Wilvo V40 test drive since 2012

Volvo for autumn

Volvo continues to surprise. Over the past 20 years, the Volvo image as a calm and safe family car is being formed again today. It all started with the participation of Volvo 850 cars in the British championship in ring racing. Then the traffic versions of the race 850s were released by a limited series. Finally, the turn came to serial sports modifications. Until recently, the entire sports range of Volvo was built on the 850 model and its successor - Volvo S70/V70. This fall, the collection of dynamic machines of the company will be replenished with a charged version of the S40 sedan and the V40 station wagon with a new turbocharged engine and T4 index.
 

To check how dynamic this version is, the test-pilot of the motor, the Miller Pilot team, Alexey Vasiliev, went for three seas.
 

Indeed, for three seas. Through Stockholm to Copenhagen - we fly the bay and the strait - like two seas. From Copenhagen back to Sweden, to the city of Yankopping - again through the strait. In a word, they were flying. From the side of the aircraft - to the car, behind the wheel of the sedan s40. So acquaintance with T4 began right on the move.
 

To begin with, we went to drive along some local roads of a district scale. Forests, cows, tractors flash. Provinces. Little and surface. Asphalt even here. The turns are profiled. They say that high -speed sections of the Swedish rally are held here. Speed \u200b\u200b- 200. I know that it is impossible. Under the pedal, a decent power supply is felt. It seems that T4 is a real sports car. Therefore, I did not make any concessions to him.
 

Well -controlled, strict car. On the T4, the longitudinal slope of the suspension racks has been increased, which leads to a faster return of the wheels in a direct position after the maneuver. As a result, both exchange stability and weight stabilization in the bend improved. You can safely release the steering wheel in straight, and the car will continue to move strictly at the rate. At the same time, its mass and size are not at all cruising, and it is more susceptible to external dynamic factors.
 

The Pirelli 205/50ZR16 tires of the last P6000 model provide the car with a very reliable clutch with the road and do not buzz in addition. Aquetuplaning, according to weather conditions, was not part of the test program. But still, one must think that the behavior of T4 on wet asphalt will be quite controlled.
 

Compared to conventional S40, the suspension rigidity of the T4 is increased, and the course is reduced by 20 mm. For European roads, this is what you need. In Russia, on this car you will fly half of the bumps, and after time to receive strong blows on the body.
 

Thanks to the hard suspension, the machine in corners is practically not fired. The steering force on the steering wheel is slightly higher than on the base S40, but the hydraulic power steering reduces all the labor costs during the rule to a minimum. But on great irregularities there is a rigid return on the steering wheel, capable of pulling it out of the hands. Changing the wheel contact spot with the road sharply leads the car to the side. You have to hold a car that reacts very sensitively to any steering wheel turn.
 

The steering wheel is very informative. A pleasant steering wheel in the skin, sheathed with skin. Above the central horizontal knitting needles are made for fingers. They externally emphasize sports, but have no practical benefit, since the grip is constantly located above the spokes, in the upper third of the steering wheel.
 

S40/V40 T4 are equipped only with a mechanical 5-speed box, the same as on models of the 70th series. A feature is the cable drive of the box, which provides, according to the Swedes, soft and clear switching. However, at first, misses occurred several times with the inclusion of the 2nd and 4th programs. I suspect that the centering spring of the box lever is made too stiff. Switching occurs, as it were, in the case, that is, you can’t leave the lever with a brush, and if you quit, then there is a chance not to get into the transmission. You have to accompany it. From the habit - you miss. But you get used to quickly and do not think about it anymore. The lever itself is located low and very convenient - it always turns out to be at hand. It is short, so the moves are small, the switching is fast.
 

The first two programs are spaced, between them a big step. That is, the first is for traffic jams, the second is for the city cycle. And the third, fourth and fifth are close, the step between the transmissions is small - this is the best possible to accelerate and uniform movement along the highway. Acceleration occurs smoothly. I went on a large road, pressed the gas, worked in a box - and did not notice how you were already rushing at a speed of 220 km/h.
 

The shelf of the maximum torque of the engine of 300 nm is in the range of 2400-3600 revolutions. And the maximum power of 200 liters. With. Filmed by five and a half thousand. The presence of a turbine on the bottom is not felt either by power growth or by the noise of the engine. But when the speed is exceeding 2000, you understand how much it affects the dynamics of the car. The turbine wheel is small, inertia is small, and the efficiency at low speeds is higher than that of many other machines with a turbocharger engine. Power growth occurs with great progression, but without sharp jumps. If you submit a schedule, then from about a thousand revolutions and up to almost six thousand it goes uphill - almost like that of an electric motor. This is felt not only in acceleration, but also on the gas pedal.
 

Everything is very clear and even: how much he pressed - so much went.
 

Clutch pedal. The move is a little big, but soft. Therefore, you can immediately determine where the operating range is located.
 

On T4, a proprietary system of dynamic stabilization DSA (Dynamic Stability Assistance), in fact - APS, system control of the traction force of the engine. In the case of slipping of one of the wheels, it in 0.015-0.02 seconds reduces the supply of fuel by a precisely verified amount until the speed of rotation of the wheels is equal. The on -board computer reads information about the speed of the wheels constantly, and the system works in the entire range of car speeds - from the moment of touching to maximum. This achieves optimal acceleration without slipping and loss of course stability on any coating.
 

The system does not interfere with the car control - the driver learns about its operation only by flashing a signal lamp on the panel at the time of obvious slippage of the wheels.
 

About the brakes. Very good, strict and informative. High efficiency provides an increased to 280 mm diameter of the front disks in combination with ABS.
 

The latter has a small step in the operation - the tremors of the pedal are not felt. Yes, and in most cases, it does not reach the operation of ABS, in the staffing situations the brakes cope without it. I liked the combination of the short stroke of the brake pedal with a slight effort required to slow down the machine. In addition, an electronic system is used on the T4, which, depending on the situation, redistributes brake efforts on wheels, thereby ensuring the preservation of the exchange rate stability of the car.
 

T4 piloting was pleasure. From the general gamut of positive emotions, the right armrest of the driver's chair sometimes fell out. Literally. In a non -working position, it is installed between the seats vertically, and when pressed, it is thrown back into a horizontal position. It happened that when switching even gears, I touched it with my shoulder, and it readily fell forward - probably, the spring in the fixation mechanism is rather weak. Most often I had to put the armrest in place after the fourth gear is turned on.
  
Salon. The driver’s workplace is convenient, except for the fact that the driver's seat is highly located. All adjustments to the front seats are electric. In the middle part of the back there are no springs and reinforcement, only porous material. Therefore, you fall into the back, and good support is created on the sides of the body. It is quite convenient.
 

With visibility, no problems. The review back is good, but only in mirrors. The devices are used, especially the tachometer, which is very important on this machine, since the engine often had to twist almost to the maximum six thousand revolutions. The microclimate control panels and the audio system are conveniently located in the working area, at hand.
 

The interior S40 T4, oddly enough, liked more than the S70R. Maybe a feeling of some kind of novelty was overlapped. There are no trendy aluminum inserts, everything is much calmer, and therefore more comfortable.
 

The rear seat is clearly double, profiled. In the middle, between two priests, you can install a children's chair. The back of the seat smoothly, along the radii, goes into the door panels. It is very convenient, especially if you get a job as often sit from behind - at half -turn, almost sideways. At the same time, you can observe the road through the small window at the rear rack ...
 

A total of two hundred kilometers drove along the serpentine roads. Ahead is a specializer.
 

Mantop Racing - a testing ground for all VOLVO racing teams performing in European championships. There are all the conditions for training, tests and refinement of cars. Youth teams and a permanent Driving-School are also based. At the same time, the landfill also serves to demonstrate the capabilities of Volvo and various kinds of presentations.
 

On that day, the S40 Rydell racing car performing in the British body of the championship (BTCC) was brought to Mantop. Moreover, this car is already for the next season. Rydell himself is now rushing in England and enters the leading three VTSS. So in Mantop the car was tested by the second pilot of the Volvo team.

Cars for the youth championship (JTCC) were also driven there. Atmospheric motor in 175 forces, special suspension, safety frame. There is an ABS. An ordinary half -wheel machine. There are not even brake adjustments. Our Miller's eight will be abruptly. Rushing a couple of circles, pulled out. I really liked the car ...
 

The usual Volvo engines for JTCC have a tuned exhaust and injection control system, they are much more quarrel than a civil non -ruble engine. But when it turned out that the V40 for JTCC costs only $ 14,000, it was not believed. At first I thought that he had rumbled, and this amount should be paid extra on the base price. But no.
 

It turns out that a car specially prepared for racing is much cheaper than serial. Our Russian riders, especially beginners, only dream of this. The fact is that the production of the JTC series machines is put on stream. The Volvo sports department receives a kind of kit kara from the main conveyor - bodies without a salon and amenities, ready for the installation of sports power units, pendants and fillings. There is no need to invent, change, move, throw and throw it away. Hence the cheapness. The output is a homologous racing machine, moreover, with a factory guarantee.
 

This Volvo kills two birds with one stone. Firstly, due to the low price, professional racing cars become affordable. At the same time, the motorsport itself becomes more democratic, and therefore popular and mass. So you ask a simple Swedish guy, what he is chasing, and he will say: on Volvo - what is not an advertisement!
 

Secondly, the company emphasizes the new sports image of its products. After all, ten years ago, the very concept of Volvo is not just with racing - even with sports cars was not associated. And the sympathies of the youth are conquered just by involving in an active lifestyle, sports, races, finally. Do not lay hopes only on the graying wealthy fathers. The Volvo company understands this perfectly and the S40/V40 family relies on a generation, which, perhaps in the future, will go with Volvo in life.
 

After the car, the JTCC moved to the standard S40 T4 and set off on the same highway. With a turbocharged T4, the racing-Junior in dynamics does not lose.
 

Immediately affected good sports control. The car holds asphalt great, hard, without the slightest departments, retains the trajectory. In a word - I liked it.
 

Manufacturers of special ambitions do not have a T4 car sales and they themselves admit that the turbocharged S40/V40 are designed to demonstrate new Volvo opportunities. The new modification will go to the salons at the end of September. Autumn will not end there.
 

Alexey Vasiliev
 

 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 10/1997]