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Volvo S60 - NFFTY 2013 Road Trip

For 6 years running Volvo has been a proud Presenting Sponsor of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), the largest youth film festival in the world. Every year the team at NFFTY creates a digital short that speaks to their filmmaking audience. This year, they tackled writer's block and how the S60 can help you find your inspiration. See for yourself in this short film! 

Volvo completes tests of flywheel hybrid system.

About two years ago we told you that Volvo was about to commence testing of an innovative flywheel-based kinetic energy recovery system (KERS), not in motorsport but in the realm of production cars.

The basic setup called for a flywheel KERS to be fitted to the free axle of a car.

When approaching a red light, the driver would hit the brakes like normal.This would cause the flywheel to spool up and keep spinning until the lights turn green and the driver hits the accelerator.

At this point, the flywheel's rotation is transferred to the rear wheels via a specially designed transmission, giving the car a little boost of energy off the line.

Volvo has announced that it has now completed extensive testing of the technology on public roads, using an S60 sedan as the test vehicle.
According to the automaker, the results show that the technology combined with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent compared with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine--while offering comparable performance.

The energy stored in the flywheel is equivalent to an extra 80 horsepower. And when being transferred back to the wheels, swift torque build-up means rapid acceleration. The S60 test car would accelerate from 0-62 mph in about 5.5 seconds--remember, this is a turbocharged four-cylinder model we’re talking about.

Researchers found that the system works best in urban environments, which makes sense since the duration of the energy storage (the length of time the flywheel spins) is limited. In addition, researchers found that the stored energy was sufficient to power the car for short periods, meaning the engine could be switched off for as much as 50 percent of the time.

But the benefits don’t end there. Compared to a conventional gasoline-electric hybrid, Volvo’s flywheel KERS is lighter, cheaper and easier to maintain.
 Now that the technology has proven successful in one of its existing models, Volvo will start tests in prototypes for its upcoming models and further evaluate the performance before potentially putting the technology into production.

Courtesy of Fox News

Volvo Car Group boosts development of electrified cars!

From 0-70 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a full recharge in only 1.5 hours - the first electric cars emerging from the strategic partnership of Volvo Cars and Siemens deliver on Volvo's commitment to electrification by enhancing acceleration and customer flexibility.

Beginning summer 2013, European leasing customers will drive and evaluate an upgraded demo fleet of 100 Volvo C30 fully electric cars. The unique technology solutions involved can be integrated throughout the electrification range, as Volvo develops the cars of the future. The new Siemens motor has a peak power output of 89 kW (120 hp) and a torque of 250 Nm, with an acceleration of 0-70 km/h in 5.9 seconds.

"Adding the innovative fast charging solution will radically improve the time and mileage for the daily usage of the car. This will drastically improve the cost of ownership since the customer will now be able to drive many low cost kilometres per day. A quick 10-minute plug-in adds power for another 20 kilometres of driving," says Lennart Stegland, Vice President Electric Propulsion Systems, Volvo Car Group.

Siemens is the main supplier of electric propulsion power train components for the forthcoming Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, which enables sophisticated electrification at all levels - from different kinds of hybrids to pure electric drive, without intruding on interior or load space.

World-first innovation

The new 22 kW fast-charger is the world's first on-board charger that operates on a three-phase supply and is small enough to be fitted in an electric car. Using a three-phase outlet, a charge takes 1.5 hours (total range 164 km according to NEDC certification driving cycle). While an ordinary single-phase 230 V household outlet takes 8-10 hours, depending on the available current.

"We're proud to have developed this unique solution. By offering more usable hours a day, we've taken an important step towards making electric cars more viable as a commercial proposition, in both the private and public sectors," Lennart Stegland says.

The upgraded Volvo C30 Electric fleet meets the same high quality and safety standards as all other Volvo cars, including a dynamic driving experience and a comfortable climate, no matter what the temperature. The fuel cost is significantly lower than that for conventional cars, saving up to 2/3 of the cost, depending on fuel prices.

"Volvo is, and has always been, a human centric carmaker. The same focus and dedication that's delivered world-class safety solutions is now focused on producing dynamic, intuitive and flexible electrified cars," adds Stegland.

The strategic partnership between Volvo Car Group and Siemens was formed in August 2011 with the intention to jointly spearhead the development of electrified cars.

"Our aim is to be first with the latest technology within electrification. The new C30 Electric fleet will give us continuous feedback on technology and functionality as we approach a future series production," Stegland says.

Courtesy of: Volvo Media 

Introducing the world-first production version of the Volvo S60 Polestar

Developed from 17 years of motorsport experience, and sharing DNA with the 508bhp Volvo S60 Polestar Concept Car, the first road car from Polestar to be put into production is here - the Volvo S60 Polestar.

"We have built a car that we, as car enthusiasts, want to drive," says Christian Dahl, Managing Director of Polestar. "This is a driver's car, bringing out the very best of the already competent Volvo S60 chassis with our experience and technology from motorsport.

"We received a fantastic response to our Volvo C30 and S60 Polestar concept cars, so we are very happy to now introduce our first production car to the Australian market. This is an important step forward for Polestar, one that promises an exciting future."

Australia pilot market for limited edition project

A limited production run has been developed exclusively for the Australian market as a pilot project, with the first cars being delivered to customers in late June 2013. Introduction of the Volvo S60 Polestar to further markets is under investigation pending the response of the Australian introduction.

"The Australian market for performance cars is, and has always been, strong," says Matt Braid, Managing Director of Volvo Cars Australia. "We are delighted to be able to offer our customers the Volvo S60 Polestar, a car more than capable of getting into the thick of the action in this competitive segment of the market.

"The work done by Polestar on the S60 is impressive to say the least - they have transformed the already fun to drive Volvo S60 into a great handling driver's car."

Extensive chassis development - by racing drivers

Key to the development of the Volvo S60 Polestar was the extensive work done on the chassis over thousands of test kilometers in Europe - from the fast autobahns in Germany to the twisty roads of southern Spain, and the freezing cold of northern Sweden.

Volvo Polestar Racing driver Robert Dahlgren, a 33-year-old Swede with 10 years as a Volvo factory racing driver under his belt, has been an integral part of the development work.

"The Volvo S60 Polestar is a car that we are truly proud of, our first step to a production car available to the customers," said Robert Dahlgren, Volvo Polestar Racing driver.

"We have taken the best bits of the standard S60 T6 and our S60 Polestar Concept Car, creating a vehicle that puts a smile on your face when you drive it over your favourite twisty road. At the same time, it is more than capable of everyday driving, too.

"This is, in my eyes, a very good combination of the Volvo and Polestar core values: safety and performance."

Cutting-edge technology straight from the racetrack

Just as important as the men and women from Polestar who developed the car is the technology underneath it.

The Volvo S60 Polestar shares technology from the Polestar racing cars, like dampers from Öhlins, high capacity brakes, and the extensively developed, highly-tuned chassis.

A new aerodynamic package has also been developed, including a front splitter, rear wing and diffuser - all having been tweaked and modified in the Volvo Car Group wind tunnel in collaboration with the Volvo Research and Development team.

The six-cylinder turbo-charged Volvo T6 engine has been optimised by Polestar with a bigger turbo, new intercooler, revised engine mapping and racing exhaust to produce 350bhp or 257kW and 500+Nm.

The S60 Polestar accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds, via a Polestar-tuned six-speed automatic gearbox - which also features a launch control system - and a Polestar-tuned Haldex 4WD system. The car is governed to a top speed of 250km/h.

Courtesy of: Volvo Newsroom

Summer is almost here, fans! Are you ready to ride with the top down?

Check out the red hot deal on this 2013 Volvo C70.  Click here!

Easy Ways To Increase Your Gas Mileage

Check Alignment:Misaligned tires drag instead of roll freely. Improper alignment can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 10% - about 31 cents per gallon. In addition, the tires can wear out more quickly. Tires that are out of balance (symptom: vibration in the steering wheel) can cause uneven tire wear, which can result in lower gas mileage. Tires should be balanced and rotated according to the vehicle's owner's manual to improve tire performance and fuel economy.

Courtesy of Investopedia

The Adaptive Digital Display in the new V60 Plug-in Hybrid will amaze you!

The 2013 Volvo S60 T6 Premier Plus Sedan is waiting for you!

For more great deals visit our site, click here.

Remember when we had to, well, drive our cars?

What are YOUR thoughts on autonomous driving aids?

Global safety rating results confirm Volvo Cars' safety leadership!

Every year is a safety year at Volvo Cars. The company is working towards the vision that by 2020, nobody should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo - and data from independent rating institutes all over the world emphasise and reinforce this life-saving philosophy. The most recent results are a Top Safety Pick+ for both the Volvo S60 and XC60 in the United States and an outstanding Best in Class ranking for the all-new Volvo V40 in the Euro NCAP summary for 2012.

"Viewed together, all the top ratings during the past year emphasise our world-leading position in automotive safety. We are very proud to offer consumers some of the world's safest cars," says Prof. Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

At the recent 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Volvo Cars presented a new world first in safety. Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection is an enhancement of the present detection and auto brake technology. The added functionality detects and automatically brakes for cyclists swerving out in front of the car.

"Several studies have documented that our collision-avoiding systems lead to significant accident reductions in real-life traffic. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our aim that by 2020 no one should be injured or killed in a new Volvo," says Lotta Jakobsson.

Here are the most prominent rating results for Volvo cars during the past 12-month period:

Record result for Volvo V40 in Euro NCAP

The all-new Volvo V40 achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating and also won the Euro NCAP's Best in Class Cars of 2012 in the tough Small Family class - with the best overall result ever recorded by the institute. The V40 also scored an all-time high in the pedestrian evaluation by attaining 88 per cent of the total score, which is significantly higher than the previous highest score.

S60 and XC60 earned new Top Safety Pick+

The Volvo S60 and XC60 are two of eighteen cars that were awarded the new Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). To be awarded the new ‘plus' rating, a car must earn good or acceptable results in the new small overlap test as well as top marks in other IIHS evaluations (moderate overlap front test, side test, rollover test and rear test). No less than three Volvo models - the C30, S80 and XC90 - earned a 2013 Top Safety Pick.

Best rating for the S60 and XC60 in the small overlap crash

In 2012, the Volvo S60 was one of two cars to earn the best rating in IIHS's new small offset frontal crash test. The test, in which 25 per cent of the car's front strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph (64 km/h), is designed to replicate what happens when the front corner of a car collides with another vehicle or object such as a tree or utility pole - a very severe crash situation. The Volvo XC60 was tested in 2013 and it also received the highest score in this test.

Five-star ANCAP rating for the V40

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) recently gave the all-new Volvo V40 a five-star rating according to the institute's stricter criteria, which were introduced in 2013. Emphasising the excellent pedestrian protection, ANCAP branded the V40 "the stand-out performer in today's rating".

Five-star Euro NCAP for the V60 Plug-in Hybrid

In 2012, the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid achieved the highest ever Euro NCAP score for an electrified car. The five stars in the test, which included a frontal offset collision at 64 km/h (40 mph), demonstrate that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid has the same high safety level as the standard V60.

S60 first to get five stars in US-NCAP

In the United States, the S60 was the first car to be rewarded an overall five stars in the updated NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 5-Star Safety Ratings, also known as US-NCAP. The S60 was the only car awarded five stars in each of the three crash tests (frontal, side pole and side barrier) - while also being available with all of the active safety technologies recommended by NHTSA.

Auto brake results in fewer accidents

The benefits of the groundbreaking City Safety technology - featuring automatic braking in low speed situations - have been documented in an IIHS report showing a significant reduction in insurance claim frequencies. A similar study by the Swedish insurance company Volvia in 2012 shows that Volvo cars equipped with City Safety are involved in 23 per cent fewer rear-end frontal collisions than cars without auto brake. In the UK, the limousine operator Tristar Worldwide, which serves Virgin Atlantic, released a study showing a reduction in the number of rear impact crashes of 28 per cent.

Since these studies were published, the City Safety technology has been upgraded. It is now active at speeds of up to 50 km/h (previously 30 km/h).

Courtesy: Volvo Media