TORONTO (July 5, 2007) - When the Volvo S40 sedan and V50 wagon was introduced to Canada in 2004, Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. had its sights firmly set on attracting buyers with high demands on driving dynamics and a premium ownership experience.
For 2008, the Volvo S40 and V50 have undergone modifications intended to refine the cars' design and sharpen their competitive edge with a range on new features.
"When the cars were introduced in Europe almost four years ago, we emphasised that they gave buyers the properties of the larger Volvo models but in a more compact format," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Fredrik Arp. "Now we're taking this approach one step further by increasing the ‘grown-up' quality perception even more. At the same time we are accentuating the visual differences between the two models. The exterior design of the new S40 moves closer to the Volvo S80 while the new V50 more closely resembles the new Volvo V70."
Improved storage
Both design and technical refinements in the new Volvo S40 and V50 focused on improving the models' interior storage space.
"The design team exploited every available cubic centimetre in an intelligent way," explains Fredrik Arp. "The all-new design of the centre console and the inside door panels, for instance, have increased storage capacity and add even greater flexibility to the interior."
Sharper driveline range
The turbocharged, 5-cylinder T5 engine gets a performance hike of 9 horsepower for 2008, pushing total output to 227. The engine is available with either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic with Geartronic. Both the S40 and V50 are also available with a 168-horsepower, 5-cylinder engine mated with either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic with Geartronic.
Now with active headlights
When it comes to safety, the new S40 and V50 come with several new features:
World class audio system
While the S40 and V50 offer three different levels of audio system, the top level Premium Sound system gains a number of new features to heighten its performance.
Premium Sound now includes a digital amplifier from Alpine to take advantage of the Dolby Pro Logic II Surround sound processing and the new loudspeakers from Dynaudio of Denmark.
In the High Performance and Premium Sound systems it is possible to play CD discs encoded with music in MP3 or WMA format, effectively allowing the owner to store several hundred music tracks. All the audio systems now come with an auxiliary input for connection of other audio equipment, such as a portable MP3 player.
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Göteborg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 43 Volvo automobile retailers across the country. The company's product range includes the elegant C70 hardtop convertible, the versatile V70 wagon, the S60 sport sedan, the compact and sporty S40 and V50, and an XC-line of vehicles that includes the rugged XC70 and the award-winning XC90 sport utility vehicle. For 2007, the company is introducing two new models: the redesigned S80 luxury flagship sedan and the stylish and sporty C30.
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Contact:
Chad Heard
Senior Consultant
Marshall Fenn Communications
Office: 416-962-3366 x267
Mobile: 416-451-3204
E-mail: chadh@marshall-fenn.com
