For immediate release
VOLVO V40 PERFORMANCE CONCEPT WAGON
Designed in Southern California by Volvo Monitoring Concept Center, A Milder Sibling of Volvo's High Performance PCC 2 Wagon Is Introduced at SEMA
IRVINE, CA (October 29, 2001) --- Visitors to the annual Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) convention in Las Vegas will notice a distinct dash of testosterone has been applied to Volvo's V40 urban-sports wagon.
Volvo concept specialists modified the entry-level hauler adding a wolfish look to its understated appearance. Larger road wheels and low profile tires; modified and lowered suspension; ventilated large diameter disc brakes and body treatments give the V40 a new street-savvy look that augments intrinsic styling cues, power boost and improved handling.
"Volvo now offers a variety of high-performance sedan and wagon production models and has recently shown several ultra-performance concept cars that re-define Volvo handling and power. We thought it might be interesting to apply this thinking to the V40," said Anders Robertson, Volvo's V40 segment manager in North America.
"The result was more than we expected. What is usually viewed as our entry-level family wagon has emerged as a contemporary performance cruiser, thanks to engineering and style treatments supervised by Volvo Monitoring Concept Center (VMCC) working with aftermarket suppliers. With Volvo's recent headquarters move to Southern California, the V40 treatment seeks to combine the energy normally associated with the California driving lifestyle with traditional European styling and fundamental Volvo engineering and safety systems."
VMCC's project mandate was to imagine and build a more powerful, performance enhanced, and sleeker looking V40wagon; a design that would appeal to a more youthful market. "We boosted the V40's horsepower to 220 by changing the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), this added 50 hp, and reconfigured the turbo down-pipe. This resulted in an additional 10 horsepower. In a car of this size and weight these changes alone are significant," Anders said.
Utilizing parts sourced by IPD and other aftermarket suppliers VMCC project leader Cleve Mason has created an interesting alternative wagon, suited to the SEMA environment, younger drivers and real-world driving and safety needs. Eibach springs have been installed along with a larger rear sway bar and IPD/TME front strut tower brace. A GAB rear strut tower brace replaces the OE equipment. The suspension and rear sway bars give this V40 a sportier drive with less body roll and overall better handling.
Boasting a ground-effects look that sits the V40 aggressively atop its bigger wheel tire package, the wagon is sure to fit the mood at SEMA. The modest concept exercise demonstrates that imagination, when combined with the right aftermarket equipment and a solid design platform can result in pronounced visual and performance improvements.
"Motivating the consumer and automotive enthusiast to view Volvo cars in a different light is a significant part of VMCC's challenge. Driven by our spirit of ReVolvolution, VMCC and its aftermarket suppliers are intent upon changing the minds of American drivers about how a Volvo car or wagon should look and drive," Anders concluded.
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Goteborg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The 2002 Volvo automobile line includes the sporty S60 and S60 AWD sedans, the flagship S80 luxury sedan, versatile V70 wagon and rugged Cross Country, C70 coupe and convertible, and compact S40 and V40 models.
For More Information, Contact:
Roger Ormisher
800.970.0888
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
Public Affairs
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