23 March 2007
Swedish Dagens Nyheter have a video interview with Christian von Koenigsegg about the new Koenigsegg CCXR.
The most interesting part of the interview was when Mr K spoke about the bioethanol car's performance. He explained that the acceleration is not improved by the extra 200 odd bhp over the CCX, because the car isn't able to sink the power into the road.
However, the top speed he said was calculated to en bra bit över 400
, which means quite a way above 400
(kph). (400 kph = 249 mph). I do wonder what quite a way
is here... The Koenigsegg CCXR fact sheet only says the top speed is 400+ kph.
I guess we might never find out... The Nardo track in Italy was where the Koenigsegg CCR broke the world speed record for road legal cars. The problem is that it's round, so the g-forces won't ever let you get to the real top speed in a supercar of this calibre. (The CCR reached 388 kph flat out and not ~395 as it is estimated to be capable of in a straight line.)
And I'd say the chances of VW (Bugatti) letting Koenigsegg have a go at their Ehra-Lessien test track (see it on Google Maps) are slim.
As I can see it, the only way to find out what it will do when maxed is to take one across the Atlantic and kindly ask the law-enforcers of Nevada to close off a long straight road for you...
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
09 March 2007
Swedish Auto Motor & Sport today published a video interview with Christian von Koenigsegg.
He talks about the new Koenigsegg CCXR and CCGT. Without mentioning any specific numbers, von Koenigsegg says that it is likely that the 1018 bhp CCXR will boast record acceleration
. (How come? :-)
Why can't he just give us the numbers?! :-D I guess what everyone really wants to know is – will it beat the Veyron's top speed?
He also says that the car will run on both E85 (85% ethanol, 15% petrol) or normal petrol, which was new to me, and that they're hoping to race the Koenigsegg CCGT in Le Mans, if they manage to qualify.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
03 March 2007
Koenigsegg have just announced that they are making a bioethanol-powered CCXR which will produce 1018 BHP and 1060 nm of torque. That's 212 more BHP than the standard CCX, which produces 806.
Basically it's the CCX, tuned to run on ethanol (E85). The ethanol apparently is higher octane than petrol and has a handy cooling effect on the engine.
What effect the upgrade will have on acceleration and top speed hasn't been stated yet.
When the CCX was launched, it was said that it could be tuned to run on biofuel and that it then would produce 900 BHP. So now it seems as if Koenigsegg have tuned that upgrade to the tune of another 118 BHP.
I'd like to see the this thing do a lap round the Top Gear track :) (The standard CCX already occupies the top spot on the lap time chart...)
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
07 February 2007
After the latest episode of Top Gear (season 9, episode 2), there has been some speculation as to whether a blonde guy who can be seen driving the Bugatti Veyron in a few shots is the Stig.
Here are the sharpest frames:
The BBC say on their website that the Stig drove the Veyron back to Italy after the big race with Hammond and May in a light aircraft, and that a film crew went along and got some shots of it. Maybe these clips were used in Sundays episode?
As for identifying the guy behind the steering wheel, I'll leave that to you guys :)
Leave a comment if you've got a suggestion!
Labels: cars
12 October 2006
In less than three days, photos have been published on the web of both the next Volvo V70 and the XC70 – both in what seems like production-ready state.
This time around the spy photos ended up at Auto Motor & Sport. The third generation of Volvo's Cross Country will get basically the same rear as the V70, but I think it works better on this plastic-clad mud eater. That could be because of the red reflectors added below the lights, the added mouldings or the fact that I've had time to get used to the design.
Discussions of the leaked photos and designs can be found at VVSpy.com. Let's just say I'm not the only one ...um... sceptical ... about the design of the rear.
Labels: cars, volvo
10 October 2006
I almost fell over backwards today when I saw a photo of the new (MK III) Volvo V70.
What are they thinking at Volvo? Honestly. I tend to be positive about most things they do at Volvo, but that is just plain ugly. It's hard to put it into words &ndash however, I'll give it a go.
The lights are (or look) even larger than those on the current V70. And that's no small feat from the design office! And the angled/hexagonal framing of the rear windscreen is alot of things, but definately not Volvo.
I don't get it. They made the tail of the S80 so sleek and stylish – and now this! The new V70 is an entirely different beast.
Granted, I thougth the lights of the old V70 (Mk II) looked a bit odd too, and I always thought they should have put the bottom white patch further up.
Thankfully, the new V70 looks better from the side. The tailgate is more upright than on the V50, but still slightly angled. The wheelbase has been increased by 8 cm to 284 cm, which contributes to the powerful silhouette.
These spy pictures, published by Teknikens Värld, are of such good quality that you suspect an official
leak, blessed by the company leadership. And since the car is going to be presented in the spring, I get a feeling they aren't going to be making any changes to that Picaso of a rear end.
Teknikens Värld claim there'll be a V70 R AWD sometime around 2008/2009. Supposedly it will have a turbocharged version of the V8 currently in the S80, producing 370 bhp! I'll believe that when I see it. Volvo just don't take that big steps in power. (The current top-of-the-line being the S80 V8 AWD with 315 bhp.)
Update: After having stared at that white thing quite a bit I guess I could get used to it. But I'm not the only one reacting the way I did when I first saw it...
Labels: cars, volvo
07 October 2006
Volvo presented the C30 Concept back in January. A week or two ago, the real
C30 was presented. Just as expected, the real thing doesn't look nearly as cool as the concept. Here's a design comparison of the Volvo C30 Concept and the Volvo C30, with and without the optional bodykit.
Lets start off with the rear:
The C30 differs from the Concept on a few, but essential points. If nothing else, Volvo made one good decision: On the production car you get a rear wiperblade! The edgy exhaust pipes of the concept have been replaced by cheaper, round ones. Volvo have also stuck a pair of hideous red reflectors on the bumper, which completetly ruins the upmarket look that I presume they are aiming for. The beautiful mesh between the pipes has also gone. Thankfully, there is a bodykit to take back some of the C30's lost splendor!
With the bodykit, the tacky black plastic is replaced with good-looking, painted plastic. The ugly red reflectors are replaced with sleeker, smarter ones. You also get slightly better looking CO2 outlets.
Then we have the front:
At the front, Volvo scrapped the chunky grille overhang and replaced the sporty meshes with ... guess what? Cheap(er) plastic. The progressive-looking headlights with light internal surroundings were swapped back for the S40 ones, although the cruel black eyelids were kept. That's about as brave as it gets.
Once again, you'll need the bodykit to spice things up a bit. Apart from adding a nice bottom lip, it gives you some nice side skirts:
Bottom line: To do the C30 justice, you'll need to tick the box for the bodykit! And as you can see, a set of 18-inch Atreus
wheels won't look out of place either...
I just have to add that the patterned center console is absolutely gorgeous:
Labels: cars, volvo
11 June 2006
The Koenigsegg CCX beat the Top Gear lap record a few weeks ago, supposedly thanks to an optional wing having been mounted on the rear end of the car. (Episode 4, season 8. Previously, in episode 1, the car had done a rather mediocre lap time, as well as almost killed The Stig.) However, now the Swedish car magazine Bilsport quotes the Koenigsegg press contact Lotta de Salvatore as saying that the record lap wasn't thanks to the wing – it was thanks to a better chassis set-up.
Here's a translation of the full article:
Koenigsegg gets Top Gear Wing
After The Stig's record lap in Koenigsegg's new CCX it is now possible to get a special rear wing as an optional accessory. It has been named "Top Gear Special Edition". Bilsport.se can reveal the whole truth about the record – and that the wing isn't really necessary!
But if the truth be told, the wing has existed as an option previously, too, but since the English TV program Top Gear drove the Koenigsegg it is being marketed in a different way. Carbon Rear Wing (Top Gear Special Edition) is the full name of the carbon fibre wing which is yours for € 5,700, about 54,000 SEK.
When Top Gear's mystical test driver The Stig
drove the Koenigsegg the first time it ended with a crash. He complained about the car being too light at the rear, and meant that a wing was needed. For the next attempt, last week, Koenigsegg had fitted a wing, and voilá! This time things went better. Koenigsegg now top the Top Gear list as the fastest car ahead of the Pagani Zonda and Maserati MC12.
But really the wing isn't necessary
, says Lotta de Salvatore, press contact at Koenigsegg.
Over-steer
The reason The Stig went off the track the first time was that we hadn't had the time to set the car up properly; it suffered from some over-steer.
For the second attempt the CCX had a perfect set-up, which gave it better grip. The wing doesn't make any difference at the speeds reached on the Top Gear track. Not until you're driving at 300 km/h will it start to help.
One-and-a-half year's production sold
Lotta de Salvatore also says that the sales are going well. This year they have sold 17 cars, and next year they count on delivering 30. One-and-a-half year's production has been sold.
Now the CCX is being launched in the US, which probably will result in more orders.
80 per cent of the market for super cars is in the US
, says Lotta.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
19 March 2006
Dropped in at the local (Uppsala) Volvo dealers today and had a look at the new C70. As expected, it's pretty nice. Took a few shots of the roof being raised:
The boot lid upens backwards...
...and the C pillars come out first...
...upon which the front piece is moved forward.
The boot closes again...
...and volla!
Labels: cars, volvo
28 February 2006
The details of the Koenigsegg CCX have now been officially released. While the car is not an improvement in power and speed, it has many other improvements.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
23 February 2006
(Overdue) Update: All those who have seen Top Gear season 8, episode 1, will know that the 900 BHP figure wasn't entirely off after all. Jeremy Clarkson mentioned that "If you tune this engine to run on environmentally friendly bio fuel, you'll be getting 900 BHP!" So I wonder what the top speed is using bio ethanol? Why doesn't someone just drive this thing flat out over those salt flats in the US?
Edit: Wallpaper with the CCX, for many screen sizes, available here.
Sadly enough, it seems the Koenigsegg CCX specs published by VG.no were just dreamed up. Now it seems the Koenigsegg CCX is just
a redesigned and rebadged CCR. Here are the pages of an official brochure:
The specs page lists exactly the same figures as those of the CCR. 806 BHP, 395+ km/h, 920 nm, 0-100 3.2 secs, etc. The drawings on the same page are of the CCX, so there is no doubt that these are the real figures.
I need therapy. All day I've been on a high, and now this... Well, so much for believing what you read in the papers.
Anyway, there is some interesting reading in that brochure. Among other things, the CCX has 50 mm more headroom, and is 88 mm longer to comply with US rear crash regulations. The engine has also had a serious makeover to work with 91 octane US fuel.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
The Koenigsegg CCR and CCX differ in quite a lot of aspects. Here is a little analysis of what has changed, with illustrating photos.
Lets start with the back:
The lights have become slightly remodeled, with slightly less in-your-face bezels on the indicators. The exhaust has also had a slight redesign. The number plate space has been reduced, and the whole big, grey air outlets have been made even phatter
. The best improvement though, if you ask me, is that they have hidden all the stuff that was visible in the venturi tunnels on the CCR, including that little red light. (What was that, BTW?) The area over the engine with the Koenigsegg name badge looks completetly different. Not sure if the badge is still there, but there is a piece of glass there that wasn't before.
Let's take a look from slightly above:
They have put position lights along the side of the car, presumably to please the US market. There are new air outlets at the back, which presumably help to increase downforce. The air intakes in front of the rear wheels are the same as on the CCR. Of course, the wheels are new – meaner than ever. It looks like they have recoloured the painted parts on top of the dashboard, this gives it a more solid look I think.
It looks like they have removed the windscreen wiper completely. I suppose, when you're doing 240 mph (in rain) it gets blown off pretty quickly...
Basically the whole front has been redone, even if the shape of it is much the same. The bonnet on the CCX doesn't come down as far as it does on the CCR. There is a new air intake on the bonnet, and they have added fog lights. Some of these differences are perhaps more clear in the next photo:
The bubble
in the headlight glass/plastic have been made smaller – a good thing if you ask me. They have also removed the fourth little light in the headlight clusters, which makes it look cleaner. (Perhaps that was the side position light which has now been stuck on the side.) A new design feature has been added just behind the front wheels, with the Koenigsegg name on it. Also, I get the impression the windscreen is more rounded on the CCX, and perhaps the roofline too. You would need real side shots to be able to tell though.
All-in-all, it feels like the Koenigsegg has grown up. If the CC8S was the unruly 15-year-old with constant fits, and the CCR was the lightning fast 20-year old, the CCX is the solid, secure and even faster 24-year-old.
Can't wait till Top Gear drive this thing. They never drove the CCR, so the last Koenigsegg they drove was the CC8S, which beat their in-a-straight-line speed record. I bet the CCR and now, the CCX, are much better at going round tracks than the CC8S was back then. Would be interesting to see how it fares in the hands of the Stig on the Top Gear test track. Would it beat the Pagani Zonda F?
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
So, here is a set of desktop wallpaper with the new Koenigsegg CCX. Six photos are included in the packs:
The highest resolution packs only contain the two photos at the top, because of the limited size of the originals.
A few comments on the exterior of the CCX. I think the suttle evolution of the front is great, with the new bonnet and fog light holes
. At the back they have cleaned up the looks of the venturi tunnel openings, which makes it look much more sophisticated. If you want to compare it to the CCR I've got several photos here. Of course, the CCX wheels are seriously mean. A great improvement on the CCR.
If you didn't already know, this thing has 900 BHP...
An official brochure has leaked, stating that the CCX does in fact only
have 806 BHP.
Regular Resolutions (4:3 and 5:4)
Widescreen Resolutions (16:10)
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
22 February 2006
Update 4: All those who have seen Top Gear season 8, episode 1, will know that the 900 BHP figure wasn't entirely off after all. Jeremy Clarkson mentioned that If you tune this engine to run on environmentally friendly bio fuel, you'll be getting 900 BHP!
So I wonder what the top speed is using bio ethanol? Why doesn't someone just drive this thing flat out over those salt flats in the US?
Update 3: Sadly, the figures posted by VG have turned out to be wrong. The CCX will only get 806 BHP.
Update 2: I've now made a post with desktop wallpaper of the CCX, and a post which compares the exterior of the CCR and the CCX.
Anonymous just tipped me off with a link to a norwegian news article about Idar Vollvik who will be the first owner of a Koenigsegg CCX. The article goes on about how he already has owned a CCR (which he gave to charity), and that he has gotten to know Christian von Koenigsegg and the factory, etc. Anyway...
At the end of the article they list some specs for the new car:
- Engine: Aluminium V8
- Power: 900 BHP
- Weight: 1180 kg
- 0-100 km/h: 3.1 secs
- Top speed: > 400 km/h
It seems like they must have a fairly reliable source behind those figures. Either this is straight from the horse's (von Koenigsegg's) mouth, or it is Mr Vollvik who is just telling VG (the newspaper) what he had been told by Mr K. So... it sounds like the CCX might be aimed at winning back the title from the Veyron, after all... Let's just hope they find a track long and straight enough for a new record!
Update: The article has a photo where the CCX can be seen from the front. The new fog lights are clearly visible. In fact, compare it to this photo and you can see that the whole front, including the bonnet, is new.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
21 February 2006
Photos of the to-be-revealed-at-the-Geneva-show Koenigsegg CCX have leaked out, over at Autoblog. The roumor that it will be faster than the current CCR has picked up some speed, but personally I think it is all based on wishful thinking. As I wrote a while back...
- It has been stated that this will be a US version of the CCR, with the same specs.
- How could they possibly get more than those 806 bhp out of a V8? Or have they stuck a V10 or V12 in the CCX? Highly unlikely.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
10 February 2006
I've read two (identical) articles stating that the upcoming Koenigsegg CCX might be even faster than the present CCR. But then there is this article, which makes it sound like it will only be a renamed CCR. Does anyone know the truth? It would be great if Koenigsegg could get something out there to compete with the Veyron for the world record.
But then again, since they call this the US version
it seems most likely it will only be a rebadged CCR... But why are they covering it like that in the press photos? (Which aren't available att koenigsegg.com.) How on earth would they get more than 806 bhp out of that V8?
Edit: Changed the picture for the one now available at Koenigsegg's website.
Update: Norwegian VG has now stated that the CCX will get 900 BHP!
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
04 February 2006
I'd like to apologize to those of my readers who are mostly interrested in browsers and suchlike. Seems I can't stop making desktop wallpaper with cars... (Volvo S80 wallpaper here, and Koenigsegg wallpaper here.) Anyway, here are some of the new C70. As always &ndash maximum JPEG quality:
Regular Resolutions (4:3 and 5:4)
Widescreen Resolutions (16:10)
Labels: cars, volvo
01 February 2006
Update: If you're looking for wallpaper of the Koenigsegg CCX, look no further.
After having made desktop wallpaper for the new S80 yesterday, I decided to make desktop wallpaper out of some of the official Koenigsegg photographs too.
The Koenigsegg CCR is (for obvious reasons) my favourite supercar... It's the current Guiness record holder of highest top speed among production cars, hitting 388 km/h (241 mph). It has a hyper-charged V8 kicking out 806 bhp and 920 nm. And – it's Swedish.
The following eight photos are included in the packages:
Regular Resolutions (4:3 and 5:4)
Widescreen Resolutions (16:10)
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
I have put together packages of desktop wallpapers of the new, good-looking Volvo S80. Each package includes the six photos above: five exterior and one interior photograph. They have all been made from the highest resolution sources available (~5000x3700) saved at highest, razor-sharp JPEG quality for your enjoyment:
Regular Resolutions (4:3 and 5:4)
Widescreen Resolutions (16:10)
Oh, by the way: Volvo – if this is illegal in any way, just let me know and I'll pull these packs immediately.
Labels: cars, volvo
28 January 2006
Pictures of the new Volvo S80 seem to have leaked. Here are the individual photos. There is also an official Volvo page with some info on the upcoming models. Highlights include:
- 4.4 litre V8 with 315 bhp, AWD and
Instant Traction
- 3.2 litre inline 6 with 235 bhp
- Collision Warning System (...with automatic braking as a last resort)
- Active Cruise Control (Slows you down when you get close to a car ahead of you.)
- Active Bi-Xenon Headlights (...that follow the movements of the steering wheel.)
- Personal Car Communicator (Shows lock status, etc.)
- Floating Center Console
- Keyless Drive
Well done Volvo. I like the two extra creases on the bonnet, visible in this photo. But I think they should stick a turbo on that 3.2 litre engine as well and get an engine option between 235 and 315 bhp. Amazingly, the new inline 6-cylinder engines will be more compact than the present five-cyliner. How do they do it?
Of course, there will be a nice powerful stereo to play with as well.
Update: I have information that there indeed will be a light pressure turbo 3.0 litre six with 285 bhp, as well as a normally aspirated 2.8 litre unit.
Labels: cars, volvo
17 January 2006
My parents were looking at getting a new (used) car. Being Volvo people, they started looking at S80s and V70s from around 1999 and 2000. They found one fairly quickly, a light blue S80 2.4 (140 bhp) [se], MY 2000.
Being a Volvo guy, I tend to regularly hang around VVSpy.com. I asked in the S80 forum whether anyone knew which model year was best
, knowing that Ford introduced some cost-cutting measures for the car some time around 2001.
Thankfully, I was enlightened on the Volvo ETM problem (now there's an understatement). Apparently, Volvo introduced an electronic (or fly-by-wire) throttle in all cars from model year 1999. Only, Volvo obviously had no clue how these things should be constructed, and so used a design which partly consisted of metal fingers
moving over a polycarbonate surface with every move of the throttle. This infallibly leads to erratic throttle behaviour, including spontaneous accelerations and loss of power. After some time, the engine will die on you – somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 miles usually. (That's between 80,000 and 160,000km.) Here's a list of affected models and years.
So what?
, you think. All modern cars have problems, right? Well it wouldn't be so bad if Volvo accepted responsibility for this problem and either recalled all affected cars or repaired the part for free at first sign of a problem. (So that you wouldn't have to experience your car dying on you while overtaking on the motorway.) But they aren't doing that. In Sweden anyway, and the US, Volvo are replacing the part – but only if the car outputs the right error code. Thing is, this won't happen until the ETM has broken completely and the car comes to a complete stand-still.
Ok. So you've had your complete brake-down, after driving around worrying for a year-and-a-half. You get the part replaced for free. Is the new one any better? No. Several reports indicate the opposite - that the replacement part is even worse, failing at around 20,000 miles/32,000km.
The best bit is this: Volvo knew, even before the first cars were sold with this design flaw, that more than 9 out of 10 ETM units would break before 100,000 miles/160,000km. Remember, we're talking about a part which shouldn't have to be replaced at all during the lifetime of a car. Some dealers will claim (when you want it replaced under guarantee) that this is a wear-and-tear part. However, nothing is mentioned about this in any manual...
There is (was?) a class action law suit against Volvo in the US, for having issued a secret guarantee
. Volvo were replacing the part for free, but only if the customer was annoying enough. Not telling all affected owners about the free replacement is illegal.
If you want to read more about this, see Don Willson's website. If you'd like to follow the whole investigation into the matter from the very start back in 2004, read this thread, all 37 pages of it.
As you may have understood by now, my parents changed their mind about the S80 they had looked at. When speaking to the dealer, they were very understanding and said that it's important that you feel you're making the right choice
, etc. However, they didn't in any way acknowledge the ETM problem. Guess they'll just have to sell that car to someone less well informed. Well, at least, by now it won't be you :-)
So much for Volvo being committed to safety.
Labels: cars, volvo
22 December 2005
The upcoming, next-generation Volvo S80 has been caught in the nude
on an off-beat road in South Africa. Looks sweet in those alloys! The front looks nice and hot, and the rear has been made alot sleeker. Sure to bring out a few sweats in Munich and Stuttgart.
The Car Connection has more details.
Apart from the good looks, it seems very likely that the S80 will get the V8 which recently was introduced in the XC90, with ~315 bhp or so. This should give it some pretty decent go, too.
Labels: cars, volvo
28 September 2005
Hans G. Lehmann has done it again. This time it's the Volvo C30 he has caught on film. The spyshots are pretty clear, even if the car is camouflaged from the door pillars and back.
The following is a computer rendering (?) of what the C30 probably will look like, by Motor Forecast:
Not bad, if the real car turns out to be anything like this. (Judging from the tease Volvo released previously it probably will. Can't find a link - sorry.)
It's great to see Volvo expanding their model range, in both directions. (Even if it was a while since the XC90 was launched.) I just hope they can keep up with updating all these models at the required pace. The C30 is definately something I could consider as a first car, if I got a nice job. ;-) The C30 should also help them reach their target of 600,000 cars sold annually.
Labels: cars, volvo
12 September 2005
Volvo have just released a press release with details of the stereos in the upcoming Volvo C70. The interesting stuff, of course, is the most powerful system and its specs.
The Volvo C70 Premium Sound System:
- Digital amplifier, 5x130 W.
- Dynaudio speakers
- 2 centre speakers on the dashboard.
- 3-way speakers in the front doors.
- 2-way speakers in the back.
- Optional 8-inch subwoofers behind the rear seats, with built-in 2x130 W digital amp.
- Volume and tone adjusted automatically to give constant sound experience, independant of speed and whether the roof is up or down.
- Maximum output, including subwoofers: 910 W.
- :-D
Well. Soon we'll have to begin measuring Volvo's stereo's output in horse-power too... (1 bhp = 745.7 W [US/UK] or 735.5 W [metric], which means 910 W equals roughly 1.2 bhp.)
Volvo are hoping to sell about 16,000 new C70s per year. I doubt they will have any problem reaching that target.
Labels: cars, volvo
04 August 2005
The German car magazine Autobild has made some (very good-looking) computer renderings of what they think the new Volvo S60 will look like. If the real design turns out to be anything like this, it'll be – like, totally – sweet.
I really like the light (chrome?) lines around the side windows. Looks nice. The front is a real neck-twister, too.
Labels: cars, volvo
17 July 2005
Volvo have just announced the new C70, as well as publishing several photos of the cabriolet/coupé.
This is one gorgeous car if you ask me. It looks like a hot coupé with the top up and it looks like a sleek cruiser with the top down. Well done, Volvo! I especially like it from the angle above (larger version). (I have updated my little graphic at the top with the new C70.)
At a first glance, the front of this car looks almost identical to the S40. Somehow though, it feels smoother and more elegant. If you do a side by side comparison you can spot quite a few differences. Firstly, the strips on the bumper have been removed. Secondly the V-shape of the bonnet stretches all the way down under the bumper. Furthermore, the sub-bumper grille (what's that part called?) has a smoother look and the lights, V-shape, bonnet and bumper all are more rounded than on the S40. Also, the sides of the car are quite different when you think about it.
The rear is best studied in this photo. In a previous post I was wondering where they'd stick the C70 badge, since there isn't really room between the lights and the number plate. (That's where the badge is on the current S40 for instance.) Turns out they've stuck it under the lights instead, just like (I later realized) they did on the old C70. It's a real shame they couldn't hide the aerial though.
Hopefully, they've also stuck a big whopping stereo unit in this car, just as they did in the old C70. (For those of you who haven't got the details fresh in your memory: 4x60W and 10 Dynaudio speakers. An optional 4x100W Dolby Pro Logic system, with 13 speakers including two 9-inch subwoofers built into the rear seats.)
Edit: I just thought I'd add a few words about the engines. It sounds like the 220bhp turbo will be the top option. That's a bit of a disappointment. Hopefully, Volvo will get to their senses and later install a 260bhp+ engine in this magnificent looking car.
Labels: cars, volvo
22 June 2005
It looks like the Saab 95 is getting a second facelift:
The industry standard is to facelift a model line once, to up it's market appeal a little while you ready a completetly new replacement for the model in question.
For some (to me) unknown reason, Saab haven't got the all-new 95 ready in time, so they're now having to extend the current 95 far beyond it's intended (?) lifetime. The next 95 isn't expected to be introduced until 2009, by which time the current 95 will be 12 years old! That's four or five years older than most car models get before they are replaced. Whether all of this is due to bad management on GM's part or bad planning on Saabs part (unlikely), the whole thing will most likely have a very negative effect on the Saab brand.
It's a real shame to see the Saab name being torn to pieces by moves like this one. Also, sticking the Saab badge on A) a 4x4 Subaru and B) an outdated GM truck frame won't do the brand a great deal of good. (At least not in the eyes of the Saab fans, on which Saab presumably to a large extent relies on for income.)
Update: Found some more (blurry) photos here.
Update: Just found an article (in Swedish) which confirms my suspiciouns that the 92X and the 97X will have a hard time charming the present Saab owners (or even car buyers in general). Saab has already had to lower the price of the 92X and the 97X hasn't exactly got off to a flying start either.
Labels: cars
04 June 2005
Update: Volvo have now released the official C70 photos. I blogged about that here.
There have been a few spy-photos of the upcoming C70, but none have been particularly good. They haven't really shown what the car looks like. Until now – the Dutch newspaper AutoTelegraaf has published several photos of a completely unmasked car in Miami.
Here is one of them, slightly reduced:
I really like the new, lower, rear lights – I'm just wondering where they'll stick the C70 badge – there isn't very much room around that number plate. I think they should have made the front a little more agressive though, but it's hard to tell from these pictures what the head lights really look like in detail.
The car will have curtain airbags that pop out from the top of the door, instead of down from above the side windows. These airbags were shown in a press release by Volvo a while back, but Volvo didn't specifically say they would be in the new C70. (Although that was pretty obvious...)
There are lively discussions going on at VVSpy and Swedespeed, if you want to discuss the upcoming car with other Volvonatics.
Update: Just saw that someone has posted a picture from AutoBild too. It's so sharp and real-looking I wonder if it isn't a leaked press photo... Time will tell.
Labels: cars, volvo
02 March 2005
The Koenigsegg CCR has now officially beaten McLaren F1's speed record for production cars.
The new speed record (387.87 km/h or 241.02 mph) was set two days ago at the Nardo Prototipo track, which is a 12.5 km (7.8 miles) long, circular track. The McLaren F1 set the previous record (386.7 km/h or 240.3 mph) on the VW Ehra facility in Germany, a 9 km (5.6 mile) straight track, which makes the Koenigsegg's feat even more impressive.
I wonder how fast the CCR would go if driven in a straight line? Why didn't they just take it to the VW Ehra track straight away, and have it done with? With the Bugatti Veyron lurking in the shadows, Koenigsegg had better get their act together if they want to hold on to the speed record for more than just a year or two.
Labels: cars, koenigsegg
15 February 2005
What looks like the upcoming C70 from Volvo is being winter-tested somewhere in Scandinavia. The following sites have the photos:
The Car Connection.com
Autorevue
The articles refer to the car as the upcoming S80, but I strongly doubt it is - for several reasons:
- It looks too small to be the new S80.
- The four doors are fake - look closely in this picture and you can see that there are only two doors underneath the plastic camouflage.
- It has several design cues which indicate kinship to the present S40 and V50. (Headlights, shark-fin aerial, wing-mirrors with indicators, rear lights.) Volvo have previously said that the new C70 will be more closely related to the S40 than the S60/V70.
- The timing of these photos indicate that they show the C70, which is the next planned major release from Volvo. (Similar photos circulated just before the release of the S40 and V50. See the end of this page.)
- The profile looks too coupé-ish to be an S80.
If I'm wrong about the doors being fake, it could possibly be the next S60 - but I believe that car isn't due for release for at least another 18-24 months.
There are several on-going discussions on the topic:
Swedespeed.com
VVSpy.com
Labels: cars, volvo
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