The new Volvo S40: Safety, dynamic driving wrapped stunningly together
By Michael Binstock
Acorn Motoring Editor

The new Volvo S40

A few years ago, Volvo stunned the North American auto market when it finally introduced the S and V40. This stunning looking car, a joint project with another major auto manufacturer, had only been available overseas and it even had its own racing series.

But time moves on and now it’s time to introduce its worthy successor. To be shown for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show later this month, the new Volvo S40 has class-leading safety and dynamic driving wrapped into a stunning design.

The new Volvo S40 has a revolutionary interior design while its power comes from a five-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed transmission with all-wheel drive.

The Volvo S40 is the first new model from Volvo following the success of the Volvo XC90, the SUV that redefined that market.

The new Volvo S40 replaces the current S40, which was launched in Europe in 1995. It’s the newest addition to Volvo’s S-range, which also includes the larger Volvo S60 and S80 models.

From the outside, the new S40 is unmistakably Volvo, a modern evolution of the extraordinary design look that began with the S80 luxury sedan.

The interior is a revolution, with an ultra-slim center console—the first of its kind in the automotive world—creating an aura of exclusivity, simplicity and space. "The center console is a design icon for the new Volvo S40," says Henrik Otto, design director at Volvo cars. "We intend to pursue our position as inaugurators in the car design world, not looking at what our competitors are doing. It is therefore far more valuable to keep an eye on what they’re not doing."

In the new Volvo S40, Volvo continues its groundbreaking use of high-tensile steel. In the new front structure, four different grades of steel are used in an intelligent design to provide maximum safety for occupants. "Naturally, our goal is that the new Volvo S40 should be the safest car in its class," says Hans-Olov Olsson, president and CEO of Volvo cars.

Side impact protection is addressed by extremely rigid cross members that form a three-way attachment between the leading edge of the A-pillar and the base of the B-pillar. Similar cross members are found in the rear doors as well.

This system of energy absorption, along with the new slim-design five-cylinder engines represents a new approach to vehicle safety.

The new Volvo S40 five-cylinder engines feature a normally aspirated unit that produces 170-horsepower and a 220-horsepower high-pressure turbocharged engine found in the T5. Those who crave an even more dynamic driving experience can equip a T5 with Volvo’s new six-speed close-ratio manual gearbox and electronically controlled all-wheel drive.

Production gets under way in a few weeks. In 2003, the new Volvo S40 will only be sold in Sweden, reaching markets in the rest of the world in early to mid-2004. Volvo expects 2004 sales of the new S40 to reach 70,000 cars. Annual sales for the U.S. market, the largest single market for the S40, are targeted at 28,000.