Volvo S40 - Nordic, but nice

11:05am Wednesday 23rd August 2006

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THE VOLVO S40 certainly fills the fleet bill nowadays with lots of variety, power-wise being offered through the range.

Two new 1.6 litre four-cylinder engines, one petrol and one diesel, were added to the line-up last year. Entry to the safe and secure world of the Swedish manufacturer now starts from £15,298.

A 2.0-litre turbo diesel and five-cylinder T5 and 2.4i petrol units were the initial choice at launch and a 1.8 litre petrol unit was added later.

The 1.6 petrol is a lightweight aluminium unit with fuel injection and a five-speed manual gearbox to help it obtain fuel economy of 39.2 mpg on the combined cycle with low emissions of 171 g/km and group C VED.

The 1.6 diesel is turbocharged with variable turbo geometry and common rail fuel injection with a lightweight aluminium block and head. It generates 110 hp with zero to 60 mph in 12 seconds and it can achieve 57.6 mpg.

The employment of three transverse mounted five-cylinder in line engine options -unique in the compact car class - was achieved by shrinking the engines' outer dimensions.

All of the petrol engines are based on the low-friction units that power the company's larger models.

The transverse engine configuration contributes to high crash safety since there is added space for deformation in the engine compartment. If the worst should happen, the engine can be shunted no less than 150 mm to the rear before the crankshaft comes into contact with the cross-member near the bulkhead.

Not surprisingly, S40 was awarded five stars in the Euro crash tests.

T5, the sportiest model in the range, uses the 2.5 litre engine which is mated to a light-pressure turbocharger.

The turbo system is tuned to provide exceptional torque from low to high revs and maximum output is 220 horsepower.

As with the V50s, T5 will eventually become available with all wheel drive using the same type of electronically controlled hydraulic coupling as found on Volvo's larger 4x4 models. The normally aspirated five- cylinder 2.4i and 2.4 units generate 170 and 140 horsepower respectively.

The more powerful four-cylinder diesel engine is also turbocharged and has second-generation common rail technology featuring moving rails.

The six-speed manual gearbox developed for the S60 R and V70 R is also fitted to the T5 while the normally aspirated engines are mated to a new generation of Volvo's five-speed manual gearbox.

The automatic transmission for S40 is the same as that used in the larger Volvo models. It is a five-speed unit with an adaptive gearchanging pattern; in other words, it adapts to the current driving style.

The steering is electro-hydraulic, providing light, distinct and controlled steering feedback.

The most distinctive feature of the wide and tall passenger cabin is a unique, super-slim free-floating centre stack that elegantly links together the tunnel console with the instrument panel. The long wheelbase and that transverse engine installation combine to give the car a spacious cabin.

It can be rearranged in the same flexible manner as in the larger Volvo models. The rear seat splits into two sections and the backrests fold down. The front passenger seat can also be specified in a version with a fold-flat backrest. Latest specification variants are called Sport and SE Sport.

For further details, call Drayton Motors, Clatterbridge, on 0151 334 8602.