Bloody (Fast) Volvos...

Can Volvo get anything right? For decades the overly conservative car maker from Sweden has offered products that fail to excite visually and mechanically, instead offering reliability and remarkable safety.

As such, Volvo drivers have earned themselves an unfair reputation as being doddering old Sunday drivers with limited roadcraft skills.

In a bid to rid itself of this image, the Swedish automaker's "Bloody Volvo Driver" advertising campaign seen in Australia may be piquing the interest of many who are on the lookout for an original European car.

But at the same time, it is also alienating many long-time Volvo drivers, who feel insulted by the TV commercials.

While marketing may not be the marque's forte, the engineering and design side of the business appears to have improved dramatically in the last two or three years, and the recent alliance between Volvo and Italian style gurus Pininfarina, who are working on the next convertible, is further proof that Volvo wants to be taken seriously.

You want more evidence? Try the unashamedly powerful S60 R, with it's turbocharged, AWD specifications causing many to do a double take: "That's a Volvo?"

Along with the local launch of Volvo's top-tier S60 R sportscar, the all-new 2004-model S40 is looking very smart indeed, and the company has just recently unveiled its new V50 at the Bologna motor show to boot.

But before we investigate the brand-spanking new V50, first let's look at the S60 R and it's station wagon sibling, the V70 R, which are, according to Volvo reps, "...the most advanced models ever produced by Volvo."

Simply put, these two new models are Volvo's M5, AMG E55 or RS6.

And, while they may not have the outright stomp of the sporty Beemers, Mercs, and Audis, there are very impressive vehicles nonetheless.

At the heart of any sportscar is its engine, and Volvo have managed to squeeze an inordinate amount of power from its relatively small and unique 2.5-litre inline 5-cylinder powerplant.

Total engine displacement is 2521cc, and consists of an aluminium block and cylinder head plus dual overhead camshafts with CVVT that actuate 20-valves (4 per cylinder).

But the pièce de résistance for the go-fast Volvos has to be forced induction: Making use of a single turbocharger set at 1.05 bar (15.2 psi) and linked to a pair of air-to-air intercoolers, the S60 R spreads a healthy 220kW @ 5200rpm to all four wheels.

The turbocharger is some 20 per cent larger than other Volvo turbines, and has been tuned to deliver an ultra flat torque curve from extremely low revs - how does 400Nm of torque @ 1950rpm sound?

Not convinced? Then consider that this V8-like torque peak is sustained from 1950rpm to 5250rpm.

Diverting power to all four wheels is a six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed auto item is also available, but this concedes some 50Nm of torque bringing the auto's peak to 350Nm, which hampers it's 0-100km/h times.

As such, the all-paw S60 R manual will hit 100km/h from rest in a claimed 5.7 seconds - that's mighty fast, Volvo or not.

This is made even more impressive when you consider that the S60 R is no bantam fighter, tipping the scales at a very un-sporting 1622kg.

In contrast to the 5.7 second manual time, the same car fitted with the five-speed auto (and reduced engine torque) reaches 100km/h from standstill in 7.5 seconds, and the V70 R station wagon variant adds two tenths of a second to both these times.

Looking at the 2.5-litre engine's basics, it would be fair to say that Volvo has done it's homework - but it doesn't end there.

Oh no, the Swedish automaker has gone all-out to create a real sportscar, and this is evidenced in a number of intriguing drivetrain features. For instance, the engine has an aluminium oil pan with in-built windage tray to control oil pickup during high cornering loads.

At full throttle, the air conditioning compressor is temporarily disengaged to provide maximum engine power, and the 6500rpm rev limiter allows a 300rpm overrun (to 6800rpm) for three seconds, for those times when you just have to squeeze every last drop of power from each gear ratio.

The S60 R and V70 R also feature adjustable pneumatic suspension that can be changed on the fly, according to road conditions or your mood.

Kids kicking up a stink in the back? Chuck it into Advanced mode and feel the dampers stiffen to cope with higher lateral g-forces during hard cornering, potentially squeezing the ankle-biters into their seat cushions during tight corners, thus restricting their trouble making.

The dynamic chassis/suspension system is called Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and is a joint-venture development between Volvo and Ohlins Racing AB.

There are three settings all up: Comfort, Sport and Advanced.

The latter is the option most enthusiasts will warm to, as not only does improve suspension it alters the throttle ratio, meaning less pedal travel is needed to open the throttle butterflies, and the ignition timing at idle is changed to create a greater torque output for better launches from standstill too.

Volvo is rather proud of its dynamic suspension system, and is quick to explain that it is not simply a three-setting damper control system.

Rather, the Four-C system monitors the action of each wheel as often as 500 times per second, and it is able to adjust each shock absorber independently in 5-15 milliseconds.

Therefore, the damping settings may change many times before the driver is even aware that any change has happened.

The system interprets data from sensors located throughout the car that measure longitudinal and lateral acceleration, yaw rate, the vertical motion of the car body (roll, pitch, heave), the vertical position of each wheel and the speed of the car.

Other measurements are also taken from the steering wheel position (and how fast the steering wheel is turned), engine torque, throttle pedal position, engine revolutions per minute (RPM) and the degree of braking.

While on the topic of braking, Volvo hasn't skimped in the deceleration department either, as the S60 R and it's wagon stable mate pack some heavy duty stoppers: Brembo four-piston aluminium calipers measuring 330mm. Volvo reckons these will stop the S60 R in 36 metres from 100km/h.

Each caliper is R marked, painted dark silver and sits prominently behind 18-inch five-spoke wheels and 235/40-series Pirelli P-Zero Rosso performance rubber.

On a broader visual scale, the S60 R and V70 R have gone for subtle tweaks, rather than full-blown aero bodykits and clothes drying-inspired rear wings. Both models share a good chunk of their sheet metal with their garden variety brethren, but those with a keen eye for detail will notice the newly-designed lower front apron, with large air intakes enhancing aerodynamics and improves air flow to the radiator and twin intercoolers.

Volvo reckons they did lots of windtunnel work, which has resulted in an increase in the airflow efficiency around the body. This heightens performance somewhat, and acts to stabilise the R models at higher speeds. The resulting drag coefficient of 0.29 (S60 R) is impressive because not only is it marginally higher than the standard S60 2.4-litre model, but it also reduces front-end lift by roughly 25 percent.

The nose of S60 R extends forward 30mm to make space for the larger efficient cooling system and intercoolers and if you have a look at the rear you'll notice that the S60 R wears a discreet spoiler, which again reduces lift, this time by about 20 percent. The interior meanwhile is highlighted by bright blue instruments and unique colours and materials.

At the end of the day, psychologically-designed adverts that attempt to shift perceptions may work for some, but the proof is really in the pudding, and this pudding has some serious kilowatts.

The S60 R and V70 R will do more for the brand by being no-compromise sportscars that will eat up curved black top with gusto, rather than trying to subvert public opinion with crafty ads. At the end of the day though, it shows that Volvo is serious about changing it's image, and this can only be a good thing if more cars like the S60 R roll off the production lines.

The S60 R is on sale now for $98,950.

Volvo recently pulled the wraps off it's new station wagon variant of V40 sedan at the Bologna motor show, the V50.

According to Volvo, it is a "...genuine premium car with properties that will appeal to active families and to the driving enthusiast."

The V50 wagon and it's close (almost identical) cousin, the S40, will compete with the Mercedes C-Class, BMW's 3-Series, Saab's 9-3 Sports Sedan and Audi's A4, to name a few.

The design language and the equipment level offered in the V50 take a step upward – toward Volvo's larger wagon, the V70. The new V50 shares the same philosophy and virtues as previous sportswagons from Volvo with a strong emphasis on "sport".

"The Volvo V50 is smaller [than V70], but it still offers customers the properties of a large car in a compact format.

"Combining exciting design and exceptional road manners will make the V50 an extremely powerful challenger in this segment," said Hans-Olov Olsson, Volvo Cars' big chief.

The V50 is a totally new five-door model with sporty lines, intelligent design solutions and a flexible interior, and being a Volvo, it has very high safety levels – both protective and preventive.

Three model variants of the V50 are timed for release in Australia during the third quarter of 2004, while the new S40, which is almost entirely mechanically identical to the wagon, will arrive sooner, at the end of the first quarter in 2004.

The most distinctive interior feature of the V50 is the unique, super-slim, free-floating centre stack which elegantly links the tunnel console with the instrument panel. The controls in the new centre stack have an ergonomic, functional design.

Behind the centre stack, there is a practical storage compartment for personal items, easily accessible from driver and passenger sides. The centre stack can be specified with different decor panels and of these, including aluminium and woodgrain, but iced aqua would have to the be pick.

Essentially a transparent plastic, iced aqua offers a visual effect that is unorthodox and high-tech as parts of the electronics and technology can be seen through it.

"The stack is the ultimate design symbol of this new car and represents a revolution in itself. A great deal of creativity and effort has gone into finding a technical solution for the super-slim format," explains Guy Burgoyn, interior designer for the V50.

Theatre lighting is also another feature of the interior, where a number of discreet lighting points create a theatre-like effect by softly lighting different sections of the interior.

From the outside, the rear of the V50 has a softer, more sports-oriented design than the V70 wagon, with a combination of rounded roof lines and an extremely abrupt tail with a nicely sized roof spoiler.

Up front, a softly rounded nose, short bonnet and the marked cab-forward design combine with attractive headlight clusters, outline in black for dramatic effect.

From the side, the V50 has a slim window line, the tall doors giving the car a more prestigious stance, and the short overhangs front and rear add a touch of athleticism for good measure.

The V50 also shares the same type of interior safety system as that found on the larger Volvo models, including WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System), SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) with side-impact airbags and inflatable curtains. Furthermore, both rear outer seats are equipped with integrated child booster cushions for children older than three years.

The body of the new V50 is 34 percent stiffer than that of the V40 thanks to advanced body design. This torsional rigidity contributes to stable, predictable behaviour on the road and the chassis design, with its broad track and long wheelbase, has a positive effect on stability.

The suspension is independent all round, with spring struts at the front and a multilink system at the rear. The rear suspension provides a certain degree of passive steering to counteract any tendency to skid.

As far as motors go, V50 specification for the Australian market will use exclusively Volvo's transverse, five-cylinder, inline engines.

The new 5-cylinder, inline engines have a displacement of 2.4 and 2.5 litres respectively. The five cylinders set in a straight line provide high torque from low engine revs and the most powerful engine, the turbocharged T5, offers a maximum of 162kW and 320Nm of torque and will propel the S40 sedan from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds, with a top speed of 240km/h. The V50 wagon will be slightly slower due to the extra weight and shifting centre of gravity.

Volvo will also offer lower-spec V50s with the 125kW, 230Nm naturally-aspirated 2.4-litre engine, also an inline five cylinder configuration.

The six-speed manual gearbox developed for the Volvo S60 R and V70 R is now making its entry in the Volvo V50 and S40 T5 models, while the nat-atmo 2.4-litre engine is accompanied by a new five-speed manual.

A five-speed automatic transmission (the same as that used in the larger Volvo models) with an adaptive gear-changing pattern will also be available across the V50/S40 range.

Taking a few steps back and it's plain to see that the new 2004 model Volvos, like the S60 R and S40 and V50, hold a lot of promise - perhaps more than ever before in the marque's carmaking history.

For one, they take the Volvo image to another level, with greatly improved body styling and aesthetics, and for another, Volvo's commitment to 5-cylinder engines and forced induction gives them a unique position in the marketplace, somewhat akin to Subaru's boxer engines.

If Volvo can keep the momentum going, its future will be very bright indeed.