2005 Volvo S40 Review

Specifications

Ready to do Battle with the Germans, Brits and Japanese

The third phase of the Volvo S40 is complete! After seeing relative success with its compact S40, Volvo has thoroughly and completely redesigned the compact luxury sedan for 2004. Sharing its origins with the all-new Mazda 3 (MX Sportif), Ford Focus C-Max and the yet-to-be-seen Focus 2.0, this is the first Volvo to integrate architecture with its Ford Motor siblings. It will be presented to the public in Frankfurt next month.

As said by a Volvo spokesperson, the new S40 is a modern evolution of a traditional sedan, and its perfectly true, taking on the image of the S60 and S80 sedans. Shedding its rounded box cocoon, the new S40 is astonishingly similar to its larger cousins with a distinctive, protruding grille, heavily carved hood and inset headlamps. Around back, the coupe-like profile blends with solid shoulder lines as seen on all new Volvos. It really does look like a junior S80.

As always, the S40 will be available with a relatively large selection of engines. For starters, two different five-cylinder power units will be offered in North America, with the first expected to reach a respectable 170 horsepower. The enthusiasts ride of choice, of course, will be the T5, which will be propelled by a turbocharged 220 horsepower motor.

A slightly less powerful 140 horsepower four-cylinder engine targeting Europeans is expected in mid 2004, and the sole count for an oil burner will come from a 136 horsepower common rail diesel engine - also slated for Europe, at least until low sulfur diesel arrives on this side of the Atlantic in 2006.

Much like the current S40, the new car will be available in a front wheel drive configuration with either manual 5-speed or automatic transmission. Original speculations about the S40 being offered with all wheel drive are correct, but the electronically-controlled system is limited to the hot T5 engine. Power will run through a six-speed manual transmission. It is unclear if Volvo will offer a less powerful all wheel driven version of the S40, and there is still no word whether or not the car will feature a CVT transmission.

On the inside the S40 is typical Volvo, but it breaks from all normal traditions by offering a floating center console. Attached at the lower dashboard, and upper tranny tunnel, the aluminum-finish strip holds all the buttons and controls for the stereo, HVAC and information center.

“The centre console is a design icon for the new Volvo S40,” says Henrik Otto, Design Director of Volvo Cars. “We intend to pursue our own course as innovators in the design world, not look at what our competitors are doing. Its far more valuable to keep an eye on what theyre not doing.”

Other than this tasteful and modern jump from the ordinary the S40 is classic Volvo, easy on the eyes, ergonomically sound and built with safety in mind. The new model continues Volvos use of high-tensile steel, with four separate grades making up the cars frontal structure for additional strengthening.

“Naturally, our goal is that the new S40 should be the safest car in its class, offering the same safety levels as our larger models but within more compact dimensions,” stated Hans-Olov Olsson, Volvo Cars president and CEO.

Production will start this fall at the Swedish automakers Ghent, Belgium facility, with cars arriving in U.S. showrooms by summer 2004. Volvo expects to sell about 70,000 units per year worldwide. The S40 will be followed shortly thereafter by the V50 sportwagon.