Volvo S40 News

With the twin-built Toyota GR86 and Subaru Impreza carrying over their (albeit now larger) shared engines into the new generation, a conversation was sparked in the CarsGuide office about unexpected cars that share an engine.

Volvo has confirmed the launch of an all-new small-size 40-series model, which will come months after the fourth quarter Australian debut of its second-generation XC60 mid-size SUV.

New 40 series concepts hint at upcoming XC40 small SUV and third-generation S40.

And before you reply, understand that this Swede is big on playing with steel and engines - kinky! For the first time, Volvo is openly hawking partners to take it to the next stage and inject capital to ensure it remains a stand-alone business.Volvo product planner Lex Kerssemakers says the company's owner, the Chinese conglomerate Geely, wants Volvo to be a stand-alone operation "so we can fund our future and continue making new products''."We aren't in a hurry. We can live without an alliance for a few years yet because we have the C-platform of the V40 to work on," he says, adding however: "Volvo won't renew our technical partnership with Ford.''That means the end of a partnership with Ford - who until two years ago owned Volvo - and created the S40, V50, S60 and other models that shared platforms, components and drivetrains with Ford.The Ford Focus, for example, shares the platform with the S40 and V50 while the S60 is on the same base as the Ford Mondeo.Engines and transmissions are also common, with Volvo sharing Ford's six-speed dual-clutch automatic and the turbocharged four-cylinder engines including the 2-litre EcoBoost now in the Ford Falcon."We have to have alliances,''Kerssemakers says. "We're talking to some companies and we may look to share engines in the future with a partner. "Anyone who makes a C-platform (Focus size) is a possible partner.'' But though the relationship with Ford has ended, Kerssemakers says that doesn't mean it wouldn't forge another deal. "We're very happy with Ford - always have been,'' he says. "We could make an alliance with them work. You can't rule anything out today - everyone is talking to everyone else - just look at the PSA Peugeot and General Motors alliance.'' On the flip side, Kerssemakers says Volvo has a lot to offer in a relationship. "We are one to two years ahead of the game when it comes to plug-in technology,'' he says. "We can share that, depending on price. Were also talking electrification and safety with China. "We are a bit ahead of China. They look to us. But China is good at low-cost platforms and we could use that. There's nothing wrong with their quality.'' Kerssemakers says plug-in hybrid technology was "very, very expensive''. "It's only for diesels at the moment but we see huge benefits because it offers the best of two worlds - performance and economy. "It's ideal for a partnership.''

But Volvo points out it's not alone and won't be the first European to use China's enormous manufacturing and labour expertise to make vehicles for smaller markets such as Australia.Volvo Cars product strategy vice president Lex Kerssemakers says it was "likely'' that cars would be made in China but insists there would be no difference in quality or performance."I can see Volvo cars for Australia coming from China,'' he says. "The only issue may be customer perception. But China makes the S80 for its own market that is equal in quality to the S80 that we make in Sweden. Quality is not an issue.'' Mr Kerssemakers says Volvo was "a small car manufacturer''. In an interview at the launch of the latest V40 small car in Geneva, he says: "We don't source parts from different manufacturers because we can't afford to.''"So all components that would go into a Volvo car built in China would be exactly the same as the components that went into a car built in our Swedish or Belgium factories. The way the car is made also would be no different. But the savings in distribution and duty (taxes) as well as the time frame make it very attractive."Customers don't really care where a car is made. They do care about quality, performance, reliability and so on. That wouldn't change.''Volvo currently makes two cars in China and all are only for domestic sale. The cars are a long wheelbase version of the S80 - which is exclusive to China - and the S60. The V40, revealed this week at the Geneva motor show, will also be built in China. Mr Kerssemakers says part of the reason Volvo is looking at increasing the number of its factories was to cope with predicted sales growth."We aim to sell 800,000 cars a year within a few years,'' he says. "Of that, 600,000 cars would be made in Europe and 200,000 in China. "Geely (the Chinese parent of Volvo) wants us to be financially self-sufficient and there's no hand-out from Geely. So we have to very carefully plan how we do business.''But he says that if the sales figures change and the need to build cars for export in China is reduced, Volvo wouldn't do it. However, given the upbeat predictions for the V40 small car, Mr Kerssemakers admitted that a China solution was "likely''.

That’s Volvo’s plan as it begins to roll out a range of electric and hybrid cars. It is making its own four-cylinder engine and plans to turbocharge it and add it to hybrid drivetrains within a few years. That means the end of Volvo five and six-cylinder engines, says Volvo’ senior vice president for product, Lex Kerssemakers. Speaking to Carsguide in Frankfurt, Mr Kerssemakers says Volvo’s Chinese owners - Geely - have supported the Swede and allowed a fresh look at new product.Though Mr Kerssemakers was reticent on detail, he says Volvo was now ready to release a new S40 - and its wagon variant, the V50 - which would boast increased fuel efficiency. “We had to ook at what we were and what we represented to our buyers,’’ he says. “We have always been seen as a company that was very aware of its social responsibility - and that includes the emissions of our cars - through safety. “We have progressed to making very good looking cars. We also make very good turbocharged engines - we have been doing turbocharging for 30-odd years - so now we have the basis for a step into the future.’’Kerssemakers says the new four-cylinder engine will be available in power outputs from 110kW to 220kW and deliver up to 440Nm of torque. “Now, put that with an electric hybrid drive with 200Nm and you have a very fast car that is capable of very low fuel consumption,’‘ he says. “Instantly, you have a sports car. It’s a very clear choice for us - ditch the cylinders. “We are developing our own engine nd it will be available in a few years. There will be overlap from the existing engines but ultimately, we will be a four-cylinder car company with hybrid and plug-in electric capability.’’Volvo is trialling a fleet of C30 plug-in cars in Scandanavia and is expected to start rolling out hybrid models from 2012. Kerssemakers says while Sweden doesn’t offer government subsidies for private motorists who choose low-emission cars such as hybrids, he says the cost benefit to the owner was very significant. Kerssemakers expressed concern about the plight of Saab. He says the possible loss of the company from Sweden would be “devastaing’‘ to supplier companies and to Sweden itself. “It also affects engineering and design students coming through universities and in that way, erodes Sweden’s value as a supplier of intellectual property,’‘ he says.Saab is still fighting for financial survival and was absent at the Frankfurt motor show.

The car brand trumpeted as the world's safest will catch up with the pack next month. Volvo is at last making sure every car it sells in Australia is equipped with ESP and traction control as standard. It has yet to confirm details of the ESP upgrade, including prices, though all Australian cars coming off the production line this month – which means deliveries in June once they are shipped from Sweden – will have the system. “We can confirm that dynamic stability control and traction control will be standard on all Volvo models from May production,” says Laurissa Mirabelli of Volvo Cars Australia. While Volvo is talking up its ESP upgrade, it is also working to finalise details of next year's model line-up after an upgrade last week in Europe. They should be here by October, and the all-new XC60 all-wheel-drive wagon will be the headliner. The most obvious change, on everything from the baby C30 to the C70, is a larger Volvo badge on the boot. It picks up the prominence of the badge on the XC60 and the latest mid-sized wagons. The only other change across the range, though not confirmed for Australia, is exterior mirrors that fold flat for parking. “There will be some minor changes to Volvo's MY09 line-up this year, as there is with its models every year,” Mirabelli says. “The MY09s won't be here until much later this year and we're not in a position to confirm the extent of the changes yet, given we're still going through the business case process.” She says there are only minor tweaks to the range, apart from the XC60, and nothing big on the technical front. In Europe, there are minor tweaks to nine models and one of the best is an optional system called Homelink. It uses buttons integrated into the sun visor to operate remote-controlled home appliances such as garage doors, house alarms and lighting. There is an upgrade of the optional satellite navigation on the S40 and V50, a hard load cover is now standard on all C30s and the climate control is upgraded in the C70 with the addition of the Powershift gearbox already fitted to the C30, S40 and V50. The S80 flagship gets heated washer nozzles and chronograph-style dials in the dash.  

No one in its Gothenburg centre in Sweden will talk about future product, although there is an underlying trend to shrink technology.Volvo's strategic design chief Jose Diaz de la Vega thinks a small car — smaller than the current C30 hatchback — would fit neatly into the company's mould.But he warns it could be a long way off — not because of design and engineering progress, but simply because of the Scandinavian caution about change.“We take a long time, we enter vehicle segments later than many car companies,” he said.“Volvo is a cultural brand. There is a movement towards smaller, more efficient motor cars and away from bigger SUVs. So I hope we can look at a smaller car. Like the Fiesta.”Volvo's holistic approach to the car has encompassed safety and environmental concerns for decades.Prepared to put its money where its mouth is, Volvo has committed $1.8 billion between 2006 and 2011 for research and development linked to environmental issues.The biggest step in this framework becomes tangible within five years with the launch of Volvo's first hybrid. No details are being released, although the hybrid unit is being developed in Sweden at Volvo's specialist Hybrid Centre using technology shared with its parent company, Ford.The hybrid — expected to be seen first in the XC60 body — aims to reduce Volvo's CO2 emission footprint and will join its other low-emission models for sale in Europe.It is part of Volvo's commitment to reduce emissions and to meet the stringent 120g/km of CO2 level being legislated for 2011 by the European Union. The CO2 level is an average across a carmaker's range and affects all manufacturers.Volvo said it was looking across the hybrid spectrum, including the simple 'micro-hybrid' technology, which is a starter motor/generator combination that works as a stop-go system. This turns off the petrol engine when the car is stationary — such as in heavy traffic or at lights — and automatically restarts when the accelerator pedal is depressed. Stop-go reduces fuel and C02 emissions by up to 10 per cent.Volvo will also expand its alternative fuel range, predominantly for the markets in Sweden, France and Brazil.There are three Flexifuel engines that run on varying percentages of ethanol and are available in five models — C30, S40, V50, V70 and S80. The engines range from a 1.8-litre four-cylinder to a 2.5-litre turbocharged version. Extra-low CO2 emission models under development include the C30 Efficiency with a C02 level of less than the proposed EU figure of 120g/km. This car will go on sale next year in Europe.Volvo is also close to delivering a twin-clutch automated gearbox that will offer greater engine economy.This transmission is similar to the Volkswagen DSG system. Would you be interested in a smaller Volvo car?  

It has also moved to create more differentiation from the V5 wagon which will more closely resemble the upcoming V70.A number of refining design cues position the Volvo S40 sedan a visual step nearer to Volvo's S80 large luxury sedan.There will be no price change and both models will get trip computers and the option of active headlights across the range.S40 gets a new colour-coordinated soft nose for a broader, lower stance.There is also a new grille with a larger Volvo Iron Mark, new headlamps and a lower air intake that sweeps across the entire front unlike the current model's three-part design.V50 also gets a new black egg-crate grille with larger Volvo Iron Mark, new headlights and three sculpted lower air intakes.The lower part of the tail lamp panel on both the S40 and V50 is 30mm higher than before and the lamps have a new graphic layout. The brake lights are now long-lasting LED and the new bumper features integrated reflectors in the lower corners.The entire lower part of the front door inside panels was redesigned to provide more space; and the audio system loudspeakers were reshaped to free space for a new, larger storage compartment with space for an A4 format book, an upright soft drinks can or a water bottle lying down. Space was also freed for an extra Dynaudio loudspeaker in the Premium Sound option.The slim centre console is available in additional decor versions such as the Nordic light oak real wood inlay.The handbrake has a more compact design, freeing up space for more storage capacity in the centre console.On the back of the console there is a flip-up holder big enough for a 1.5-litre bottle. 

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