In this issue of Winding Road, we get to drive the fastest production car available, the 2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. Our minds are blown, too.
Throughout its last generation of vehicles, from the middle of the last decade and on, Volvo has, rather quietly, been building a lineup of fashion-forward, mature, and good-to-drive cars. The range has been characterized by what might be described as “stylish restraint,” with subtly good-looking products being churned out of the design department, and capable, non-flashy sorts of driving experiences on offer.
Once upon a time, topless cars came in all shapes and sizes, and by that we mean all sizes. At 4500 pounds and sporting a wheelbase of 130 inches, the gloriously finned 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible was just a few inches behind a modern full size pickup truck in size. Its convertible top used enough canvas to cover a mobile home, and four people could fit comfortably in the back seat alone, never mind the wide bench up front and the endless trunk space out back. That was a convertible—drop the top, load up the family, the dog, the neighbors, and your in-laws, and head out for a day of windburns and suntans.
The XC60 has a great deal of potential. The 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 produces 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, but it feels more powerful than that. Power goes through a six-speed automatic gearbox, which always does what the driver needs. Upshifts and downshifts are quickly dealt with, while stomping on the throttle rarely confuses the gearbox as to what gear it should be in.
The S60 comes standard with Volvo’s 300-horsepower T6 engine, all-wheel drive, sport-tuned chassis, Volvo’s City Safety system, and a five-year, 60,000-mile warranty. The Touring chassis is available as a no-cost option.
Yesterday, Ford Motor Company announced that it had reached a “definitive agreement” to sell the Volvo brand to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
We have spy photos of the new Volvo V60 Testing in the snow and ice somewhere in Europe. Set to compete with the likes of the Audi A4 Avant, the V60 will have a lot in common with the recently unveiled 2011 Volvo S60.
Volvo is unveiling the all-new S60 ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. And ain’t she a beauty? The four-door S60 has been designed with a coupe’s appearance in mind, to give it a sportier demeanor. Volvo also promises that the looks aren’t the only sporty thing about it, as the driving dynamics are meant to be exciting, and suitable for the enthusiast driver.
Today, Volvo added a new mill to the lineup: a turbocharged, four-cylinder, 2.0-liter engine with direct injection and variable valve timing. The 2.0 GTDi will power versions of the Volvo S80, V70, and XC60.
This is just one of a most excellent series of photos showing the Swedish Police, armed with a Volvo, exacting justice on a fleeing perp. An interesting take on the PIT maneuver, indeed.
Volvo has announced pricing for the 2010 XC60 R-Design. For a base MSRP of $41,550, the R-Design gets a host of interior and exterior styling changes, as well as some slight mechanical upgrades.
Today, Ford announced that it will officially sell all assets of the Volvo division to Chinese automaker Geely. The difinitive sale agreement will be signed in the first quarter of 2010, with the sale closing half-way through the year.
Saab is done for. So it goes. But, what of the brand loyalists? What will they do when they’re done swallowing sadness and it’s time to buy a new car? Who will offer a new home to the Saab orphans?
Here are the top ten brands.
Volvo initially debuted an all-electric C30 hatchback in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but a more evolved version of this EV will be making an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Why? Volvo is planning to build fifty units of the EV C30 and will start doing real-world road tests in 2011.
Just like the larger C70 convertible, Volvo’s funky C30 hatchback will receive a funky new front end for the 2010 model year. The revised hatch will make its official debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, but we’ve got the official images and details ahead of time.
Volvo introduced its new 2010 XC60 R-Design, in a Press Release today. Volvo representatives said that it will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show, this September.