Volvo C30 and XC90 Diesel coming to Malaysia

Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) will soon be putting its new 2008 models in the showrooms and one of the exciting new models will be the C30, Volvo's challenger in the premium compact car segment. The 2-door hatchback, which scored 5/5 stars in the EuroNCAP test, is aimed at not only buyers who are younger than the typical Volvo customer but also at older ones whose children have gone off on their own. In fact, Volvo is counting on this model to win over many new customers to the brand.

Technical details of the C30 (which rides on the same platform as the S40 and also the Ford Focus) for Malaysia have not been revealed and so far, it has been sold with a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder petrol engine (the T5 unit in the V50) with a 5-speed automatic transmission or 6-speed manual shifter. A source told MTM that it is possible that there will be a smaller engine for the Malaysian market.

The other new addition to the Volvo line-up for 2008 will be a turbodiesel variant of the XC90 SUV. The diesel variant has long been desired by many customers not only because of rising fuel prices but also because the modern turbodiesels offer spirited performance and are as enjoyable to drive as petrol engines. Offering this engine variant in Malaysia would certainly boost sales of the XC90 which has been around some time now.
"Volvo is coming out with more exciting cars that are more beautiful, sporty, sexy, innovative, daring and captivating so this is going to be an exciting year for us," promised Robert Norrman, President of Volvo Car Malaysia.

Source : Motor Trader

Volvo Alcoguard To Help Reduce Drink And Drive

Volvo announces their latest innovative technology. A device called the "Alcoguard" to help reduce road accidents caused by drink driving. The main objective of the technology is to sober up driver's decisions. According to Ingrid Skogsmo, director of the Volvo Car Safety Centre, the device will be available in upcoming models of Volvo S80, V70 and XC70 as a optional feature.

Volvo expects good response from the market, especially the public sector vehicles like taxis, state authorities, municipals and private sectors like company vehicles and privately owned vehicles. The research and development of Alcoguard is the great success of Skyltfonden funding. Skyltfonden provides financial support for developments in the area of traffic safety. Funds for Skyltfonden come from the fees that car owner’s pay for personalized registration plates.

Alcoguard utilizes methanol-based fuel cells, which is similar to the law enforcement alcohol test units. Users of Alcoguard will blow into a wireless handheld unit, which will analyze and transmit data back to Alcoguard inside the vehicle. Results will determine the level of alcohol from the driver as:

Green: 0.0 - 0.1 g/l alcohol, the car's engine starts

Yellow: 0.1 - 0.2 g/l alcohol, the car will start, but the driver should not drive

Red: more than 0.2 g/l alcohol, the car's engine will not start

Different levels of preset limit of the device can be tweaked according to differing country’s legislation. Alcoguard will preserve the test results within 30 minutes after the engine has been turned off to prevent shortstop repeat process. Calibration and battery replacement also can be done at the Volvo service center, which includes removal of the units if owners do not wish to have it anymore.

The Alcoguard handheld test unit is powered by wireless connection; as such, a driver do not need to run the test inside the vehicle in a perimeter of 10 meters from the car. Volvo engineers also designed the unit to be able start up in 5 seconds within room temperature as well as supply it with a power adaptor when use in cold weather.

Volvo spokesperson David Nilsson explained that Alcoguard should not be treated as an aid tool to reduce alcohol related accidents, but as information guidance to the driver. Alcoguard can be by-passed if required in two ways:

1. Bypass is possible in unlimited number of times, or

2. Bypass is only possible once.

The bypass can be executed at Volvo service workshops and all information will be kept as private and confidential in the car'slog. Volvo hopes this technology can be used in a wider spectrum, helping authorities and insurance companies and perhaps bring down the cost of producing Alcoguard as well. However, this technology has already been well accepted by Swedish.

Source : zerotohundred