Volvo XC90 By ERST: Swedish SUV Gets Japanese Treatment

Ever heard about ERST before? Don’t be shy to admit it, we hadn’t. Turns out that, just like Heico Sportiv, Evolve and IPD, ERST is tuning house that specializes on Volvo. What makes ERST special though is the fact that it’s based in Japan. ERST’s latest offering concentrates on soccer mom’s best pal, the facelifted XC90.

The Japanese tuning house’s package consists of a bodykit that includes under panel attachments on both bumpers, front fog light fins, chromed exhaust pipe and most importantly, wider fender flares. Along with a set of sexy, bi-color alloy rims and a lowered suspension, the Volvo XC90 looks aggressive without going overboard or bling-bling. -More images after the jump

Via: Autoblog.nl , Source: ERST

Volvo R-Design Official: Available For C30, S40 & V50

That was quick; a couple of weeks after we first heard about Volvo’s intentions to present a sport package and the Swedish carmaker made it official. The option package will be named “R-DESIGN” (and not R-Line as we initially thought) and it will be available on the C30, S40 and V50 model range as of autumn 2007. The R-DESIGN package offers a range of sports-inspired interior

Exterior design includes an R-DESIGN badge in the front grille, color coordinated body kit, rear or roof spoiler, silver matt finish front grille and wing mirrors, and 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels (18-inch optionally). Interior design includes a two-tone black and cream upholstery with contrast stitching and embossed R-DESIGN logo, leather trimmed steering wheel with R-DESIGN logo, an aluminum center stack, blue instrument dials, sports pedals and tufted dark floor mats with cream leather seams. -Full press release along with a high-res image gallery after the jump

Spice up your Volvo with R-design - the choice for a refined taste

Volvo Cars is now introducing R-design - an exclusive factory-fitted options package for customers who want a car with refined attributes.R-design will initially be available on the Volvo C30, Volvo S40 and Volvo V50 as of autumn 2007.

"The possibility of tailoring one's car to suit personal tastes is becoming increasingly important to car buyers today. R-design has been developed for buyers who want a refined and sporty look for their cars," says Gerry Keaney, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars.

Customers can choose between 10 exterior colours, and the R-design badge in the grille is accompanied by a range of specially designed exterior and interior details. Exterior features include a satin matt-finish grille, colour co-ordinated bumpers and lower side mouldings, rear or roof spoiler, satin matt-finish door mirror caps and five-spoke aluminium wheels (17 inches, 18 inches available as option). There is also a decotrim on the tailgate of the C30 and V50.

Volvo Promotion Treasure Hunters Discover A Real-Life $500m Spanish Shipwreck!

A treasure chest filled with $50,000 in gold doubloons and a key to a new Volvo? – Who needs it when there’s $500 million worth of priceless coins lying right next to it? In theory, Volvo’s treasure hunt adventure, which was designed to promote the latest chapter of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, was a good idea. The contest, which originally promised the winner a sea voyage to retrieve a pre-sunk chest full of cash goodies, was put on the backburner when Odyssey, the world leader in deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, found something better.

The “new” prize included a chest, which is thought to be from an old Spanish shipwreck, filled with $500 million in gold and silver coins. The area was immediately blocked off by the Spanish government hoping they could get a cut of the findings.Meanwhile, Volvo had to dig deep in their pockets and give the winner of the contest, 23-year-old Alena Zvereva of Russia the replacement $50,000 and the keys to a new Volvo. They are also wondering how they’ll retrieve the stranded chest of gold coins. The contest attracted more than 32,000 online contestants from 22 markets around the world. -Full press release and pics after the jump

Posted by Dani

Via: Motorpasion, Source Volvo

PRESS RELEASE: REAL-LIFE PIRATE ADVENTURE DELAYS VOLVO TREASURE RETRIEVAL

Controversy Sparked by $500 Million Real-Life Treasure Find
Adds New Mystery and Intrigue to Final Leg of Volvo's Online Hunt

In a twist worthy of any great pirate story, Volvo Car Corporation today upped anchor - at least temporarily - on the last crucial leg of its global online treasure hunt: the retrieval of a prize treasure chest filled with $50,000 in gold and a key to a new Volvo from the sea floor. The retrieval of the chest will hang in the balance until controversy dies down over the discovery of real life treasure by Volvo's Hunt partner, Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Earlier this year, Volvo selected Odyssey, the world leader in deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, to sink a treasure chest with one goal: to create an authentic, exciting treasure hunt to promote Disney's ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.' Veiled in secrecy, Odyssey scouted locations in the Western Mediterranean, finally zeroing in on a perfect spot off the coast of Gibraltar. They had planned to take the winner of The Hunt, 23-year-old Alena Zvereva from Ekaterinburg, Russia, out to retrieve the treasure from its secret location when the operation hit an unprecedented snag: Odyssey found real treasure. And a media storm ensued.

"We thought sinking a real treasure chest, filled with $50,000 in gold doubloons and a key to a new Volvo, and creating a global treasure hunt for 22 markets was challenging," said Linda Gangeri, national advertising manager, Volvo Cars of North America. "But that was, quite literally, a drop in the ocean compared to the storm our attempted retrieval process has stirred up."

While thousands of would-be treasure hunters from around the globe battled it out to find Volvo's prize booty, Odyssey struck gold and silver of their own in the Atlantic Ocean with the discovery of an estimated $500 million in coins from a deep ocean site the company has now code-named the ‘Black Swan.'

As soon as the discovery was made public, having been spotted depositing Volvo's treasure in an entirely different area, questions started circulating as to the real provenance of the ‘Black Swan.' Was it a Spanish shipwreck? Had Odyssey been working on shipwrecks in Spanish waters? Unable to reveal the exact location of the ‘Black Swan,' in the Atlantic Ocean because of obvious security reasons, and under a non-disclosure agreement with Volvo to protect the location of its treasure chest, Odyssey found itself in the eye of a media storm that has yet to abate. Reports have been widely circulated that a court in the Spanish coastal town of La Linea has issued an order for the Spanish Guardia Civil to detain any Odyssey vessel should it leave the port of Gibraltar, putting Volvo's retrieval plans on hold.

"When we discovered the ‘Black Swan,' international interest in the find was amazing," said Greg Stemm, real-life shipwreck explorer and co-founder of Odyssey. "Even though we have been very clear that it's in the Atlantic Ocean, outside any country's territorial waters, when Spanish authorities saw that we'd been out near Gibraltar in March, some unfortunately jumped to the wrong conclusion. Until very recently, we were contractually bound not to reveal our arrangement with Volvo, so without a real explanation of why we had deep-sea exploration equipment out there, it's easy to see how imaginations could run wild."

Whatever happens, Zvereva will receive $50,000 and a new Volvo XC70. Volvo, however, is not giving up on its retrieval plans yet and is committed to exploring every avenue possible to reclaim the chest from its watery depths.

"We wanted an adventure, and we certainly got one," said Gangeri. "Real-life shipwreck exploration is uncharted waters for us, and Odyssey did warn us that you never know what will happen out on the high seas. They have been an excellent partner throughout all this, and they helped make this contest one of the most authentic, exciting promotions of the year. Now, pirate story or not, we're putting everything we have toward raising a thrilling - and happy - ending."

About the Hunt

The wildly popular Hunt, a month-long multi-media campaign developed as part of Volvo's promotion of the theatrical release of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, attracted more than 32,000 online contestants from 22 markets around the world. Participants solved a series of puzzles that led to a semi-final puzzle, Puzzle 21: World's End, posted May 31. The first contestant from each country to submit the correct answer then went on to compete in one final online puzzle to decide the winner. All participating markets were represented in the final with the exception of Italy, who didn't have a participant submit a correct semi-final answer within the time limit.

AB Volvo To Invest €180 million In Engine & Gearbox Production

Volvo -as in AB Volvo Trucks and not cars, has decided to invest more than SEK 1.7 billion (£ 122m - $241m - €180m) in Volvo Powertrain to increase its manufacturing capacity for heavy diesel engines by 20 per cent and heavy gearboxes by 50 per cent. The reason why the Swedes are proceeding to these investments is the increased demand for the Volvo Group’s products in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe and Asia. -Continued after the jump

A large part of the investment, slightly more than SEK 1.1 billion, will be in the foundry and production plant in Skövde, where production capacity for heavy diesel engines will be increased by 20 per cent. The investment there will comprise machinery, premises and environment-enhancing measures. In Köping, where gearboxes are produced, the investment will amount to SEK 400 million. In addition, minor investments will be made in a number of Volvo Powertrain’s plants in other parts of the world, to ensure that industrial systems are adjusted to the higher production capacity.

Volvo R-Line Sport Package For C30, S40 & V50 Models?

While Volvo decided a couple of months ago to can the “R” performance band due to sluggish sales in both Europe and the US, it is being reported that the Swedish carmaker is thinking of reviving the “R” brand through a sport package dubbed “R-Line”. Think of it as something similar to Audi’s S-Line and BMW’s M-Sport packages with visual and chassis enchantments. The unconfirmed reports are accompanied by a set of pictures featuring an S40 with a subtle looking bodykit, different interior trim and “R-Line” badging in-and-out. -More pictures after the jump

Via: Autoblog.nl , Source: Volvonews.tk

Volvo 244 With A 284Hp Toyota Supra Twin-Turbo Engine!

It’s "bricks on fire" down-under were an Australian bloke swapped the sloth 4-cylinder stock engine in his Volvo 244 GLE with a Toyota 1JZ-GTE / R154 powertrain! The 1JZ-GTE is a 6 cylinder, 2.5-litre, twin cam 24 valve, twin turbo engine pushing out around 284Hp / 208kW and 363Nm while the R154 is a 5 speed manual gearbox. This specific engine was used in the third-generation Toyota Supras and Soarers –the latter was sold in the U.S as the Lexus SC 300/400.

We have no idea how the rear-wheel drive Volvo handles on the road, but honestly, we don’t give a kangaroo’s poop. We’d give anything just to see the reaction of a driver’s face when you overtake him with a supped-up brick that sounds like a Supra. Check out the video of the Volvo 244 or, as its creator has baptized it, the 264TT-R, being dyno-tested after the jump (click “Read More…” or the title) and you’ll see what we mean. -Continued below

Via: csapo

Technorati: Volvo+244, Toyota+Supra, Carscoop, blogs, automotive, vehicles

Ford Denies Talks With BMW Aiming At Volvo Sale

"Ford Motor Company is not in discussions with BMW or any other company regarding an interest in the Volvo Car Corporation. We have seen this kind of speculation for the past year, as Ford Motor Company has been assessing our operations and portfolio -- as any good business does and we will continue to do."

A Ford spokesman issued this denial statement following several media reports that BMW was in talks with FoMoCo aiming at a sale of Volvo. The rumors started out from an article posted on Autocar magazine a few weeks ago and climaxed last week with reports from Swedish newspaper Goteborgs Posten and the Financial Times.

Theoretically and according to Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy, Ford could raise around $8 billion for Volvo which is FoMoCo’s strongest asset in the PAG Group after the sale of Aston Martin for $925 million back in March, 2007. Comparatively, Murphy estimated that a combined sale of both could bring back to Ford around $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion. So, is it a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” or simply a case of creative imagination on the behalf of journos? Guess we wont find out... Via: Reuters

Technorati: Ford, BMW, Volvo, cars, Carscoop, cars, autos, vehicles

2008 Volvo C30 & C70: Stronger 230Hp 2.5T & Minor Revisions

Following the revised S40/V50 and the 2008 S80 models Volvo has also announced minor changes for its C30 hatch & C70 Coupe-Convertible for the 2008 year range. Starting off with the common changes, both models receive the updated 2.5Turbo first featured in the 2008 S40/V50 that gains an extra 10Hp delivering now 230Hp.

Separately now, the C30 will be offered with a 1.8 Flexifuel engine (capable of running on bioethanol E85) and a 180Hp D5 Euro V compliant engine with six-speed manual transmission. The C30 also benefits from new hazard lights that are automatically activated if any airbag is deployed and a new EBL (Emergency Brake Light) function flashes all three brake lights five times a second to warn following drivers during an emergency braking manoeuvre. Exterior-wise, three new colours are available and the Volvo iron mark badge has increased in size by 50 per cent on the front grille. Inside, the RTI navigation system is now on hard disk for faster function and a hard load cover is now available as an option. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

The 2008 C70 features revised controls in the centre console complemented by a multi-function centre tunnel storage area, a more compact handbrake design, and a new armrest that’s longer and further forward for better driver comfort as well as offering a larger storage area. Other changes include more dynamically styled instrument panels for the T5 and D5 models and a new hard drive-based RTI road traffic information and satellite navigation system. As you’d expect, Volvo also offers four new exterior colours and a new matt real wood interior inlay, called Nordic Light Oak.

Technorati: Volvo+C30, Volvo+C70, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures

Volvo S80: New 285Hp T6 Turbo & 185Hp D5 Diesel with AWD Versions

Volvo’s expanding its new S80 model lineup with the addition of a 285Hp turbocharged inline-six and an AWD version of the five-cylinder D5 turbo diesel. Not much to say about the latter so lets concentrate on the new T6 Turbo engine that was first presented in the 2008 Volvo V70 this March. Based on the normally aspirated 3.2-litre inline-six, the T6 Turbo has a displacement of 3.0-litres, producing 285Hp (210 kW) and 400 Nm of torque, all of which are available from just 1.500 rpm. According to the Swedes, the S80 T6 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. -Check the full press release after the jump

Press Release

New drivelines in the Volvo S80: T6 turbo and D5 diesel with AWD

The Volvo S80 is now available with the six-cylinder, 285 hp T6 performance engine with All Wheel Drive that was first introduced in the all-new Volvo V70 in March 2007. Another new power train combination for the S80 is the 185 D5 turbo diesel with AWD.

"The T6 engine adds an extra dimension to the S80 engine range," says Hans Wikman, Vice President Vehicle Line Large Cars at Volvo Cars. "The engine has been programmed to provide the highest possible performance with the lowest possible fuel consumption and exhaust emissions." The T6 petrol engine is based on the compact 3.2-litre in-line aluminium engine that has been part of the S80 engine range since the introduction in March 2006. The turbo version has a displacement of 3.0 litres, producing 210 kW (285 hp) and no less than 400 Nm of torque. Maximum torque is on tap from just 1,500 rpm and remains available all the way up the rev range, resulting in remarkably quick acceleration and smooth driveability (0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds - preliminary figure). The somewhat smaller cylinder displacement of the turbo version, owing to the slightly narrower cylinder bore and shorter stroke, is compensated by the turbocharger which in this engine takes in exhaust gases in two stages, with the inflow divided into two lots of three cylinders each, a system known as twin-scroll technology. Twin-scroll technology permits use of a more compact and uncomplicated turbocharger and provides extremely swift response, fully on a par with that from twin turbochargers.

All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction

The T6 model in the Volvo S80 is equipped with Volvo's All Wheel Drive. Using an electronically controlled hydraulic clutch, the AWD system distributes drive between the front and rear wheels to ensure the best possible road grip in all situations. The system features Instant Traction, which shifts drive at lightning speed from the front to the rear wheels when starting on a slippery or loose surface.

Energy-efficient turbodiesel from second-generation diesel range

The five-cylinder D5 turbo diesel can also be combined with All Wheel Drive in the the Volvo S80. The powerful and easy to drive D5 offers 136 kW (185 hp) and no less than 400 Nm of torque - and it does so across a particularly wide rev range. The new D5 engine features an electronically controlled turbocharger, advanced multi-point injection technology and a particularly powerful engine management system. The driving experience provides far high performance and the driveability and traction are now further enhanced by the All Wheel Drive system with Instant Traction. A service-free particle filter is standard, making the D5 a highly eco-efficient alternative.

Technorati: Volvo+S80, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007