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The 2008 Volvo V70: Your Own Personal Bodyguard


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Volvos have long been known for their safety features, and with each new model, those safety features become more sophisticated. Case in point: The all-new 2008 Volvo V70 station wagon, which is scheduled to be introduced this week at the Geneva Auto Show. The third generation V70 features a number of new safety systems designed to protect not only passengers on the inside of the vehicle but pedestrians outside as well.

One of the more intriguing additions, which Volvo describes as a world breakthrough, are built-in child booster cushions in the rear seats. The cushions can be adjusted for children of different heights, and not only provide children with views out the windows but also are designed to work with the seat belts to provide maximum safety restraint in all situations.

For taller passengers (i.e. adults) Volvo has equipped the V70 with the latest version of its head restraints with the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which protect the head in the event of a side impact. The car also is equipped with an improved Side Impact Protection System, borrowed from the new S80 Sedan, which includes new side impact airbags and stronger side structures.

Another cool safety feature, also borrowed from the S80, is the Personal Car Communicator, a remote keyless entry device that includes a heartbeat sensor, which can not only detect if someone (such as an intruder) is in the car as you approach it, but also reportedly can monitor your own heart as you’re driving and alert you if it senses you’re becoming sleepy.

The other big news is that the V70 will for the first time be available with a six-cylinder engine (as opposed to the five cylinders available in previous versions). In this case, it’s an efficient 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder that produces 235 horsepower. A 285-horsepower 3.0-liter turbo and a 200-horsepower, 2.5-liter five-cylinder also will be available.

Design-wise, the V70 features a more sculpted appearance with dynamic lines (according to Volvo), as well as a black egg-crate grille and a new soft nose that reduces leg injuries in the event you should run into a pedestrian or cyclist.

The 2008 V70 should be in showrooms early next year. If you can’t wait that long, you can learn more about the current-model V70 here: http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Overview-d518-Volvo-V70.html

Hyundai Makes Headlines in Geneva


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Hyundai announced this week that it plans to showcase two new vehicles–a stylish new hatchback and a concept crossover–at next week’s Geneva Auto Show. I don’t think any of the CarGurus are going to be there in person, but the folks at GlobalAutoIndex.com have a preview for us. The newly launched hatchback, named the “Hyundai i30”, is clearly influenced by the curvilinear Arnejs concept car displayed at last year’s Paris show.

Hyundai i30 It’s pretty! A little safer and boxier than the Arnejs concept, but overall it’s an attractive tweak of the standard hatchback form. According to the Hyundai press release, the new i-Series will expand to include a station wagon as well. One of the advantages of the i30 (again, according to the press release) is a longer wheelbase than other hatchbacks; this, Hyundai contends, means greater comfort for passengers and more cargo capacity.

That’s all well and good. What intrigues me most about the Hyundai i30, though, is its modular design. The i30 will be available with a choice of three gasoline engines and three diesel engines; all will be offered with both manual and automatic transmission.

Hyundai’s offering the i30 on the European market as a serious rival to the Volkswagen Golf. The five-door hatchback segment is super-hot right now, with Fiat’s Bravo relaunch and Punto retooling, not to mention the Opel Corsa OPC I’ve been drooling over. Hyundai’s entry, though, is stylish and affordable enough to give the European automakers a run for their money.

The other new Hyundai offering, the HED-4, is a concept crossover utility vehicle created in conjunction with GE Plastics. Yep, you read that right–plastics. Its features include a wrap-around Lexan windshield and a proprietary Elastic Front (TM) pedestrian safety system. All we’ve got is a sketch right now, but it looks super-cool.

Hyundai HED-4 The idea here is that the lightweight body is both environment- and pedestrian-friendly. Of course, this is a concept, and I’m not expecting to see people driving around in Lexan SUVs any time soon. But once again, we’re seeing a lot of creativity here, this time from South Korea. Are the Big Three going to catch up?

Read all about it at GlobalAutoIndex.com: http://www.globalautoindex.com/news/plt?no=1764

and at Caradisiac.com.

Audi Gets Emotional With New A5 and S5 Coupes

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Audi is jumping feet first into what it calls a “highly emotionally charged segment” of the automotive market by introducing two new vehicles for 2008. Those vehicles are the Audi A5 and the S5, and the emotionally charged segment to which Audi refers is the specialized realm of the Luxury Coupe, which is becoming more competitive and is certainly a highly prestigious segment for automakers. And a quick glance at Audi’s two new luxury coupes will tell you that “emotional” is exactly what the German automaker was aiming for in designing these vehicles.

Just check out that deep grille (a definite design trend for 2008 vehicles), those sweptback headlights, the stunning wheels, the wide stance, sporty overhangs, and flowing lines of the A5 and S5, and you’ll see what we mean. Who wouldn’t want to drive this car from one end of the country to the other and back? A car like this would certainly be an emotional buy, with the primary emotion being happiness.

The A5 and S5 luxury coupes are scheduled for their official unveiling in early March at the Geneva Auto Show, so details on the two cars are still limited, but this much we know. The A5 will be the grand touring model (read super-luxurious), while the S5 will be a sportier version of the same car.

Both models are designed to comfortably seat four passengers, and will be powered by FSI (direct injection) engines — a 3.2-liter V6 for the A5 and a 4.2-liter V8 for the S5, with horsepower for the A5 at around 260 and around 350 for the S5. Audi will push the vehicles’ front axle forward just a bit, with the engines riding behind it to improve balance and handling. Transmissions will be a six-speed manual or a continuously variable multitronic automatic gearbox, also called a continuously variable transmission or CVT.

Audi also notes that the A5 and S5 will feature a completely redesigned suspension with a new rack-and-pinion steering system, as well as Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, 17-inch alloy wheels, an automatically opening trunk, a keyless entry system, an electromechanical parking brake, and a comfort key. A three-zone air conditioning system, a panoramic tilting roof, navigation and audio systems, and Audi’s parking system with a rearview camera are also part of the package.

All in all, it sounds like an impressive package. So get your emotions ready — the Audi luxury coupes will be rolling into U.S. showrooms later this year.

Short but Swede: Meet the XC60, Volvo’s Concept Cute-Ute


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Break out the cigars. The enormously successful Volvo XC90, the Swedish maker’s first true SUV, is going to be a big brother. This blessed event – the arrival of the XC60 mini-ute – is expected by 2009 at the latest.

The world has been watching this dragged-out gestation period for some time now, as various incarnations of the XC60 concept have appeared at the world’s auto shows. It’s even gone through a name change, having grown up a notch from the original XC50 moniker.

It will compete with an impressive list of premium compact utes, including the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, and the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK. The XC60 will get its drivetrain and platform from the Land Rover LR2, which awaits its U.S. launch in May.

Although it greatly resembles its XC90 idol, the new Swedish SUV is also based significantly on Volvo’s C30 sports coupe – look at the roofline, for instance. To be sure, its developers have consciously aimed for a beautiful blend of coupe and utility vehicle.

At the moment the XC60 concept has an innovative split tailgate, which features radical, form-following taillights along its angled edges and is heavy on the glass for better rear visibility. Its design also allows it to be opened in tight situations, for instance if another car is parked close to its bumper. Up front, the traditional Volvo iron-symbol grille is beefy, and it accents a new V-shaped “face” with ultra-modern rearward-reaching headlamps that may find its way across the product line.

The most notable feature on the inside is a very modern, slim-line center console that “floats” to save space and calls to mind a chrome-framed iPod. But this is a Volvo, so the big story will be the abundance of integrated safety features. Expect it all, from reinforced construction to whiplash-protection head restraints and every kind of airbag to electronic stability control.

Look for a 3.2-liter DOHC inline six (similar to the one in the S80 sedan and the Land Rover LR2) to provide the power, in the range of 230 horses. There’s no word yet on what the XC60’s towing capacity or offroad capability may be, but the concept model has been outfitted with front and rear skid plates that may or may not make the cut.

Coupe de Grace! The 2008 Scion tC–More Elegant Than Ever


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With all the Chicago Auto Show buzz about the bigger new Scion xB, and the replacement of the xA by the new xD, a lot of the automotive press kind of forgot about the changes promised for the 2008 Scion tC. Not our friends at AutoBlog.com, though. Their coverage of the new look for the Scion tC coupe had me starry-eyed over the graceful, sleek revamp of the little car that could.

2008 Scion tc

The official press release describes the redesigned front fascia as “menacing”. “Menacing”? It’s about as “menacing” as a streamlined Siamese kittycat. The blacked-in headlights and mesh-and-lattice grille give the front end a curvy Art Nouveau feel, and the new taillights are similarly retro. Inside the cockpit, there are a few new hipster touches (a very cool combination meter, for instance) that add to the old-school sportscar vibe.

The Scion tC’s low-slung stance and swooping lines also contribute to its “flashback to elegance” style. But the folks at Toyota know their market niche–they’ve added standard iPod connectivity to their standard sound system (which was already well tricked-out for the price point). And of course, the Scion tC is tuner-friendly; Toyota makes it easy on buyers who want to customize their cars, with a range of enhancement parts available from Toyota Racing Development, as well as a tuner-targeted tC Spec Package trim that comes off the line bare-bones and ready for customization.

With the Scion tC, Toyota’s found the sweet spot at the intersection of affordability, style, and fun. The 2008 Scion tC coupe is definitely going to keep them right in the groove. I can’t wait to test-drive one!