finish
• Five-spoke 18-inch aluminum wheels – (20 inch optional)
• Sill moldings in aluminum look
• Twin chromed tailpipes
• Color-matched lower body moldings.
• Chrome-plated rear skid-plate with black mesh
• Sport chassis
• 7 body colors to choose between including the R-Design unique color Passion red

Interior:

• Sport seats for great cornering support and comfort
• Unique upholstery in smooth leather with a choice of two color combination: off-black with soft beige inserts or vice versa
• Embossed R-Design emblem in the front backrests.
• Watch Dial instrument with blue gauges, unique to the R-Design model
• R-Design sports steering wheel trimmed in perforated leather
• Sports pedals in aluminum
• R-Design center stack trim with a unique decor pattern
• Gear selector trimmed with perforated leather
• Off-black sports mats

R-Design a success for Volvo Cars

R-Design was launched in 2007 to satisfy the immense interest among younger car buyers, in particular, who want to equip their cars with sporty, personalised options. With R-Design, they got access to tastefully composed options packages featuring exclusive design details and thrilling sport chassis.

Today R-Design is found across almost the entire Volvo product range in the C30, S40, V50, S80, V70, XC60 and XC90 models.