Tag: volvo

No comments

VOLVO C40 RECHARGE

  By ,

The C40 Recharge coupe and XC40 Recharge SUV are Volvo’s first dedicated electric vehicles. Both arrived here in June 2022 and were upgraded in July 2023. Both vehicles come with the choice of the Pure with a single rear-mounted motor or the Twin Pure which adds a second motor mounted at the front. Our test vehicle was the C40 Recharge Twin Pure. STYLING The C40 Recharge’s shape is relatively subtle and it doesn’t shout out that it’s an electric vehicle. From the front to the B-pillar it’s quite tall in… Read more

No comments

VOLVO XC60, PLENTY TO SAY . . . MOSTLY GOOD

  By , ,

What’s in a name? Plenty for Volvo, the Sino-Swedish car maker with its new mid-size luxury SUV, the XC60, tagged with a string of descriptors to separate each model from one another. Take, for example our test vehicle, the Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright: phew! And that mouthful comes without mentioning vital specifications such as the powertrain – in this case 2-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine, plus eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. ‘Ultimate’ relates to the trim level, B5 to the engine, a turbocharged petrol motor enhanced by a… Read more

No comments

PRIME TIME COMES TO VOLVO

  By ,

Volvo is making a big deal out of the fact it is bringing Prime Video to its car, with YouTube to come later. But we’d rather watch Prime at home in the comfort of our loungeroom. The app will be available to download in models with the built-in Google operating system. However, YouTube will be embedded in the OS. That’s hardly surprising considering Amazon is one of Google’s biggest competitors. Guess Google couldn’t quite go the extra mile. The news follows last year’s announcement that Volvo’s announcement will soon be… Read more

No comments

VOLVO S80 2007 – 2018

  By ,

  The Volvo S80 is the model that changed the public image of the Swedish car when it was  launched in 1998. Once seen as the company that built safe, square, boring cars, Volvo is  now regarded as a style leader.    The Volvo S80 is a large sedan with a shape that can be described as ‘simple but  effective’, especially in the cabin where it’s distinctly Scandinavian and will never be  mistaken as one of its German or British rivals.    Indeed, we heard owners say their S80 can almost… Read more

No comments

EX30 IS VOLVO’S SMALLEST EV YET

  By ,

Confirming the adage, Good Things Come In Small Packages, Volvo’s latest EV (and its smallest to date) packs a punch. Priced from $59,990, the EX30 will be offered in three versions: two with a single electric motor and a third high performance model with two electric motors. Single motor versions offer 200kW of power and 343Nm of torque; Twin Motor Performance delivers 315kW and 543Nm. A 69kWh high-voltage 400V lithium-ion battery is common to all three. Single motor variants have an estimated range of up to 480km; the twin motor… Read more

No comments

VOLVO EVS PILE ON THE KAYS

  By ,

Volvo has boosted the range of its C40 and XC40 Recharge twins. Both models have received upgraded powertrains and larger batteries that deliver longer range and faster charging capability. The upgrades also see the introduction of rear-drive models for the first time in 25 years. The new rear-wheel drive powertrain features a single 175kW motor, three per cent more than the outgoing single-motor front-drive version. In the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric (single motor), the 69kWh battery carries over, but enhancements in cooling deliver increased range of up to 460km (WLTP)… Read more

No comments

POLESTAR PUMPS UP THE 2

  By ,

Polestar has pumped up and is talking up its new-look Polestar 2 due here in the second half of the year. Single-motor versions are now rear-drive, powered by a newly developed permanent magnet motor and silicon carbide inverter. Power is up from 170 to 220kW, with maximum torque rising from 330 to 490Nm. That’s brought down the dash from 0-100 km/h to as little as 6.2 seconds — 1.2 seconds less. Dual-motor versions now have a rear-drive bias to give the car a sportier feel. A new rear motor becomes… Read more

No comments

VOLVO C40 RECHARGE

  By ,

Swedish car maker Volvo designs vehicles that reduce emissions to cut global warming. They are engineered to be as safe as possible, both in avoiding a crash if possible, and in protecting occupants if a crash is inevitable. To show we are serious about Volvo’s attitude to safety we bought a Volvo XC40 T4 Inscription several years ago and will probably keep it until my wife and I are no longer able to drive. Hopefully that’s many years away… Anyhow, onto the Volvo C40 Recharge. This is a fully electric… Read more

No comments

POLESTAR 3 – GO BIG OR GO HOME

  By ,

Polestar 3 has hit the decks and it’s big – in every way. Based on Volvo’s XC90 replacement, the all-electric EX90, the five-seat SUV comes with a big price, a big battery, big electric range and tips the scales at a big 2500 kilos plus. Powered by two electric motors, with a 111kWh battery, the launch edition puts out 360kW and 840Nm, with a range of up to 610km. Optioned with the Performance Pack, those outputs jump to 380kW and 910kW. It’s priced from an “indicative” $135,000 initially and you… Read more

No comments

POLESTAR 2 TWIN

  By ,

I must admit to having a soft spot for anything Swedish. I’ve had several business trips there with Volvo and Saab and on a couple of occasions have stayed on at my own expense to have a holiday after the official part of the event was over. Sweden is in the forefront of thinking when it comes to global warming and is working hard on reducing emissions from its vehicles. Polestar is a sub brand of Volvo and shares some components with the Volvo XC40 Recharge that we tested recently…. Read more