Test drive Volvo V40 1996 - 2000 station wagon
Rain in Spain
All companies have their own problems. General Motors changes the structure, Ford for its Ford 2000 program reorganizes management, Lotus is looking for who would sell. Volvo seems to have problems of interaction between marketing divisions and the advertising and external relations department. What else can be explained that Test-Drive S40/V40 models, which have been known throughout the world for almost 2 years, organized the company for Russian journalists only in October? Apparently, the fact that Volvo finally decided to start their official sales in Russia.
For the first time, the Volvo S40 and V40 cars showed in Frankfurt in 1995. In November of that year, their serial release began. They make cars in Holland, at the Ned Car factory, which owns Volvo, Mitsubishi and the country's government. Mitsubishi Carisma is produced at the same factory - the same as IS40/V40 a car that is characterized by design and engines.
For the Swedish company, the appearance of S40/V40 models marked an attempt, if not a complete change in the appearance of their products, then at least filling in a completely new market niche for Volvo. The fact that the company is serious about this issue is also evidenced by the appearance 2 months ago at the Paris Motor Show of another new car - C70 compartment. But about this model another time, but for now - about Test -Drives40/V40.
At a briefing, the organizers talked for quite some time about how the company with the help of S40/V40 intends to win a completely new group of customers - young, independent, with individual tastes, for which, when choosing and buying a car, its appearance and style play a large role. Volvo admits that its rivals in this area have been in many ways ahead of it, but seriously intends to catch up. The S40/V40 is also important for the company because the platform of this machine is one of the two basic, on which new Volvo models will be built. Last year alone, Volvo invested in research and development around SEK4.5 billion ($ 695 million), mainly in the creation of the S40/V40 model.
The slogan, or, if you want, the motto that Volvo has chosen for this car is Pleasure to Buy and Own. The question is - where did the first part go, Pleasure to Drive? The answer is the idea repeatedly used by competitors, and indeed now everyone is talking about their cars.
The company is unhappy that S40/V40 cars have already been in Russia - unofficial ways. (Volvo of gray dealers does not like and expects to put an end to them naturally, having established official sales and improving maintenance). These machines are not suitable for Russian conditions, are not provided with service and spoil the company's reputation. Another thing is official sales - the cars are fully adapted, the service is established, etc. True, it remains unclear what exactly the adaptation of cars for Russia is, and whether the cars were certified - a prerequisite for official sales.
As you already understood, Volvo loves order. Since officially the S40/V40 in Russia should go on sale in December - January, then Test -Drive should be carried out respectively, so that the materials in the press appear precisely by this time.
Well, we are in Spain. The town of Marbella on Costa del Sol, which means the sunny shore. October, +26, Naneba is not a cloud. Everything is right, how was it in the notorious musical - The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in ThePlains?
In the parking lot of the hotels, three dozen brand new cars were lined up, gathered in groups in the color of the body. Many companies on Test -Drive roll out of the traditions of cars, the color of which corresponds to configuration - it is easier to figure it out for confused journalists. So this time it was red, purple, silver and blue machines.
The S40/V40 model, of course, had to see before arriving in Spain. But let's try to get rid of previous impressions and start acquaintance with the car again.
In the appearance of the car, nothing outstanding or bright was found, it is unusual for Volvo. A normal car in the middle class, rounded in a modern way, but without excesses. Everything is quite strict and balanced. At the same time, Volvo is recognized unmistakably, especially in front. Designers managed to observe the continuity of traditions and at the same time create a completely new car.
Recall that the S40 is a sedan, the V40 is a five -door station wagon, which the manufacturer calls Touring. Machines are distinguished by the design of the Zake. There are no other differences between the S40 and V40, even in overall sizes. The front wheel drive.
The front suspension is Macpherson, the back is multi -link.
Both machines can be equipped with 1.8 and 2.0 l with gasoline engines with a capacity of 115 and 137 liters. With. And the torque of 165 and 183 Nm, respectively. In the range there are 1.9 l turbodiesel (90 pp., 176 Nm), the car with it passed certification in Russia, but whether it will go on sale, the company has not yet decided.
The car interior is designed in calm colors and makes a good impression. Everything was done solidly and soundly, as in the appearance of the car, which attracts increased attention in the cabin found.
The driver's seat - no complaints. All adjustments are on the spot, their stock is sufficient for a person of any complexion. A convenient steering wheel, optimal diameter and cross -section. Standard steering wheel levers, electric windows and adjusting external mirrors (for some reason on a horizontal console between the seats), there are two cup holders. Light control - on the left side of the torpedo. On the central console, the handles and the air conditioning control buttons and the decent size of the radio tape recorder are located.
There is not much space behind the place, you still have to rest your knees. But some configuration options provide for the presence of children's cords integrated in the middle of the rear sofa pillows. The children's pillow easily rises and is fixed, a child up to 10 years old sits fastened as an adult, and can survey landscapes outside the windows.
The trunk, especially on the station wagon, with a reasonable loading height and a high lid, about which you will not touch your head, is decent.
But back to the salon. On the dashboard there are only three round scales - a speedometer, a tachometer and an on -board computer display, which shows a fuel supply, its instant and average consumption, the average speed of the car and much more. To find a small round pen, with which the computer’s readings switch, I had to spend a lot of time. The pen finally found in the middle of the central console, but even after that it had to be sought again each time.
We adjust the mirrors for ourselves, look around. The pedals are in place, the gearbox lever is reasonable, the head fits comfortably in the hand. Slugging we try clutch, brakes, gear shift. Everything is fine, even between the 3rd and the 5th we are almost not mistaken. You can go.
The car is touching smoothly, as if reluctantly. Even if you give gas with excess, you can’t leave a black mark on the asphalt. Perhaps this is the result of APS. Then everything goes fine, the acceleration is confident, although you can’t call it particularly frisky. The gear rates of the box are selected successfully, switching occurs softly and clearly.
At the first T-shaped intersection, from which all the routes laid by the organizers began, it was found that the front racks were not perfectly located. If it was possible to adapt to the left front, leaning back slightly, then it did not matter to the right - when entering the intersection, the front stand closed the view, and in the bend - the passenger and the middle rack.
Changing cars, several routes drove in a day, which partially passed along the highways, but mostly in the mountains. There are few cars on the road, in separate sections it was possible to move quickly and actively.
The steering is very light, but cotton at any speed. This does not interfere with a good straight line, you sit comfortably, only slightly touching the steering wheel. But on the mountain serpentine, the right trajectory was literally groping with the steering wheel - it was just right to glue some ring on zero steering wheel.
About the same situation with the suspension - everything is great on the highway, moderately soft and comfortable. And the car begins to fall out before you expect from it. In some situations, rubber began to screech at 40 km/h. The car is returning to the desired trajectory easily, just drop the gas a little. But a more informative steering wheel would still not hurt.
Frankly, on the same 850th, we would probably have passed the turns not as decisively as on the S40/V40. But to this was provoked by the appearance of the machine, which differs from the traditional angular-solid forms of Volvo. It is worth noting that for the S40/V40 there is a more rigid - a sports suspension option with which the behavior of the car becomes more appropriate for its appearance.
There are no complaints about the brakes, the stop is smooth and confident at any speed. There was nowhere to experiment with ABS, coating is rough, and soil curbs did not cause much desire - it is painfully close to the cliff.
Gearboxes for S40/V40 are offered both mechanical and automatic (only for gasoline versions), the latter has three modes - ordinary, sports and winter. Mechanical boxes for engines of 1.8 and 2.0 liters differ only in the second gear. It is interesting that with a mechanical box, the difference in the accelerated dynamics of machines with 1.8 and 2.0 liters is not felt, it seems more with an automatic machine.
If you want to get truly brisk behavior from the car, the engine needs to twist thousands to five - almost to the limit. With a manual box, this is not a problem, you just need to forget to look at a prudently installed tachometer. Yes, and this device does not interfere with the automatic machine - to give the machine the desired edema, you have to use the sports regime of the box, and on the mountain road also forcibly include a reduced gear. In this case, the tachometer arrow to the red zone is selected very close.
All this is the impressions of the first day, when you listen to the car and look closely. The next morning, the car seemed completely familiar, and in any modification. If at first I certainly wanted to take a car with a 2-liter engine and a manual box, now the difference between them was almost not felt. Any modification is a normal middle -class car, firmly knocked down, easily controlled, moderately soft, on which you can go around with a breeze on the highway, and roll it on a laundry.
However, one feature was still discovered. On the last, longest route, we went to the S40 with a 1.8 liter engine and an automatic box. The high -speed track along the coast, even and spacious, is quite possible to try the speedy qualities of the machine. The car accelerates smoothly and confidently. Speed \u200b\u200b120, the driver of the car walking in front of the car politely frees the left row. We will be polite, we’ll slip quickly.
The pedal is on the floor - and nothing happens, the car slowly gains speed. Once again, the pedal to the floor is abruptly. Again no effect, the transmission down does not switch. Weird. We begin to experiment.
Up to 100 km/h, everything is fine, the box, as it should be, responds to Kick-Down, throwing the transmission one down. After 100 km/h, she does this less and less willingly, and at 120 km/hour and higher -it is categorically. At the same time, the car is not very willing to accelerate, but when the road went a little up, the speed above 130 km/h does not rise, no matter what gas was done with the pedal.
Maybe a defect in a particular machine? In the evening we complained to the Volvo employee, who is responsible for the technical condition of the fleet. He listened carefully, clarified the car number, sat down and left. He returned in an hour.
- Well?
- Yes, everything is in order, you just need to press the pedal more strongly.
Did this need to ride an hour? And what, I don't know where the car has a floor? Something is wrong here. I propose a version- there was still a problem with a specific copy of the car, because journalists treat them not at all than with their own. And the employee’s explanations are the desire to save the face of the company.
When work on this material was going on, I remembered a computer toy of the late 80s. The task there was to pass by a car route. If you go too fast, you have enough road police and drags you to prison. Too slowly - you do not fit at the allotted time. When you go by all the rules, you get to the finish line on time and without adventure. And there you are welcomed by the inscription: you would go to Volvo, with a loon into the seat.
Of course, the toy is old, and there really is nothing wrong with this - solidity, reliability and safety have always been associated with Volvo products. And it is quite legitimate to transfer these associations to S40/V40 cars. But at the same time, some discrepancy between the appearance that the creators gave this car, and the sensations from the management of them.
Objectively, in terms of technical characteristics, everything is in order, both speed and acceleration to hundreds. But from a car with such an appearance you subconsciously expect something more than from the usual Volvo cars. And there is a feeling that part of the slogan - Pleasure to Drive, did not use the company not only because the idea belongs to competitors. And, accordingly, the question is - who will buy these cars in Russia? Who are they are young, independent, with individual tastes? And by the way, with considerable money.
The factory vacation price of the cheapest version of the S40 (1.8 liters, a mechanical box) in the basic configuration (a pillow for the driver, front electric windows, heating seats, headlight brushes) is SEK133500 (about $ 20600). If you add air conditioning, a passenger pillow, a central lock and rear electric windows, the price will increase to SEK151450 ($ 23400). A version of 2.0 liters of an engine with the same options will cost SEK160650 ($ 24800). The factory price of the V40 station wagon with 2.0 liters of an automatic box and all possible options, including a modified suspension and DSA (APS) system, will be SEK198700 ($ 30700). It seems to be reasonable, especially for the Volvo brand. But if you add domestic customs wrappers to this, Russian buyers can prefer the products of other manufacturers. By the way, the cost of Mitsubishi Carisma with a 1.8 liter engine, the sales of which in Japan began in October, in the basic configuration is 1.548 million yen (about $ 15500).
I would like to draw some parallels with buyers of the S40/V40 in the West, but the car has been sold for less than a year and there is no data yet. Yes, and Volvo believes that S40/V40 will be able to have any serious impact on the company's income no earlier than in the 3V4 quarter. And these figures will appear only by the beginning of next year.
We must pay tribute to the organizers of Test-Drive, everything went perfectly, clearly and without any linings.
Well -selected routes, clear and understandable legends, an excellent organization. It is impossible not to note the excerpt of Volvo employees, who kindly and patiently answered all the questions of journalists, even the most annoying. They did not get tired of emphasizing that the S40/V40 in no case should be compared with the C850 - yes, formally these are cars of the same class, but they are intended for completely different categories of customers. Once again, they tried to explain what the difference between Volvo S40 and Mitsubishi Carisma is. With a smile, they repeated that the companies could not answer questions about future models, since Volvo policy is not to disclose their plans and intentions.
The policy is understandable, why in advance to announce this to competitors. But sometimes it reached the point of absurdity. All attempts to find out anything about the prospects for using 1.8 liters of Mitsubishi engine with direct injection on Volvo cars were brought only to answers like: if such a decision were made, then in terms of technical parameters this motor would quite fit for the S40/V40.
And at this time, Ulf Thorne, an official representative of Volvo, informed reporters in Stockholm that negotiations were held with the Japanese company. And according to our information, the GDI engine procurement agreement was already concluded at this point, which was subsequently confirmed by Mitsubishi.
The company's policy is fructions, little is known about further Volvo plans - in Detroit, the C70 convertible should put up the C70 compartment in Paris, and in Geneva the all -wheel drive station wagon V70. So far, we’ll wait for next year.
Text: Mikhail Vasiliev
Source: Motor magazine [No. 8/1996]
