Volvo Engineer Going Berserk on Spy Photographer Ends Up on YouTube

Anyone who claims that being a spy photographer for the automotive industry is a walk in the park, clearly hasn’t a clue what this profession entails.

On the other hand, we also understand that being followed / stalked by people with cameras while you're trying to do your job as an engineer can be frustrating and time-consuming. Nevertheless, if you're not driving on a private track but on public roads, you just have to learn to live with it.

Now, it's one thing for an engineer to display his or her anger with sign language, as we've seen it happen many times in the past, and a completely different story when you get physically aggressive.

Read more »

Volvo Starts Production of V60 Diesel Plug-In Hybrid, 2013 Output Already Sold Out

Volvo announced on Monday that it has started production of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid estate at its Torslanda plant in Gothenburg. Deliveries of the first cars to customers will begin in early 2013, though; if you’re interested don’t expect to get one before 2014 because the initial batch consists of just 1,000 vehicles, all of which have already been spoken for. Read more »

Volvo Terror is a Turbocharged Tractor that will Knock Your Socks Off

It will burn rubber, do donuts, drift on the field and at the same time, plow your farm; meet the Volvo Terror, an old tractor from the middle of the last century that has been outfitted with a Volvo-sourced B21ET turbocharged petrol engine.

The B21ET belongs to Volvo's Redblock gasoline engine series and was used on cars like the 240. In factory form, the 2.1-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developed 155hp (157PS). Whether the engine found in the tractor is completely stock or has been upgraded, remains unknown.

Read more »

Volvo Sends 508hp S60 Polestar Performance Concept to Russia

For a car that has already been sold to an unidentified American buyer for the paltry sum of $300,000 or the equivalent of a BMW M5 ($89,000) sedan, a Porsche 991 Carrera Convertible ($93,700) and a Corvette ZR1 ($112,600), the one-off Volvo S60 Polestar Performance Concept is sure racking up a lot of miles.

On the other hand, the buyer had been informed by Volvo officials that he would receive the car only after Polestar finishes promoting it to the media and the public.

Read more »

Volvette V70 Police Car is Here to Serve Some Crazy Donuts

Volvo station wagons have always been some of the most understated and widely misunderstood cars in the market, which ultimately makes them the ideal candidates for insane sleeper (or Q) cars.

As clearly hinted by its name, the Volvette featured here is a V70 estate that does away with its factory Volvo engine to adopt an American heart and drivetrain from an early 2000s Corvette C5 Z06.

Read more »

Watch a Rookie Airplane Pilot Plane Give a Volvo SUV a Haircut

It doesn't take a nuclear physicist to understand that there's a problem when a private roadway borders with a landing strip.

Yet, for whatever reason, there's a road on the side of the runway at the Northwest Regional Airport in Roanoke, Texas, and surprise, surprise, a small plane that was preparing to land clipped a passenger car, and it was all caught on film by the pilot's wife.

Read more »

Volvo's 508hp S60 Polestar Performance Versus the BMW M3 and Audi RS4 Avant

Can a Volvo model ever beat the German automakers in their own game? Well, the answer to that question really depends on which game you are referring to since die Deutsche brands have spread their wings in just about every niche there is.

So let's be more specific: can a performance orientated Volvo family car threaten two of Germany's finest and fastest mid-size sports models, the BMW M3 and the Audi RS4?

If we're talking about the Volvo S60 Polestar Performance sedan, it certainly has the brute force to do so. The only problem is that, for now, the S60 Polestar Performance is a one-off model that has yet to receive the green light for even a limited series production run.

Read more »

Volvo Expands V40 Family with Sportier R-Design and Tougher Cross Country Models

The all-new Volvo V40 R-Design and V40 Cross Country received their world premiere today at the 2012 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris. Both models are more about style than essence with the R-Design placing the emphasis on sporty looks and the Cross Country on its off-road appearance.

Beginning with the R-Design version, the Swedish carmaker's premium hatchback obtains a slightly more aggressive exterior thanks to a re-profiled front bumper, a silk-metal finish for the front grille, the new rear diffuser and the exterior mirrors, chrome exhaust pipes and 17-inch or optionally, 18-inch alloy wheels.

Read more »

Volvo Tells Us V40 Cross Country Not Coming to the States Either [New Photos and Videos]

The good news about the V40 Cross Country is that we have a fresh set of high-resolution images and a pair of videos to show you following the introduction of the car the other day.

The bad news is that if you live in the United States and thought the Cross Country's tougher looks may have persuaded Volvo to bring it to this side of the Atlantic, we hate to disappoint you, but that's not going to happen.

We asked Laura DiStefano, Corporate Communications Manager for Volvo Cars of North America, and her reply was the same we got for the regular V40 hatchback: "No plans for the U.S."

Read more »

New Volvo V40 Cross Country Photos Released in Advance of the Paris Motor Show

The first official images and details of the new Volvo V40 Cross Country have dripped on the web revealing the Swedish carmaker's smallest crossover model.

Originally thought to be named XC40, the new Volvo is a taller standing and more rugged looking version of the brand's V40 compact hatchback, designed more or less around the same philosophy as the larger XC70.

The halfway (if not even less...) crossover model from Volvo gets some chunky black cladding around the redesigned front and rear bumpers that also feature silver colored protective plates, and side sills, along with silver roof rails, newly styled alloy wheels and a 40mm taller ride height than the regular V40.

Read more »

Volvo Introduces Sportier Looking V40 R-Design Variants [w/Video]

Launched ahead of its world premiere at this month's Paris Motor Show is the new Volvo V40 R-Design, which is essentially a trim package with some minor styling enhancements for both the exterior and interior of the premium hatchback, much like the "R-Line" kits for the VW Beetle that we told you about in our previous post. Read more »

Crazy Swedes do a Burnout with a Tow Truck Carrying a Volvo

So it is indeed true that you can do a burnout with just about anything that rolls on wheels and anywhere (as one of you rightly pointed out), even a Volvo 740 sedan on a moving Volvo tow truck.

The burnout took place in Sweden with plenty of other cars including a 940 Wagon also taking part in the event.

Slide through the break to watch all four video clips.

Read more »

Watch Volvo's BMW M3 Killer, the S60 Polestar Performance in Action

Any automaker that wants to play with the big names in the premium car league needs a performance lineup.

Just think about it; even Cadillac, which for the most part of its history was associated with luxury and cars that resembled...land yachts caved in and created the V-Series once its parent company GM got serious about competing against the Germans.

In all fairness, Volvo gave it a try much earlier with the 249hp 850 T-5R in the mid-1990s followed by the 296hp S60 R in the early 2000s before officials pulled the plug on the 'R' designation (not to be confused with the R-Line accessories and trim levels) in 2007.

Read more »