REVIEWS: 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD - Four Seasons Update - July 2011

We're another month into our yearlong test of the 2012 Volvo S60 and, while there are still a few gripes from staff members about the operation of the various electronic interfaces, there has been almost nothing but universal praise for the Volvo's dynamic performance and build quality. In fact, we like the vehicle so much that it's been difficult to get much seat time in it.

"Need more proof that our editorial staff loves this car? This S60 has been under our stewardship for almost three months now, and there are still some of us who've never had a chance to slip behind the wheel. Until the other night, I thought I'd be resigned to that list for the foreseeable future," kvetched associate web editor Evan McCausland.

Once in the car, however, McCausland was able to see what all the fuss was about.

"I love quite a bit about this car, including the powerful turbo-six, the seamless power delivery, and the well-tuned transmission, but I can't quite get over just how good this interior is. Everything inside feels solidly built and substantial, and every plastic -- even those that look as if they'll feel hard and cheap -- is blessed with a soft touch and pleasant texture."

McCausland isn't the only one impressed with the interior. Editor in chief Jean Jennings waxed poetic about the leather upholstery: "It is ruggedly spectacular, with a hefty pebbled grain. Every seam is doubled stitched, making it look like fine luggage, or a saddle, or something really crafted and not just decorated. The color is also like a fine saddle or a well-oiled baseball glove. Sitting in our Four Seasons Volvo is supremely satisfying to me. You should go to a Volvo dealer just to run your hands over one of these fine hides." In fact, the leather used in the interior is "beechwood brown," a color that the company used in the 1960s on the P1800 and in the 1970s on the 164. It was resurrected for the 2011 S60.

Read More: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1107_2012_volvo_s60_t6_awd_july_update/index.html

Volvo Shows Plans for Three Electric Vehicles with Range-Extending Engines—or Hybrids

Volvo currently has its hands in several green technology pots, and has either developed or is developing everything from electric C30s to a flywheel hybrid system to a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid system. This week, the company announced that it’s working on yet another system (three, actually): three unique range-extended electric drive setups. Volvo is doing the development with the support of the Swedish Energy Agency and the European Union. A quick refresher: range-extended electric cars are electric vehicles with an onboard power generator—whether that’s a small gas engine or diesel.

Volvo’s three “technical concepts” all employ the similar hardware—a three-cylinder combustion engine and a 111-hp electric motor—but differ in how the engine assists the electric motor. The company claims that for each of its three range-extended concepts, effective range is increased by over 600 miles over each car’s electric-only range. There is no word about when we can expect to see one of Volvo’s range extender systems powering a production model, but if one is green-lit for production, it’ll be many years until a car so equipped hits the road.

Technical Concept I

The first concept, a modified Volvo C30, uses a series-connected range extender. The system consists of a 60-hp three-cylinder engine, the aforementioned 111-hp electric motor, and a 40-kW generator. The tiny, rear-mounted engine is not mechanically linked to the drive wheels at all (the Chevrolet Volt’s engine can send power to the wheels under specific circumstances) and simply turns the 40-kW generator that charges the car’s battery pack, which the electric motor draws power from (the power flows in a series).

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/volvo-shows-plans-for-three-electric-vehicles-with-range-extending-engines

Volvo Illinois

Model Year 2012 Volvo S80 — "The Photo Shoot"

Enjoy beautiful driving scenes with the refined Volvo S80 driving through the city of Dubai and being photographed in a studio session. This film also introduces the new generation Volvo On Call, also available as a mobile app. The song "Seven Seas" is specially composed and performed by the Swedish artist Lisa Nordström.

Volvo Dealers

Many Ways For Volvo To Go Green And Save Gas, Says CEO

Volvo likes to think of itself as a conscientious car company.

"Why are we different?" asked Stefan Jacoby, Volvo's German CEO. "We are Swedish; we come from a human-centric company. We do things because they have a purpose for people."

Safety, yes, but also green

Those things used to revolve around safety, and Volvo still nurtures its safe reputation, adding each year to its hundreds of patents for technology to make cars safer. The company's official goal is that no one will be killed or injured in a Volvo car by 2020.

But increasingly the purpose must also be producing greener cars, which for Europe by 2020 must emit no more than 95 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide on average. For Americans, that means 59 miles per gallon.

At a seminar called "Innovations Toward Zero," held last Thursday at the ultra-modern House of Sweden in Washington, D.C., both CEO Jacoby and Lennart Stegland, Volvo's president of special vehicles, laid out a full agenda of ways the company will get there.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1061348_many-ways-for-volvo-to-go-green-and-save-gas-says-ceo

Volvo’s Road Train Links Driverless Cars Together

Are you ready to give up control of your car for safety? Volvo hopes so as it develops its “road train” technology.
 
In a road train, multiple cars are “connected” by wireless technology to drive in packs on highways. One lead vehicle (with a “professional” human driver) sets the train’s speed, and other vehicles can link to the lead vehicle. On-board systems in the following vehicles would autonomously steer, accelerate, and apply the brakes as necessary. In theory, this would reduce the number of accidents caused by driver error on highways, and could allow drivers to nap or watch movies while behind the wheel.

“Road trains allow a driver to use their time better, drive safer, reduce congestion and improve the environment,” Broberg told Autocar. “You’re always following another car, so why not let the driving be done by someone else?”

Although he admitted there are legal and safety hurdles to surmount, Broberg said Volvo plans to test road trains on public roads in Sweden later this year. The company tested a road train composed of two vehicles in Sweden in January, and hopes that this technology will pave the way for fully autonomous cars.

Development of road trains is being funded by a European Commission program called Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE.) The SARTRE project is coordinated by U.K. engineering group Ricardo, with collaboration from several European universities and technical consultancies, as well as Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks Corporation.

According to SARTRE, the vehicles in a road train will travel much more closely than human drivers safely can, potentially alleviating congestion. Close following distances and consistent driving manners are also said to reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent. SARTRE claims 80 percent of car accidents are caused by driver error, so road trains are expected to drastically improve highway safety. The group says road train “technology development is well underway and can most likely go into production in a few years time.”

Volvo Trucks Corporation– which is a separate company from Volvo Cars — has previously outlined a similar vision for autonomous semi trucks, which would drive themselves in road trains at 56 mph. Not only could truck drivers rest on long journeys, but the Volvo Concept Truck 2020s are designed to “draft” each other, thus reducing fuel consumption.

It’s no secret that Volvo Cars has long made its name on safety innovations. Now the company’s goal is for zero Volvo vehicles to be involved in car accidents in the year 2020. According to chief designer Anders Gunnarson, advanced accident-avoidance technologies will mean cars never crash, so they will be designed without extensive crumple zones and passive safety equipment.

“This means we designers can use these areas to create a stimulating, more attractive environment for driver and passengers,” Gunnarson said in a statement.


via Volvo, Autocar courtesy of Motor Trend Staff

Read more: http://blogs.automotive.com/6762441/concept-cars/volvo-s-road-train-links-driverless-cars-together/index.html#ixzz1NOw1dXe5

From the logbook: 2012 Volvo S60

Since purchasing our 2012 Volvo S60 T5, we’ve had lots of time and miles behind the wheel to get acquainted with Volvo’s latest sedan. So far, our $35,100, front-wheel drive, 250-hp T5 hasn’t disappointed us.

The previous S60 was long in the tooth and was never competitive in its class. Of course, it competes in a tough segment against the likes of Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Have a look at the car’s logbook for a candid look at the staff’s first impressions of how the S60 measures up:

“Great steering response - quite good feel and nicely weighted.”

“Big fan of this car - light feeling, nimble, fast, and fun.”

“Ride is on the stiff side but less so than typical Volvos.”

“Plenty of power, but the inline five-cylinder engine isn’t very refined with its characteristic growl.”

“Really like the engine’s mid-range response - want to punch it all the time.”

“Getting 28 mpg without really trying.”

“Silly two-step ignition process.”

“Roomy driving position…lots of knee, leg, and head room.”

“Interior is somber and, while fit and finish looks good, it’s a whole collection of different surfaces that sometimes seems jarring.”

“No real fatigue after 3-5 hours in car.”

“Great seat, although it could use more lumbar.”

“Seat heaters are slow to warm and not that hot.”

“Rear seat is surprisingly small.”

“View out of the rear window is good in traffic, but the high rear deck is troublesome for reversing.”

“Shocking that there’s no back-up camera [on our $35K car].”

“Seems more competitive than ever but still somewhat unexciting.”

“Like this better than the [redesigned] Saab 9-5…and it’s cheaper.”

“I really like driving this car and much prefer it over an A4.”

Just like how Sally Field reacted to her Oscar for “Places in the Heart” - “I can’t deny the fact that you like me! Right now! You like me!” - we’re impressed with Volvo’s latest effort. It delivers a much more sophisticated ride and better handling than any other previous Volvo. Significantly, though, this new S60 also elicits comments you don’t expect, summed up with this logbook entry: “Best. Volvo. Ever. Fun to drive!”

Read More: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/05/from-the-logbook-2012-volvo-s60.html

Volvo Concept Universe - Auto Shows

Let's get the complaining out of the way. The Volvo Concept Universe unveiled at the Shanghai auto show is styled with all the innovation of a Top 40 pop song. To some, the front end looks like a Swedish take on the 2002 Lincoln Continental concept’s; others see hints of Jaguar XJ in the rear end.

Getting past the shape, the Concept Universe communicates two important messages. First, it underscores that by universe, Volvo really means China. The company's new owner, after all, is China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo's Chinese sales are fairly strong, and the management is desperate to grow its sales in the hot luxo-car market there. That's why Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby says of the Concept Universe, “We will listen very carefully to what the Chinese car buyers think of the design. Later, we will also show the Concept Universe in other parts of the world.” Gee, thanks.

Of greater relevance for those of us not residing in the People's Republic of China, is the new platform underpinning the Concept Universe. Volvo calls it Scalable Platform Architecture, and we should see it again beneath several—if not all—upcoming Volvo models. Volvo is mum on such trivialities as possible application, size range, and engineering details for the time being; we'll have to be satisfied with the promise of the concept’s designer, Jonathan Disley, that the interior is more spacious than that of the S80 on sale now.

Jacoby has previously said that his company needs to move away from pitching cars as “premium” models, because this language is too heavy on the marketing fluff. So it was with great relief that we found the press materials for the Concept Universe entirely devoid of that word, instead harping on “luxury.” Although Volvo has a history of successfully flogging its models as the ultimate luxury cars in Communist countries—the North Koreans still tool around in 240s, and East German elites in the 1980s lived in a gated community jokingly referred to as Volvograd—China's shoppers are increasingly demanding. The next-gen Volvos that will grow from this Concept Universe have to live up to the marketing, whether they're called premium, luxurious, or something else.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q2/volvo_concept_universe-auto_shows

Chicago Volvo Dealers