RSS_Auto_Poster
Well-known member
Written by Paul Horrell
Volvo has released details and a pair of concepts for its next range of mid-size 40-series cars. "It"s part of the transformation of Volvo Cars," says CEO Hakan Samuelsson.The 40.1 concept (pictured first) is a ringer for the XC40, due to hit showrooms next year. That"s a crossover a size smaller than the XC60. A BMW X1 rival, if you will. The 40.2 wears fastback-saloon disguise but is actually a hatchback.Design director Thomas Ingenlath is keen to point out how different they are from the XC/V/S90. Come to that, from the upcoming new XC60 too. He says Volvo isn"t about building one shoe in several sizes. He says that"s what his rivals do and he pours scorn on it. "It"s 100 percent recognisable, 100 percent on-brand and 100 percent boring."Switching to full designer-philosphy mode, he says Volvo design will be different shoes. Actually waves some of them around: a black loafer for the 90-series, a softer dark-brown pointed-toe loafer for the 60-series, and a designer sneaker for the 40-series.Errr. Right-oh. Here"s another go at explaining it. The new cars have stronger surface facets and a distinctive kick-up to the rear door windows.Ingenlath is also keen to say these are close to the showroom result. "We will deliver on the expectation of these two show cars as they"re becoming production cars." The 40.1 is very close indeed to the XC40.Despite its name, the 40.2 is the concept version of the third body style in the new 40 series, we understand. Samuelsson implies a regular hatch, replacing the current V40, will come next after the XC40.I suggest to Ingenlath it"s not entirely unlike the gen-2 Skoda Octavia, which he also designed. He doesn"t get mad. "It"s a hatch that dominated its segment and did well both in Europe and China."Underneath the 40.1 and 40.2 is Volvo"s freshly-minted platform, which they"re calling CMA (Compact Modular Architecture). There will be a third 40-series body shell by 2020. Ingenlath says the short overhangs and tight proportions are only possible because of this new platform.Volvo"s head of R&D Peter Mertens says the platform is a step ahead for Volvo. "We are going to fire the next stage of the rocket. That"s electrification and autonomous drive." There"ll be plug-in hybrid versions of the new cars. They will be super-connected (Sweden is one of the world"s most connected societies). And early in their lives the 40-series will get self-driving tech trickled down from the 90-series Volvos.Autonomy won"t happen until after 2020 he says. And even then it will be a part-time system. In the country and town centres, the driver will be very much in charge, with lots of support from steering and evasion systems. But "on a motorway the car takes over completely and you can lean back and use the time for something else."Power? Volvo is working on related petrols and diesels, some of the petrols having help from plug-in hybrid electrification.There will be front drive and normal propellor-shaft four-wheel-drive. And also, according to Mertens, "very potentially possibly" one with the the XC90 T8-style 4WD via an electric rear axle motor.Enough? Nope, there"ll be a full-electric version too, released in about 2020, which will be capable of "about 200 miles" on a charge, says Mertens. The electric version puts the flattened T-shaped battery under the centre of the floor, widening out under the back seat. This is previewed by the 40.2 concept, which has 20-inch wheels to raise the floor enough to make space for the battery without you having to cut your feet off.
Date written: 18 May 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3478
Volvo has released details and a pair of concepts for its next range of mid-size 40-series cars. "It"s part of the transformation of Volvo Cars," says CEO Hakan Samuelsson.The 40.1 concept (pictured first) is a ringer for the XC40, due to hit showrooms next year. That"s a crossover a size smaller than the XC60. A BMW X1 rival, if you will. The 40.2 wears fastback-saloon disguise but is actually a hatchback.Design director Thomas Ingenlath is keen to point out how different they are from the XC/V/S90. Come to that, from the upcoming new XC60 too. He says Volvo isn"t about building one shoe in several sizes. He says that"s what his rivals do and he pours scorn on it. "It"s 100 percent recognisable, 100 percent on-brand and 100 percent boring."Switching to full designer-philosphy mode, he says Volvo design will be different shoes. Actually waves some of them around: a black loafer for the 90-series, a softer dark-brown pointed-toe loafer for the 60-series, and a designer sneaker for the 40-series.Errr. Right-oh. Here"s another go at explaining it. The new cars have stronger surface facets and a distinctive kick-up to the rear door windows.Ingenlath is also keen to say these are close to the showroom result. "We will deliver on the expectation of these two show cars as they"re becoming production cars." The 40.1 is very close indeed to the XC40.Despite its name, the 40.2 is the concept version of the third body style in the new 40 series, we understand. Samuelsson implies a regular hatch, replacing the current V40, will come next after the XC40.I suggest to Ingenlath it"s not entirely unlike the gen-2 Skoda Octavia, which he also designed. He doesn"t get mad. "It"s a hatch that dominated its segment and did well both in Europe and China."Underneath the 40.1 and 40.2 is Volvo"s freshly-minted platform, which they"re calling CMA (Compact Modular Architecture). There will be a third 40-series body shell by 2020. Ingenlath says the short overhangs and tight proportions are only possible because of this new platform.Volvo"s head of R&D Peter Mertens says the platform is a step ahead for Volvo. "We are going to fire the next stage of the rocket. That"s electrification and autonomous drive." There"ll be plug-in hybrid versions of the new cars. They will be super-connected (Sweden is one of the world"s most connected societies). And early in their lives the 40-series will get self-driving tech trickled down from the 90-series Volvos.Autonomy won"t happen until after 2020 he says. And even then it will be a part-time system. In the country and town centres, the driver will be very much in charge, with lots of support from steering and evasion systems. But "on a motorway the car takes over completely and you can lean back and use the time for something else."Power? Volvo is working on related petrols and diesels, some of the petrols having help from plug-in hybrid electrification.There will be front drive and normal propellor-shaft four-wheel-drive. And also, according to Mertens, "very potentially possibly" one with the the XC90 T8-style 4WD via an electric rear axle motor.Enough? Nope, there"ll be a full-electric version too, released in about 2020, which will be capable of "about 200 miles" on a charge, says Mertens. The electric version puts the flattened T-shaped battery under the centre of the floor, widening out under the back seat. This is previewed by the 40.2 concept, which has 20-inch wheels to raise the floor enough to make space for the battery without you having to cut your feet off.
Date written: 18 May 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3478