Volvo V40 2000 News

the sensible Swedish maker has done it again with its smooth looking new mid-sized V40 wagon.

The pedestrian-protecting safety feature will be included as standard in the V40 five-door hatchback which is due for release here late this year or early next year, says Volvo Car Australia spokesman Oliver Peagam. The airbag technology unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show pops the rear of the bonnet when the vehicle strikes a pedestrian. The angled bonnet deflects the pedestrian who then strikes a U-shaped airbag released from the rear of the bonnet. It inflates high enough to soften the blow of the windscreen but still allow the driver to see over the top. Other manufacturers have released vehicles with bonnets that crumple or pop up to deflect pedestrians and soften the blow, but this is the world's first vehicle with an outside pedestrian airbag. Volvo's pedestrian airbag will be paired with their pedestrian-avoidance system which debuted on the 2010 S60. It alerts drivers of pedestrians stepping into the vehicle's path and automatically stops the car. Peagam says the pedestrian airbag will be one of several "unique selling propositions" for the V40. "It's also the first time we've had a five-door, five-seater hatchback since the 300 series," he says. "We don't know how much it (the airbag) will affect the price. We're still doing the business case on the pricing and spec. I think the airbag is part of the evolution of Volvo's strong history in all things safety. "The company is making sure we stay at the forefront of auto safety." The V40 is the only new Volvo planned for release in the next year. Airbags were invented in 1951, but the first passenger car with the safety device installed was the 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado. The unveiling of the new airbag comes as Volvo Australia has issued a voluntary safety recall of 1255 of its current models over a possible failure of front seat airbags to deploy in a crash. Vehicles affected are 2012 model XC70, V60, S60 and XC60. The fault is caused by the wiring harness under the front seats not being properly attached to the seat frame and may come loose. This could cause the SRS warning lamp to illuminate or the airbags to fail in a crash. Owners will be contacted by letter and should contact dealers for inspection and a free fix. Volvo Car Australia spokesperson Laurissa Mirabelli says there have been no reported incidents involving faulty airbags here.