2004 S40

I live in Canada and has been following the new S40 closely as it became
available all over the world. Obviously Canada is left untill the bitter
end! Our first taste of this model would probably be closer to August 2004!
I know it's available in the States already but there's no way I'm driving
there to testdrive a car.

I'm interested in opinions re the T5 and preferably someone who has driven
the AWD version with the 6 speed manual. Also, does anyone know of
available upgrades to the engine - 218 hp sounds terribly low for this car,
especially with AWD!

Thanx

Gerhard

 

When the x40 comes to Canada, will it be based on the Ford Focus? Somewhere
I recall hearing about a relationship to the Ford Focus body/frame, but do
not recall the specifics.

 

"218hp sounds terrible low for this car........"

Sorry Gerhard, something in my understanding must be completely wrong, but
here in good old europe, the most sold S60 ist the 140hp version. And noone
complaints about "the horrible sluggish car". So the S40T5 is a rocket. It
is as fast as a BMW 330i. Is this car known for being "Terrible slow"?

The S40 is not a 2,5ton heavy SUV, it is, with his 218 (europe 220hp) a car
with 240km/h topspeed and a 0-100km/h in 6,9 secs, with AT 235km/h and 7,3
secs.

Much faster as you can drive legally.

Anyway, I own a S60 D5 (a 2,5 ltr turbo-charged diesel with 163 hp and 340NM
of torque) and the test drive in the S40 gave me the impression that the S40
is a much sportier, direct operating car. Much more a BMW. And the 2.4i
(170hp version) is fast enough. Even on germany Autobahns.

Anyway2: no-one ever told about a AWD-version of the S40

Anyway3: here even the V50 will presented tomorrow here in germany.

Jürgen

 

The NEW Ford Focus... ie the one that won't even be in europe for a
while.... The Mazda 3 is the first car built on this TOTALLY NEW CHASSIS,
and apparantly Volvo did most of the work on the chassis, ford on the
suspension, and mazda on building it efficiently.

 

Gerhard - - -

I've viewed the delivery scheduling for my friendly local Dealer through
the end of May, and *all* S40's until then are Geartronic. Believe me,
this box and 218hp makes the S40T5 fly. The 6-speed will only make it
so much better. Hopefully, the western U.S. will be in line for at
least *some* 6-speeds.

I drive the S60AWD. Having driven the S60 without AWD, I can see no
practical difference in performance as against one with the AWD
package. Since the Haldex system "idles" until needed, no load other
than spinning of the prop shaft is present until the Haldex clutch is
engaged. Much more practical than the silicon connector on our V70XC,
and no apparent difference in action. On a strictly philosophical
basis, though, I prefer the limited slip rear differential of the V70XC
vs doing the same job through activation of the brakes. It's
interesting to see the change of Volvo's thought and engineering
practice from 98 (V70) to 02 (S60).

So it seems that the U.S. will have the AWD and 6-speed options at about
the point where Canada receives the S60 at all. This suggests that
you'll have the full package available from the start.

Unless you really need to buy *now* you can savor the wait for a bit
longer. It's well worth the wait, I assure you.

bob noble
Reno, NV, USA

 

Bob

I know about the difference between the Haldex unit and the older AWD system
Volvo had. I have a 2002 XC70 pre Haldex and the difference between my car
and the newer haldex versions in the snow especially is noticable. Haldex
seems to react quicker, though I wouldn't give up my XC for anything at this
time.

Also, I notice that the V50 is being introduced in the USA as both a 6 speed
and the Geartronic where the website specs only mentions a Geartronic for
the S40 T5. I spoke to my dealer and they tell me we will get the 6 speed
eventually - seems like it would be "delayed introduction" though!

Thanx for the info

 

There definately IS a resurgeance in manual transmissions lately.
Look at the stink everyone made with the IS300. Now the stick
versions are snapped up as fast as they make them.

A 6-speed(thank god not a 5) S40? Sounds like a M3 clone.
Hopefully the transmission wil be 240 or 850-ish - a good,
snappy one instead of some computer controlled mess like they
put in the most recent M3 - it just feels "wrong" compared
to the old one.

 

Hi all

I have a 1996 850 glt (here in Italy)

everything is ok except for the ac (untill last summer it had worked
fine): when I switch on the ac, I ear the "click" made by the relay
located below the dashboard (passenger side) but the ac don't start (in
other words the isn't the classical temporarily rpm reduction on the
engine).

The 30A fuse in the fuse box is ok?

There is any other fuse? Maybe a "big fuse" connected between the
compressor and the battery?

All suggestions are welcomed.


Thank you

Fabio from Italy

 

Sorry, I made 2 little mistakes, here follows the correct text



Hi all

I have a 1996 850 glt (here in Italy)

everything is ok except for the ac (untill last summer it had worked
fine):

when I switch ON the ac, I ear the "click" made by the relay (I have
verified
the relay and it is ok) located below the dashboard (passenger side)
but the compressor doesn't
start (in other words there isn't the classical temporarily rpm reduction
on the engine).

The 30A fuse in the fuse box is ok!

There is any other fuse? Maybe a "big fuse (50 A)" connected between the
compressor and the battery?

All suggestions are welcomed.


Thank you

Fabio from Italy

 

You are slightly unclear in which 218bhp engine is used in the T5. The old
2.3 HPT unit would not meet euro 4 emission regs in its currect guise, so
the 218bhp unit is now the 2.5LPT unit (originally the 2.5T- 193bhp) very
slightly tweaked up from its original 210bhp.

This is a long stroke engine, and puts out max power at only 5000rpm, with
something like 280 ft lbs of torque available from 2000-4800rpm. Having a
small turbo it comes on boost very early and as you can see from the figures
has absolute shed loads of pull which translates into effortless
performance. This is not a slow car by any stretch of the imagination!

The AWD version will be available with 6 speed box as per the T5, but
(certainly in europe at least) will have the 2.3 unit euro 4'ed and in
265bhp guise- but we've got to wait til the tail end of 04 for it.

Tim..

 

This is interesting. You claim there is no load caused by the Haldex
system, but the S60 AWD gas mileage is 4 to 5 mpg lower than the non AWD
model. Part of it is the increased weight (171 lbs) but at least a
small part is Haldex drag.

2004 Volvo S60 2.5T AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
Length: 180.2 in.; Width: 71 in.; Height: 56.2 in.
Wheel Base: 106.9 in.; Curb Weight: 3571 lbs.
EPA Mileage EstimatesCity/Highway) Automatic: 18 mpg/25 mpg

2004 Volvo S60 2.5T Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
Length: 180.2 in.; Width: 71 in.; Height: 56.2 in.
Wheel Base: 106.9 in.; Curb Weight: 3400 lbs.
EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway) Automatic: 22 mpg/30 mpg

 

Volvo's previous S40 continues to be built at Born, Holland until spring
2004, and its demise after that signals the end of Volvo's Dutch
connection which began with DAF. The new S40 and its forthcoming V50
estate version, which share nothing at all with their predecessors, are
to be built in Ghent, Belgium. The new S40 is based on Ford's C1
platform, derived from the current Focus, which also underpins the next
Focus, the Focus C-MAX and the Mazda 3. Volvo calls it P1 (for Premium).

The main point of interest is the S40's interior and its 'floating'
center console, inspired variously by a famous bent-wood chair by Arne
Jacobsen, by Palm Pilots and by Bang & Olufsen remote controls. Thin,
like a flat-screen TV, the console has nothing but empty space behind it
and a so-called IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) within it.

The top model is the T5, which is less muscular than some other Volvo
T5s with 220bhp from its 2.5-liter engine. This, a 170bhp 2.4-litre
naturally-aspirated five-pot and a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four, will all
be offered from the February UK on-sale date. A 1.8 gas engine follows
soon after, and two 1.6s - one gas, one diesel - complete the range at
the end of 2004. There will also be some bi-fuel engines.

The all new Volvo V50 replaces the current V40, which was launched in
the United States in 1999. It is bigger than the S40 but smaller than
the S60. Sales of the all new V50 sportswagon will begin in the U.S. in
summer, 2004 as a 2005 model.

 

Gerhard - - -

Stephen Henning raises an interesting point about the S40T5. The engine
used is not fish or fry in the current Volvo engine lineup - continuing
the older 2.4 engine, such as in the 2002 and earlier North American 60
and 70 series cars. Perhaps it's somehow related to the major effort
undertaken to control the width (fore and aft in this sidewinder app)
for getting it into the smaller (particularly, again, fore and aft) S40
engine room. In the case of a rear-tilted engine, it's a bit hard to
see, but the casting of the exhaust (turbine) portion of the turbo into
the exhaust manifold is as clever as it is extreme.

I was not aware, by the way, of the significant disparity in fuel
economy between the Volvo figures for the AWD and non-AWD vehicles.
Interestingly enough, my driving experience with the AWD is currently
(only just broken-in at 27.5K miles), right on the number SH quotes for
the non-AWD units.

bob noble
Reno, NV, USA

 

The new Ford C1 platform will be used by the Volvo S40/V50, Mazda 3, and
European Ford Focus and Focus C-MAX. The North American Ford Focus will
be a revised version of the older C170 platform (different engines, interior
restyling, exterior restyling, different trim lines and options).