Volvo V40 News

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.

We'll see three new entrants due to lob within the next 12 months, including Mercedes-Benz's new A-Class.It will be joined in the fray by Audi's new A3 and the new Volvo V40, a shorter, hatchback variant of the S60 sedan for want of a better description.All are five door hatchbacks with front wheel drive. BMW's stylistically challenged 1-Series is the only rear wheel drive. Although some manufacturers are reluctant to admit it, the main competition for all players is VW?s super popular Golf.CLEAN SHEETThe Benz is a clean sheet project having nothing at all in common with the previous A-Class mini people mover. That job has been ceded to the new Benz B-Class and it's an effective device for everyday family motoring. New A-Class is taking Benz in a totally new direction that will open up a wider and younger customer base to the three pointed star. Early kick-off price guesstimates are in the $35,000 range.DIGITAL NATIVESIt's a car precisely targeting the Gen Y and Xers (so called Digital Natives) replete with a full array of connectivity right down to being able to seamlessly hook up your iPad or iPhone to the in-car info/control system.It will be a smart phone on wheels offering a smooth transition from a digital lifestyle to a digital driving style. And get this, there's a virtual co-driver you can question or instruct to operate in-car functions.LOOKSThe stunning looker, which bears a remarkable similarity to the A Concept of 2011, will be made in Germany, Hungary and tellingly, China. And we can expect a few other variants built on the same front wheel drive platform (moving to all wheel drive when AMG gets its hands on A-Class).UNDER THE BONNETIt will be powered by a range of existing and a couple of new Benz turbo direct injection petrol and turbodiesel engines rated from 80kW through to 155kW with capacities ranging from 1.6 through to 2.1-litres. Benz hasn't confirmed it but a three door hatch variant should become available a little further down the track and possibly a drop top cabriolet.Benz's performance partner AMG has been enlisted to develop certain A-Class parts so they have intimate knowledge of the car already. The A250 Sport enjoys significant AMG input. New A-Class will be offered with six-speed manual and seven-speed dual clutch manumatic transmissions and all models will have auto stop/start to optimise fuel economy.Camtronic that alters valve lift in the petrol engines for peak efficiency will also make an appearance. An 'Eco' mode will be available to squeeze out the last kilometre in fuel economy if you drive carefully.ACRONYMS R USBenz won't hold back on the acronym features list either that will see the new baby Benz fitted with a speed limiter (Distronic), radar-based Collision Prevention Assist (CPA), Pre-Safe collision preparation and Lane Keeping Assist as well as Fatigue Alert and numerous other electronic driver and safety aids. They have filtered down from larger models as has the luxury inventory.STYLEIt has an assertive stance on the road with a masculine frontal appearance and deeply sculpted panels. The ride height is low and a striking "pointillist" style grille is available on some models. It looks ready to pounce from all angles and inside, the assertive, quality theme carries through with seats for four and a reasonable boot space.The dash is from funky town featuring an electroplated look to many surfaces and impressive audio and lighting spex. It rates a strong five stars in crash testing and boasts newly developed pedestrian safety technology. The multi-faceted headlights feature a bank of LEDs for daytime running, indicators and parking lights. It rates a low 0.26Cd for aerodynamic efficiency.VERDICTIf it goes as good as it looks the new A-Class could be a world beater. It has the potential to lift Mercedes-Benz to a new level with a wider audience and still maintain that prestige aura associated with the 110 year old automotive brand. We find out soon enough.

Switzerland is car-making neutral ground and has little vehicle industry of its own. But its annual showcase has a reputation as the "designer" show, where the elite brands put their best ideas on display and the minor players can share the limelight.VOLVO V40Vehicle: Small premium hatch.Volvo has been treading water on vehicle development and a clear strategic direction has yet to emerge after its takeover by China's Geely two years ago. Its first new product since then still owes a lot to previous parent Ford, with parts of the V40 traceable to the Focus.But like the Mercedes A-Class, it tackles the booming segment of premium compact hatchbacks and is expected to add 100,000 sales a year. Volvo chief Stefan Jacoby says it sets new standards in the segment, with features trickling down from its larger cars. These include City Safety, a collision avoidance system that can prevent a rear-ender at up to 50km/h, and the headline feature, the world's first pedestrian airbag, which deploys from the rear edge of the bonnet.PORSCHE BOXSTERVehicle: Convertible sportscar."The car that rescued Porsche'' is not over-stating the significance of the Boxster, its little mid-engined roadster, which troubled brand purists when it appeared in the 1990s but undoubtedly brought the brand back from the financial precipice.Pictures of the heavily restyled new car have been around for a while but Porsche saved the real thing for Geneva. It shares many of its innovations with the 911, and Porsche will be rolling out variants of these two models for years to come. Lighter than before despite a longer wheelbase and wider track, two flat-six engines are offered from the outset: a 195kW 2.7-litre or 232kW 3.4-litre in the Boxster S. Its bound to better than the last one, and that's still the benchmark in this category.MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASSVehicle: Luxury hatchback.Mercedes-Benz has had mixed fortunes with small cars. Its previous A and B-Class were the Tweedledum and Tweedledee of a segment that contained cars such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.Expensive to build and mumsie in their appeal, Mercedes has torn up that approach and started from scratch. The A will be the smallest and least expensive of what will eventually be a five-car line-up in which only the practical mini-bus B is recognisable from before. The premium small car market is running hot and the A will aim to lure anyone shopping with Golf money and above. It's more macho, more premium and ready-fitted with top-shelf equipment such as collision prevention systems. It's also Mercedes biggest roll of the dice since the new M-Class SUV.FERRARI F12 BERLINETTAVehicle: Supercar.Most Ferraris sold are V8s, particularly since it added the entry-level California convertible to its range. Thanks in part to that car, last year production reached a record of 7200, and its margins are the envy of the industry.But true believers know it's the 12-cylinder cars that are really at the heart of the badge. Last year it replaced its flagship four-seater 12-cylinder and this year it rolls out its two-seater V12 coupe, the F12 Berlinetta. This replaces the six-year old 599 GTB and lifts the bar on performance even further. The F12 is the most powerful road car Ferrari has built, with a new 6.3-litre engine that develops 544kW and can rev to 8700rpm. It propels the F12 to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds and 200km/h in 8.5. Ferrari has been fast-tracking technology recently and the F12 comes with every dynamic trick Ferrari can muster.INFINITI EMERG-EVehicle: Concept supercar.Nissan's luxury division Infiniti has global ambitions after years establishing a foothold in the US. For its fifth appearance at the Geneva show it rolled out the third in a trio of concepts that demonstrate the evolution of its design thinking. The clunkily named Emerg-e pushes the boundaries on technology and performance.Its striking silver carbon-fibre body houses lithium ion batteries that power two mid-mounted electric motors. Together they pump out 300kW and can power the car to 100km/h in four seconds. Emerg-e can travel 50km on electricity before a three-cylinder petrol engine fires up and extends its range to almost 500km. Infiniti launches in Australia later this year.BENTLEY EXP 9 FVehicle: Luxury SUV.There's long been a gap in the SUV market above the most expensive Range Rovers and Porsche Cayennes that elite makers have been slow to fill. Not any more. In a few weeks, Lamborghini will unveil its extreme offroader, but Bentley has got in first with the EXP 9 F.Its first experimental, or EXP, car in a decade, the F stands for Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet. Huge and in many people's eyes not the prettiest, it's recognisably a Bentley thanks to its matrix grille, strong haunches and interior heavy with wood and leather.The showcar boasts 23-inch "turbine'' wheels, while under the bonnet is the same 6.0-litre turbo W12 engine that powers Bentley's GT line. Its goal is to set a new pinnacle for the segment, it says, and, despite any production schedule, Bentley left little doubt it was committed to the idea.BERTONE NUCCIOVehicle: Concept sportscar.Geneva is where the European tuners, aftermarket specialists and styling houses turn up to impress the industry with their skills. It's where names such as Pininfarina and Giugiaro, Ruf and EDAG strut their stuff alongside the majors.One of them, Italian design specialist Bertone, has survived to celebrate 100 years against the odds. Its showcar, named after the "master of Italian style'' Nuccio Bertone, honours that milestone and the determination of his widow to keep the company going.The car, a dramatic orange-and-grey wedge with a mid-mounted 4.3-litre V8, references famous concepts from Bertone's past, such as the Lancia Stratos Zero of 1970. You can't see out the back, so a camera feeds the view on to an LED-screen-virtual-rear-window. It's unlikely to go into production, but shows there's life in Bertone yet.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR JVehicle: One-off supercar.What does it feel like to have the wind in your hair at 300km/h? If you're the one with more than E2 million ($2.5m) to spend on the Aventador J, then you'll find out. Only one will be built, and even by Lamborghini's extreme standards this is an uncompromising set of wheels.It starts life as the Aventador, Lamborghini's new carbon-fibre mid-engined V12 supercar, and then doubles down. It removes the roof and windscreen and you can forget about satnav or a radio. It's unlikely you'll be able to hear much, anyway, apart from the engine because the cover has gone, replaced by a carbon-fibre lattice. Underneath is the same 6.5-litre 515kW V12 that propels the Aventador, but with less weight to shift. Lamborghini doesn't say how fast it is, but it does refer to the driver as a "pilot''.LAND ROVER EVOQUE CONVERTIBLEVehicle: Convertible SUV concept car.Almost four years since it was taken over by Indian giant Tata, Jaguar Land Rover really is hitting its straps. Profits exceeded pound stg. 1 billion ($1.48bn) last year for the first time, it's pumping money into R&D and creating 4000 jobs. Plans are also afoot to expand production into India, China and Brazil.One reason: in the Evoque luxury SUV it has a phenomenal hit on its hands. Evoque's success hinges on its striking design and Land Rover takes the idea further in its Geneva showcar, which is a study for an open-top version. Officially designed to "gauge reaction'', it will certainly get made if JLR has an assembly line spare

This year’s Geneva show includes about 180 new car debuts, and the line-up certainly hasn’t disappointed us.A delicious parade of top-shelf exotics and concepts will hog the spotlight of course: the stunning Lamborghini Aventador J, the Volkswagen-linked Giugiaro Brivido, the Infinti Emerg-E, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta will all fight for attention.But in the face of economies across Europe struggling – in some cases stumbling towards a crash – it’s clear from the unveilings that there’s a strong move towards downsizing.Skoda’s Citigo, Volkwagen’s Up and even the Volvo V40 are all practical takes on a smaller and leaner world.But the SUVs still get a look-in, with the likes of Mitsubishi flagging their plug-in Outlander, Nissan’s Hi-Cross clearly hinting at the next X-Trail – although they won’t come right out and say it.And Bentley proving yet again that money doesn’t even need to buy style and taste with the ugliest thing on wheels since … possibly ever.Electric, hybrid and range-extender technology is everywhere at Geneva, showing that - in Europe at least – it has long moved past being some kind of geeky indulgence. Every carmaker is talking economy and value. And there’s a lot more chatter about global platforms, with VW taking it to a planned one-size-fits-all extreme.What does it mean for the buyer? At the very least, while our economy looks pretty healthy here, the disasters elsewhere are having a strong impact on industry attitudes, and that means carmakers are going to try harder than ever to win over our wallets.Expect to see leaner cars, smarter cars and – faced with increasing competition from emerging industrial giants like China and India – better value cars. That’s good news for all of us. 

And it may have to prove that, if price tips are that otherwise the V40  may be too expensive for Australians. Volvo is preparing for a fight on German soil but may face stiff buyer resistance. The Swede wants to put its brand new V40 hatch - in Australia early 2013 - against BMW, Audi and the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class. But Australians may not shop the V40 against these Europeans and may not be prepared to pay mid-$40,000s prices - the field Volvo appears to aim at with plans to charge the same price as the outgoing S40. The pricing issue, which is yet to be confirmed by Volvo Australia, is further complicated by Mercedes' plans to aggressively market its new A-Class in Australia at about $34,000. The A-Class and V40 are similar in powertrains and size, but the Volvo edges ahead in equipment levels. It is roomier and better equipped than the BMW 1-Series range that starts at $39,563 for the entry-level 116i and on par with the new Audi A3 that will enter Australia with a $42,000 price tag. Buyers may shop the Volvo against the Lexus CT200 hybrid, which starts at $39,990, or even a premium-spec Ford Mondeo ($37,740 for the Zetec), Peugeot 508 1.6 Allure ($39,490) and the 1.8-litre Volkswagen Passat sedan at $38,990. So if Volvo is chasing volume, it may not be available in Australia unless the V40's price starts down around $32,000. That said, it's a very well shaped five-door hatch with excellent cabin space, a beautifully simplified dashboard and cabin trim treatment (the single gauge dash is pretty and easy to use), and lots of Swedish panache. Volvo Car's senior vice president for product strategy, Lex Kerssemakers, says the V40 is "not a Golf rival''. "It's much better than a Golf. We developed thie V40 on the S60. It's not sustainable as a low-cost car.'' The V40 is claimed to be the company's safest car yet. It comes standard with a world-first pedestrian airbag system that, when the front of the car makes contact with a pdestrian, raises the bonnet and inflates a U-shaped airbag that covers the lower edge of the windscreen and the two windscreen pillars. The car also gets a lane-keeping aid, park assist, an automatic road-sign recognition system (not yet developed for Australia), active high beam, a cross-traffic alert that senses oncoming vehicles at 90-degrees to the V40, and the City Safety technology that has now been upgraded to work up to 50km/h. Volvo's senior safety advisor, Thomas Broberg, says the V40 has class-leading safety that "is an important step towards our vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020.'' The engine range spans everything from Volvo's low-emission turbo-diesel that claims CO2 emissions of only 94g/km, to the turbo-petrol T5 engine with 187kW/360Nm and a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds. All petrol and diesel engine versions have start-stop and braking energy regeneration. The T5 is also available in a 2.0-litre version; and two versions of a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine. Volvo Australia is yet to confirm engines for our market. Volvo expects to sell 90,000 V40s a year, with 85 per cent of the total volume will go to European customers. Production starts in May and the car will be built in Volvo's plant in Belgium. VOLVO V40 Price: est. from $35,000  Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km Resale: n/a Service interval: 15,000km or 12 months Safety: seven airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC. Crash rating: 5 stars Engine: T4 - 132kW/240Nm 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo-petrol; T5 - 187kW/360Nm 2-litre 5-cyl turbo-petrol; D4 - 130kW/400Nm 2-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel Body: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4369mm (L); 1783m (W); 1420mm (H); 2647mm (WB) Weight: from 1360kg Transmission: 6-spd manual or 6-speed dual-clutch auto; front-wheel-drive Economy: T4 - 5.9 l/100km; 138g/km CO2; T5 - 7.9 l/100km; 185g/km CO2; D4 - 5.2 l/100km; 136g/km CO2

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''.

Small car models from Volvo are to be dropped as the company declares it is time to take on the Germans. "The Germans are in our sights,'' says Volvo vehicle line director Hakan Abrahamsson at the launch of the V40 hatchback."We are aiming at the premium Audi and Mercedes-Benz hatchbacks but we think we will have better equipment and more value. We will also have the best fuel consumption in  the class - 3.6 litres/100km from our 110kW turbo-diesel version. That's equivalent to 94 grams of CO2 per kilometre and to my knowledge, it's best in class.''The Volkswagen Golf is also considered a rival but he says the V40 "is better'' than the BMW 1-Series. The V40 hatchback - which starts production in May, the same time as it stops making the S40 and V50 - may also be developed into a small SUV and even a sedan.Mr Abrahamsson hasn't ruled either out. "We have invested heavily in the platform,'' he says. "That's because we are on our own. We have no association with other car makers since we split from Ford. "So we have to consider economies of scale.''However, Mr Abrahamsson says it would be expensive to engineer the platform as an all-wheel drive. "The hatchback market is very strong and it suits the front-wheel drive design because it's light and that makes it light on fuel.''The V40 is the result of an intense four-year program in design and engineering. It is also the result of design and lifestyle clinics, including long-term collaboration with a group of 25 young people in London.The V40 will challenge the competition in the premium hatchback class with sharpened features and characteristics from larger models in the Volvo range wrapped in a sleek, compact package.First impressions are of a modern, expressive car with a Scandinavian luxury look and feel, a high-quality aura and meticulous attention to detail. The new, fully graphic instrument cluster with personalised layout and information should enhance the driving experience. Volvo says V40 boasts class-leading driving dynamics thanks to focused attention to a number of vital areas.The chassis is designed to offer the agile, connected experience that creates driving pleasure. Engine variants available in V40 will include everything from Volvo's first diesel with CO2 emissions of 94 g/km to the turbocharged T5 petrol engine with 187kW and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. All models will feature start-stop and braking energy regeneration, no matter whether they are fitted with a manual or automatic gearbox.V40 features a class-leading safety and driver support package, including Volvo's groundbreaking Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake and several other new features. Among the new features are a world-first pedestrian airbag, Lane Keeping Aid with auto steering, and an ingenious Park Assist Pilot that makes parallel parking easy.The City Safety low-speed collision avoidance system has been further developed and it now operates at speeds up to 50 km/h.Volvo says the new V40 is the most intelligent and safe Volvo model so far. All its features are designed around the driver, helping him or her stay alert and well informed to avoid collisions and dangerous situations.Sales target internationally is a conservative 90,000 units with 85 per cent of the total volume going to European customers. It will be built in Volvo Car Corporation's plant in Ghent, Belgium.

Last drinks have been called for the thirsty six- and eight-cylinder engines in the Swedish carmaker's line-up.Volvo says its future lies in more efficient four-, three- and even two-cylinder units, with power levels raised by technology such asturbocharging, supercharging and the addition of electric motors. Global CEO Stefan Jacoby says the smaller, smarter engines are the only sensible way to go. "This is a logical step you only engineer logically for four cylinders," he says. "We can with a modern top-of-the-class engine technology get the same performance as a high-performance six-cylinder engine." "The technology available brings you the same fun to drive as with the classical six or eight cylinders," he says. "The time of (six and eight) cylinders are over.It goes into the direction of four cylinders three cylinders or even two cylinders which are powered by turbochargers and twin-chargers and compressors and all these things." The four-cylinder wave will come in with the arrival of a modular platform strategy, called Scalable Platform Architecture, which can be adapted for vehicles across the entire range. Some aspects of the SPA platform will be seen in the extended C30 architecture used for the new V40 that will arrive next year to start edging out the S40 and V50, but the first vehicle to be fully based on the new development will be the 2014 replacement for the aging XC90 SUV.