Welcome the Volvo V40 R-Design

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In case you don’t know yet, the highly praised Volvo V40 will go on sale in South Africa come mid November and there is plenty to look forward to in the new V40 which is also considered to be the safest car in the world.

One of the V40 models to look out for is the R-Design which will make its appearance in South Africa in February in 2013. The R-Design will be available as the D3 Geartronic and the high performance T5 petrol turbo. The D3 Geartronic produces 110kW and 350Nm of torque while the T5 offers 187kW and 350Nm of torque. Both variants feature a stiffer and lower Sports chassis as well firmer springs and shock absorbers to improve driving response and handling.

The R-Design features sporty styling which can be seen in its high gloss grille framed in silk metal. Its curvy body is further enhanced with an ironstone diffuser and twin exhaust tailpipes. The R-Design rides on 18” diamond-cut wheels with five-spoke design. For more details and pricing for the Volvo V40 R-Design click here: Volvo V40 R-Design coming to South Africa.

Do you like the Volvo V40 R-Design?

News Source: Cars.co.za

Video: Volvo V40 Euro NCAP Crash Test

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It's always amazing to watch footage of crash tests and seeing a car crunch and crumble in slow motion. The Volvo V40 has received a 5-star Euro NCAP rating and has received the best ever overall results, to read more about the Volvo V40's safety achievements simply follow this link, Volvo V40 breaks Safety Record.

Watch the video above to get an idea of what makes the Volvo V40 the safest car in the world.

Video Source: Youtube

Volvo V40 breaks Safety Record

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Volvo is renowned for its safe cars and the all-new Volvo V40 has taken safety to the next level after receiving five stars in the Euro NCAP collision test. Overall, the Volvo V40 achieved the best ever recorded results.

As of 2009, the European Safety Institute Euro NCAP presents an overall rating for each model it tests. Tests are carried out for four sub-categories which are ranked to produce an overall grade and these include adult occupant protection, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist.

The Volvo V40 set the record in the adult protection category with a score of 98%, the best ever recorded in a test. A strong structure and systems such as WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) helped achieve the results. The Volvo V40 also scored maximum points in the safety assist category.

"The new Volvo V40 was launched as the most intelligent and the safest car in its segment, and it is truly packed with active safety systems such as auto brake, Pedestrian Detection to shield pedestrians, Lane Keeping Aid which helps the driver stay within his or her lane, and BLIS which helps the driver detect vehicles in the offset rear ‘blind spot'," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Advisor Safety at Volvo Car Corporation. In terms of pedestrian protection, the Volvo V40 scored maximum points with the world’s first pedestrian airbag.

 There is much to look forward to in the all-new Volvo V40 which is expected to arrive in South Africa in November 2012. If you wish to find out more about the expected model line-up and prices for the Volvo V40, click on the following link,Volvo V40 coming to South Africa.

News Source: Cars.co.za

Volvo V40 Prices for South Africa

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The much awaited Volvo V40 premium hatchback will be in South Africa soon and Volvo Car South Africa (VCSA) has gone ahead and spilt the beans on the V40’s pricing when it arrives in South Africa.

"We couldn't have received a better indication of just how popular the Volvo V40 is going to be. It is such an exciting vehicle for us and we are delighted that the public seem to be equally eager for the arrival of the Volvo V40" said Bram van der Reep, Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa.

Volvo's new premium hatch will be available for test drives at all Volvo dealerships from 15 October, and will go on sale from 15 November 2012, but orders can be placed now.

Volvo will be launching the all-new V40 in T3 manual, T4 manual, D2 manual and D3 Geartronic derivatives. The remainder of the local line-up, including the spectacular Volvo V40 R-Design, will be available from March 2013.

Pricing for the Volvo V40 is as follows,

V40 T3 Manual Essential        R 281,200

V40 D2 Manual Essential       R 283,200

V40 T3 Manual Excel             R 299,300

V40 D2 Manual Excel            R 301,300

V40 T3 Manual Elite              R 313,200

V40 D2 Manual Elite              R 315,200

V40 T4 Manual Excel             R 316,800

V40 T4 Manual Elite              R 330,700

V40 T4 Powershift Excel       R 332,600

V40 D3 Geartronic Excel       R 339,800

V40 T4 Powershift Elite         R 346,500

V40 D3 Geartronic Elite         R 353,700

V40 D3 Geartronic R-Design R 363,300

V40 T5 Geartronic Excel        R 373,700

V40 T5 Geartronic Elite         R 387,600

V40 T5 Geartronic R-Design  R 397,100

 

News Source: Volvo South Africa

GM developing Wireless Pedestrian Detection Technology

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Safety features for vehicles are becoming more sophisticated than ever before and pedestrian detection is high on the priority list. The ultra-safe Volvo V40 is a good example with its pedestrian detection technology that detects a pedestrian’s presence in front of the vehicle and applies the brakes accordingly. The Volvo V40 also features the world’s first pedestrian airbag, a U-shaped airbag that is deployed from underneath the bonnet when a vehicle-to-pedestrian collision is detected.

Volvo is not the only automaker making strides in pedestrian safety. Researchers at General Motors are currently in the process of developing wireless pedestrian detection technology that relies on Wi-Fi Direct to warn drivers of pedestrians or bicyclists before they can even see them. The technology will be especially useful on highly congested roads or in poor visibility conditions. The system can only detect pedestrians or bicyclists who are carrying smartphones with Wi-Fi Direct. In addition, GM also has plans to develop a complimentary app that frequent road users can download making them ‘visible’ to Wi-Fi Direct-equipped vehicles.

“This new wireless capability could warn drivers about pedestrians who might be stepping into the roadway from behind a parked vehicle, or bicyclists who are riding in the car’s blind spot,” said Nady Boules, GM Global R&D director of the Electrical and Control Systems Research Lab. “Wi-Fi Direct has the potential to become an integral part of the comprehensive driver assistance systems we offer on many of our Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles.”

News Source: General Motors

The lifesaving Volvo V40

Tweet In today’s day and age, safety features on cars seem to be getting more and more advanced in the pursuit of saving lives. Swedish car maker, Volvo, is renowned for producing some of the world’s safest cars and has introduced the new Volvo V40 at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, equipped with some of the most progressive safety features in the car industry.

Volvo seems to go a long way in assisting drivers with the day-to-day challenges of driving with safety features like blind spot detection and lane assistance helping drivers make safe decisions on the road.

Quite possibly the most notable of its safety features is the pedestrian detection technology that detects pedestrians in front of the vehicle and applies automatic breaking to avoid an accident.

More than this, the Volvo V40 has taken pedestrian safety to the next level with the world’s first Pedestrian Airbag System. The Volvo V40 will detect a vehicle-to-pedestrian collision, deploying a U-shaped airbag from underneath hood near the windshield, creating a soft landing for the person unlucky enough to be hit.

The effectiveness of this technology remains to be seen with many sceptics alluding to the possibility that the airbag may cause more trouble for the driver, reducing visibility and causing an accident if deployed unnecessarily.  Nonetheless, the intention of the technology is thoughtful and considerate and will hopefully save lives in the future.

What are your thoughts on this new Pedestrian Airbag System?