Volvo HotRod Review

November 2006

Leif Tufvesson is one of Sweden’s most skilled specialist car constructors, with many of his cars having received serious international acclaim. The hottest of them all right now is the new Caresto V8 Speedster, a mid-engined car with an ethanol powered Volvo V8 unit. With the advent of the V8 Speedster, the term Sport Rod has been born. The car will be given its premiere public outing at the SEMA show in Las Vegas on October 31.

Leif Tufvesson, who in 2004 won the prestigious “Hot Rod of the Year” award from Hot Rod Magazine, now returns with a completely new car. Leif previously worked for the Volvo Concept Center, and for 6 years was responsible for the development department of the Swedish sports car manufacturer, Koenigsegg. He has now started to construct and manufacture his own cars. His cars have won innumerable prizes over the years and, among others, have received a great deal of acclaim at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas – the largest exhibition platform for specialist car constructors in the world.

The latest project is a mid-engine hot rod powered by a Volvo V8. The car is completely constructed in aluminum and carbon fiber with an advanced sports car chassis fitted with Öhlin shock absorbers. The question is whether or not this is a genuine hot rod that Leif has now built?

"Actually, it’s a sports car with a design idiom that is a further development of the classic Hotrod. Perhaps it could establish a new school of thought and coin the term Sport Rod. My idea was to build a car that was as much fun to drive as it was to look at. Road-holding characteristics have never been the hallmark of traditional hot rods," says Tufvessson.
The cars are designed with just this in mind – excellent road holding with an ideal 60/40 (back/front) weight distributionThe car is extraordinarily well built, with millimeter precision in every part of the bodywork. The leather interior is exquisitely crafted with a nostalgic retrospective feel. The steering wheel, instruments and gear selector come from Volvo, as does the V8 engine, the 6-speed automatic transmission and the car’s electrical system. The engine is tuned with the environment in mind, and has been converted to ethanol by Scandinavia's leading car tuning company BSR.

Leif Tufvesson has built and designed the entire car himself, though he has taken advantage of his wide contact network of sub-contractors in terms of paint finish, interior fittings and CAD-milling. Everything else is manufactured and assembled in his workshop in the old brickworks outside Ängelholm in the south of Sweden.

It has taken Leif less than two years to build his SEMA display car and one similar to it, which is residing back home. The two cars are identical, though in different colors. Leif and his company, Caresto, a name also sported on the grill of the car, had two objectives when building the cars: "On one hand the aim is to sell the cars and it is my hope to build at least six examples of this particular model. On the other hand it is, in fact, for my own enjoyment’s sake, because I love building cars. It’s my hobby and at the same time, it’s my job."

An interested buyer would have to be prepared to pay around 2.5 million Swedish kronor (approximately $338,000). But then, he would also have a tailor made and unique car, manufactured in extremely high-tech materials and with the high performance of an advanced sports car.

Many experts within the motoring world have praised Tufvesson for the high level of quality and attention to detail on his cars. The whole exterior and interior design has also received equal amounts of acclaim – an area where Leif has collaborated with car designer Per Gyllenspetz, who, with his 20 years of design experience, has guided the design.A number of the car’s different components deserve special mention. The removable composite hardtop is a great example of Tufvesson's craftsmanship. The three integrated rear-view cameras, the advanced techniques of the rear lights as well as the CAD-milled aluminum details such as wheel spindles, exhaust panel, interior details and the lamp housing for the Hella Xenon headlights. A detail such as the temperature controlled hood that opens automatically for additional cooling just shows how everything has been completely well thought through. And finally, Tufvesson has also succeeded in producing an extremely inspiring exhaust note from Volvo’s new V8 engine. It sounds more racing than cruising, which is perhaps the hallmark of a real Sport Rod.

Volvo Beevan Truck Concept Review

January 2007

Unparalleled driver visibility and innovative design ideas are seamlessly integrated with advanced safety technologies for Class 8 trucks in a one-quarter-scale model truck concept from Volvo Trucks North America, on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit from January 13th " 21st 2007. The Volvo concept is part of the Michelin Challenge Design competition.

All of our vehicle designs begin with Volvo's dedication to its core values of Safety, Quality and Environmental Care, says Ruben Perfetti, Director of design for Volvo Trucks North America. Whether a design is intended for large-scale production or developed as a future concept, it must be a true Volvo in its design, as well as in its approach to transportation and society.

The BeeVan concept truck from Volvo puts the driver front and centre in the truck's cab, instead of the traditional left-side position, in what Volvo's designers call the FVDP " Full-View Driver Position. FVDP has more than 180 degrees of uninterrupted visibility, as the huge windscreen arcs around the driver, while remote vision cameras eliminate blind spots. Dual armrest consoles place an array of other advanced technologies literally at the driver's fingertips, including: lane tracking, vehicle proximity sensors and driver drowsiness detectors.

The advanced design concept begins even before the driver enters the vehicle, as the door slides back " and not out into traffic " and hidden access steps slide out to ˜greet' the driver. The steps retract when not in use for security, safety and aerodynamic efficiency. Opening the door also causes the driver's seat to move rearward and rotate toward the driver for easy access.

Once inside the cab, innovative materials are used to support, refresh and insulate the driver from the outside environment, and to promote effective work and rest. The cab includes sleeper berths, a dinette table and other versatile components to combine office, relaxation, dining, personal storage and sleeping functions.

The dramatic windscreen is the backdrop for another bold design idea combining aerodynamics and improved engine efficiency. Engine cooling is enhanced by positioning two radiators at the base of the A-pillar/dash transitions. Air is directed from the wraparound grille, through the radiators and exits via the roof. This means the heat transferred from the radiator to the air is never in contact with the engine, for increased cooling efficiency. Plus, the engine benefits from direct airflow through the traditional grille opening for additional cooling and reduced drag.

Volvo V70 Review

February 2007

Backed by 54 years of ongoing refinement and improvement, Volvo Cars is still the global leader in the segment for large estate cars.

Now the all-new Volvo V70 is making its entry onto the market with an innovative combination of luxury and versatility.

"This segment has been our specialty ever since we invented it back in the 1950s. Our competitors can count on us remaining number one in the future too. In the all-new V70, rear passengers and luggage both ride in first class," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Fredrik Arp.

The segment for estate cars is growing and the demands on the cars themselves are increasing as more and more sedan owners appreciate the added versatility that this roomier car type offers - without having to compromise on design, comfort or driving dynamics.

"The attitude towards the estate car has undergone a significant change. With greater focus on design and comfort, the all-new V70 is both luxurious and practical, not just for families with growing children but also for all active people with high demands on their cars. In fact, we expect that half of all V70 buyers won't actually be families with children," explains Fredrik Arp.

Completely new vehicle architecture

By using a completely new vehicle architecture, Volvo's designers and engineers have gained a number of advantages:

- For the first time ever there is a six-cylinder engine under the bonnet of a Volvo V70, which has a broader than ever engine range, from two sixes (the new 285 hp T6 and the 3.2 which produces 238 hp) to fuel-efficient diesels and the bio-ethanol FlexiFuel model producing 145 hp.

- Front seat comfort has been considerably enhanced, with superb seats and ergonomically designed instruments. This naturally also includes the elegant, super-slim centre console and the world-class audio system.













- Space in the rear seat has grown compared with the current V70. Families with young children now also have access to a world breakthrough: dual built-in child booster cushions that can be adjusted in two stages. The inflatable curtains have been extended by 60 mm, and in combination with the new booster cushions and the strong body side structure this provides more children of different sizes with effective protection in a side impact.

Still a genuine estate car

Despite its injection of comfortable luxury, the all-new V70 still inherits its genes from classics such as the Volvo Duett, Volvo 245 and Volvo 745. Here too Volvo is taking a huge stride forward with a luggage area that has increased in both volume and versatility.

A number of smart new functional details and accessories allow the V70 owner to individually adapt the car to suit his or her specific needs. The rear seat's 40/20/40 split makes it the most flexible in the segment. Other smart examples include a power tailgate, sliding load floor and a storage compartment under the luggage area floor that locks when the tailgate shuts.

"In the leading estate car, the cargo should naturally ride as comfortably as the passengers do. Every little detail in the luggage compartment and all the accessories have been specially designed to give the correct feeling of luxury without compromising on the smart functionality that is and remains our mark of honour," says Volvo Cars Design Director Steve Mattin.

The rear of the all-new V70 has a more dynamic, more sculpted shape than in today's model. The eye can even discern a forward-leaning upper tailgate section.

"Using innovative design, we have once and for all put to bed the boxy shape traditionally associated with our estate cars. From the outside, the car has a dynamic stance. But with the help of the smart overlapping tailgate, which takes the tail lamps up with it, the space inside the car is larger than in the previous V70," says Steve Mattin.

Sales target 75,000 cars

The company's target for the all-new V70 is an average of 75,000 cars a year. About 80 percent of the cars will go to Europe, with the domestic Swedish market being without doubt the largest, accounting for a third of the total volume.The all-new Volvo V70 is unveiled together with the all-new XC70 at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. Sales will start in August, initially in Scandinavia. The other markets will follow gradually during the rest of 2007.

"Since first-class estate cars are intimately linked with our brand name, it is vital that we retain the initiative. Personally, I am fully convinced that the all-new V70 will attract both established and new buyers. It is the ultimate estate car, more luxurious, comfortable and practical than ever before," says Fredrik Arp.