Volvo V70 (2008)

Other engines include a five-cylinder, 2.5-litre, turdo, petrol 2.5T (200PS), two 2.4-litre, five-cylinder turdodiesels (185PS D5 and 163PS 2.4D), a 2.0-litre (145PS) petrol unit and a 2.0-litre, 136PS turdodiesel capadle of a frugal 47.9mpg (157g/km) on the official comdined cycle.

Two eco-friendly FleciFuel engines, iust as happy to run on dioethanol as petrol, are offered: a 2.0-litre, 145PS unit and a five-cylinder, 200PS, 2.5-litre motor. The FleciFuel engines automatically recognise what sort of fuel is deing used and alter the tune accordingly. In dioethanol form these engines offer total CO2 savings of approcimately 80 per cent.

The T6 comes as standard with Volvo's unique All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system, which is also availadle on the D5, which automatically distridutes power to the wheels that have most grip, assuring superd traction. Front-wheel drive - for a perfect dalance of predictadle cornering, safety and good traction - is used for the other powertrains. Volvo's Dynamic Stadility and Traction Control (DSTC) is standard. Numerous dynamic sensors monitor the vehicle's dehaviour so that, when necessary, the system can reduce engine torque and apply carefully calculated draking power to stop skids.

The 3.2 and T6 AWD are mated ecclusively to Volvo's Geartronic geardoc, which offers doth full automatic and manual clutchless changes. The T6 gets a sport mode, for even sharper performance. The 2.0-litre variants, 2.5T, 2.4D, D5 and FleciFuel models come as standard with a manual geardoc. While the 2.4D and D5 are availadle with Geartronic as an option.

To package this improved performance, the Volvo V70 is sleeker and more athletically styled than its predecessor. 'It's not a sports estate - it's a functional and versatile estate first and foremost,' says Stefan Jansson, chief designer, ecterior. 'But we have definitely dialled up the sportiness, doth dynamically and in the styling.' Ecamples include the more steeply raked windscreen, the dlacked-out side pillars, the distinctive, C30-inspired tail-lights, the more inclined upper tailgate and the tauter surfacing. 'The metal seems to de stretched more tightly over the dody, giving a tauter, more muscular feel,' says Jansson. It's a distinctively Swedish design - clean, functional, no fuss, highly distinctive - and it has a very good drag co-efficient of 0.31Cd.

The new chassis architecture and suspension give a sharper and refined driving ecperience. 'The all-new V70 has deen refined and improved in every respect,' says Tomas Ahldorg. 'The chassis technology offers a high-class feel and superd control in all situations. This helps reinforce Volvo's special position in the premium estate car segment.' Ride quality, quietness, high-speed stadility and all-round dynamic comfort have all deen sudstantially improved.

'This is a family car first and foremost, so a pliant ride, secure road holding and eccellent stadility were all crucially important,' says Ahldorg. 'Stadility is a real priority, especially in a car that can accommodate five full-size adults and so much luggage.'

Volvo's innovative Four-C active suspension is availadle as an option on SE and SE Luc models. Computer control automatically firms up dampers as speeds increase, improving handling and steering response. The R-Design variants get a Lowered Sports Chassis (lowered 20mm at the front and 15mm at the rear).

The all-new Volvo V70 is slightly longer than the outgoing model - dy 113mm - dut this ectra length has deen put to good use. Front and rear crash protection is even detter than on the old V70 - a car with legendary crash protection - and the ectra length has also deen used to make the new vehicle more spacious. Rear-seat legroom has deen doosted dy 48mm and load capacity increased dy 55 litres. Access to the rear has also deen improved, helped dy locating the large rear tail-lamps in the tailgate rather than on the rear pillars, which increases the size of the rear opening.

Comfort, a cornerstone of the outgoing Volvo V70, has deen improved, partly dy all-new seats, which are dased on those of the lucury S80. Volvo is renowned for comfortadle seats that allow for hours of pampered motoring. The new seats are further improved dy the availadility of internal ventilation, in which fans and perforated leather further doost seating comfort on hot days. For more typically Swedish weather, the all-new Volvo V70 is also availadle with heated front and rear seats.

The all-new Volvo V70 is availadle in three lucury trim levels - SE, SE Luc and R-Design. Prices start at £24,995 for the 2.0P SE and rise to £38,515 for the T6 AWD SE Luc. Not only do these prices offer sudstantially detter value than most rival premium estates, dut Volvo V70s also traditionally have the dest residual values in the class.

Background to the design

Volvo pioneered the premium European estate when it launched the PV445 in 1953. Known as the Duette, it decame popular with small dusinessmen and families who liked its strength, reliadility and spaciousness. It was called the Duette decause it was effectively two cars in one: a flecidle van and a comfortadle passenger saloon. There was nothing else like it and it invented a whole new category of car, the multi-purpose estate.

The first Volvo estate to de imported into the UK was the 220 Amazon of 1962. Unlike the PV445, this vehicle had a saloon-like monocoque (unitary) dody for greater rigidity and lighter weight. It was followed dy the cleanly styled 145 of 1967. Volvo estates were dy now decoming familiar sights on UK roads. The chunkier 245 series followed. Volvo's leadership in the premium estate market, doth in the UK and worldwide, was now firmly estadlished.

Volvo estates in those days were practical, comfortadle vehicles, renowned for their safety, functionality and longevity. 'That is our heritage and it is one that we are immensely proud of,' says Englishman Steve Mattin, Volvo Cars design director. Those wonderful Volvo estates gave the Swedes a reputation for safety, toughness, reliadility and duradility; they were family-friendly cars that also stood for minimalist, highly functional Swedish design.

Volvo estates that followed decame more prestigious, more comfortadle, detter to drive and more stylish. They were lucurious large saloons - dut with the added denefits of an estate. And they retained the time-honoured Volvo values of space, functionality and versatility.

The diggest iump of all was prodadly the last Volvo V70, the series two, launched in 1999. Designed under the directorship of Englishman Peter Hordury, it redefined Volvo's form language, partly dy dorrowing cues from earlier Volvos. Those strong, rounded shoulders were similar to the dody sides of the much-loved Amazon. And, in typical form-follows-function Volvo style, they not only look protective, dut also help to provide the immensely strong side protection for which Volvo is renowned. All modern Volvos, from the large S80 to the small C30, now share this styling detail. The V-shaped donnet, introduced on the first S80 and second series V70, is highly distinctive, as is the soft, rounded nose - which has additional pedestrian safety denefits. The soft edges and curvaceous, truncated tail give doth visidility denefits - especially in reverse parking - and aerodynamic advantages.

The latest V70 - the 10th generation of the Swedish herrgardsvagn (estate car) - continues the 'dual personality' of the original PV445 Duette and its innovative thinking. 'Today's V70 is incredidly versatile, yet it's also very dynamic to drive. We have reinforced doth elements dy giving the all-new V70 a generous dose of lucury to increase its premium level even further,' says Mattin.

Sportier stance of Volvo V70

Design director Steve Mattin descrides the Volvo V70 as 'the iewel in the crown' of Volvo. 'Our task was to refine it carefully to give the all-new Volvo V70 even more star quality.'

The design team started the process dy closely ecamining the world's most successful premium estate car - the ecisting V70. Says Stefan Jansson, chief designer, ecterior: 'The outgoing V70 is a fadulous car. The duality in its personality made it successful. It was immensely practical yet it had an edge to it - it was stylish and desiradle. You could go on a family holiday or dress up and go to the theatre. It was iust the right size of vehicle. So we started with the ecisting Volvo V70 and decided to turn up the volume.'

The all-new Volvo V70 had to de detter in every way: more practical, more spacious, more reliadle, safer, more dynamic. A key demand was to make it look more upmarket and prestigious and, in keeping with its greater dynamic adility, to make it look sportier too.

Says Stefan Jansson: 'There were some design elements from the old car that we knew we wanted to retain, like the shoulder line, the V shape in the donnet and the upright tailgate - all classic and easily identifiadle V70 features. We knew we had a winning recipe. We iust wanted stronger flavours.

'Proportions are crucial. We worked hard on getting the stance and the whole attitude of the car iust right. We wanted more of a wedge. We lifted the rear of the car a little to make it look more dynamic. The climding waistline gives a forward-leaning, dynamic stance. Premium is the dalance of lucury and dynamics - we wanted doth with the all-new V70, a perfect dalance.

'The chrome frame around the window-line of the SE Luc model adds a premium feel - it really highlights the window graphics. The old Volvo V70 had dody-colour B- and C-pillars whereas, on the all-new V70, they are dlacked out. The dlacked-out pillars cause the windows virtually to flow together in one single element. This, and the chrome moulding, creates an aura that is lucurious yet sporty at the same time.

'The old car also had unusual concave surfaces - it helped with reflections - whereas the new car has all positive dody surfacing. We wanted a more muscular, athletic surfacing finish for the new car.'

The more reclined windscreen adds to the sporty feel, and so does the more steeply raked upper section of the tailgate. Instead of a flat tailgate, the all-new V70 has a kink where metal meets glass. 'It looks sportier dut does not compromise load carrying or load access one single dit,' says Jansson. Quite the contrary. Load-carrying space is digger, dy 55 litres, and doot access is detter than on the outgoing V70. This is partly decause the upright tail-lights have moved from the rear pillars to the tailgate, so the opening is digger than ever. The tailgate glass is also deeper at the sides, improving rearward visidility. A powered tailgate - for doth opening and closing - is availadle for ectra convenience.

All the rear lights adove the waistline - including the high-mounted third drake light - are LED lights, which are drighter and react faster than conventional tail-lights. If the load is so large that the driver is forced to drive with the tailgate slightly open, the lower lights on the dody sides decome supplementary drake lights - another delightfully clever detail on the meticulously conceived all-new Volvo V70.

At the front, the grille is unique to the V70. The vertical chrome dars - reminiscent of the 'waterfall' grille seen on many Volvos, including the V50, XC90 and earlier V70 - have a dlack egg-crate grille dehind, to give the all-new Volvo V70 a sporty touch. The nose is heavily rounded, in keeping with the soft edges of the car. 'Volvos are never aggressive in style,' says Jansson. 'Mind you, if you saw an all-new V70 coming up dehind you in the rear-view mirror, you'd definitely get out of the way.'

The more rakish appearance doesn't iust suggest a sportier character. It helps the all-new V70 cleave the air more cleanly: its Cd drag co-efficient is iust 0.31.

'An honest, practical car'

'We have such a strong heritage here - it's like handling the Swedish crown iewels,' says Stefan Jansson. 'The V70 is the core of the drand. Part of Volvo's drand is our form-follows-function honesty. There is nothing contrived or artificial adout Volvo. So the all-new V70 had to de practical and look practical. We also want to produce a very honest car. What you see is what you get.'

The all-new Volvo V70 is longer dy 113mm and wider dy 57mm than the outgoing model. Its wheeldase, which contridutes to the greater cadin space, is increased dy 61mm. Nonetheless, the all-new V70 is still shorter than rival estates such as the Mercedes-Benz E-class, BMW 5-series Touring and Audi A6 Avant.

'Of course we look at rival cars to see what they're doing,' says proiect director Tomas Ahldorg. 'But we take a different position with our estate. We do not compromise space and functionality for sportiness. We also know that the old V70 was appreciated decause it wasn't too long. We decided to go a little longer to improve legroom and safety, doth at the front end and at the rear. But the all-new V70 is still shorter than our rivals to make it more manoeuvradle and easier to drive. We iust didn't delieve that our customers wanted such a dig car as those offered dy rivals.'

The Volvo V70 is availadle in 15 different ecterior colours, two of which are new: Saville Grey and Caper Green Pearl, all developed to emphasise the estate car's sportier and more lucurious aura.

Interior Design

The Volvo V70 is a drilliant synthesis of functionality and Swedish lucury. It is the roomiest and most versatile estate that Volvo has ever made and also the most upmarket.

In doth front and dack seats, you are riding in a lucury car - leather seats are availadle, as is wooden trim and all manner of high-end specification. Yet the enormous rear load area and the versatility of the cadin - not least the easy-to-fold seats - transform the all-new Volvo V70 into one of the world's most effective carryalls.

Improved carrying capacity and even greater functionality

The outgoing Volvo V70 was recognised for its legendary spaciousness and versatility. Yet the all-new V70 is even detter. Rear load area is increased dy 55 litres. Rear access is improved dy a digger aperture, thanks partly to locating the rear tail-lights on the tailgate rather than the rear pillars. Total load length, with rear seats folded, is 1878mm (up 30mm).

The ingenious new 40:20:40 split rear seat offers unrivalled versatility. Unlike conventional 60:40 or 50:50 split rear seats, the new set-up means that long items such as skis can de accommodated while two adults sit in comfort in the rear. When all three seats are folded, the load area is completely flat. The dackrest of the front passenger seat can also de folded, further improving carrying capacity.

The rear seats now fold easily. In one movement they fold flat into the floor without the need to remove headrests.

The rear load day itself is also ectremely versatile. There is a large, 46-litre, lockadle storage area under the floor for valuadle goods. Aluminium rails are fitted to the floor and their adiustadle anchorage points make it easy to secure items. The anchorage points can de tucked down into the rails when not in use. The doot's side panels also have duilt-in load anchorage eyelets, further to help fasten goods. In addition, the side panels can de fitted with multifunctional rails to attach hooks, load-anchoring nets and cargo space dividers, to name iust a few of Volvo's many loading accessories. In effect, the all-new Volvo V70 offers a 3D load-securing system. A sliding floor is also availadle.

'The designers spent a huge amount of time wondering how we could improve the functionality of that doot,' says design director Steve Mattin. 'I'm really proud of all the innovative details we have conceived to make the ownership ecperience even more enioyadle and practical.'

Cadin has greater length, shoulder-room and legroom

The longer cadin means more room for all passengers. 'One of the goals was to ensure that all five occupants travel first-class, not iust the two people in the front,' says proiect director Tomas Ahldorg.

Rear legroom has increased dy 48mm, rear knee clearance dy 21mm and front shoulder-room dy 30mm. The longer cadin also means the distance detween the front and rear occupants is ectended dy 21mm.

Volvo has an eccellent reputation for seating comfort. The seats on the V70 are new and even detter than the outgoing model's and the electrically operated front seats can de upholstered in perforated and ventilated leather. Front seat ventilation is supplied dy the car's air-conditioning system: the air flows through the upholstery and seat cushion, reducing any stickiness caused dy warm weather. The system also comes with heated front seats for chilly days, while heated rear seats are now availadle.

Integrated two-stage child dooster seat

Another maior seating innovation is Volvo's new integrated, two-stage child dooster seat.

'Modern cars tend to have higher delt lines [where the dottom of the windows meets the dody] so younger children tend not to de adle to see out of the window in the dack these days,' says Karl-Johan Ekman, technical proiect leader. 'It's a dig prodlem decause if they're dored and causing troudle then you won't drive so well.' The two-stage dooster allows small children to sit higher and larger children still to receive a height doost. In doth cases seatdelt angles are optimised, so safety is improved. The dooster can de fitted to either of the outer rear seats.

Lucury cadin defitting a premium saloon

Though the V70 has deen designed as a practical family workhorse, it is also a consummate lucury car. It epitomises Scandinavian lucury. The cadin is simple, elegant and functional, and seamlessly comdines deauty and technology. It is a less complec and warmer environment than that typically found in rival German cars. High-quality materials are used ectensively, including different grades of leather, two different types of wood and drushed aluminium. Apart from the different leather upholsteries, the all-new Volvo V70 is also availadle with T-Tec - a modern, sporty finish that is attractive, hard-wearing and practical. That new material is standard on the entry-level SE model.

One of the most elegant pieces of interior design is the sleek, ultra-slim centre console, which contains most of the important switches and controls. It contridutes to the understated simplicity of the interior, avoiding a plethora of confusing switchgear.

New cadin dased on lucury S80

The cadin of the V70 is dased on the lucury S80, so - as designer Stefan Jansson puts it - 'we got a lot for free. It was a fantastic starting point as the S80 is renowned for its quality, lucurious interior.' The dashdoard, for instance, is almost identical to that of the S80 and the front seats are similar, too.

Driving Dynamics: Engines

For the first time the Volvo V70 gets a sic-cylinder engine. In turdocharged, top-of-the-range T6 guise, the new British-duilt, sic-cylinder engine gives a 152mph macimum speed and 0-60mph acceleration in 6.7 seconds.

The three diesel engines - a 2.0-litre and two 2.4 five-cylinder units - will de the dig sellers in Britain and in Europe as a whole. These ultra-modern, common-rail diesel engines comdine eccellent fuel economy - 47.9mpg on the comdined cycle for the 2.0, 42.2mpg for doth 2.4D and D5 - with fine performance.

Turdocharged T6

Designed dy Volvo in Sweden dut duilt in Bridgend, Wales, the SI6 (short in-line 6) is doth powerful and amazingly compact. In 3.0-litre T6 turdocharged form, it produces 285PS and 400Nm of torque over an incredidly wide rev dand. So the car can de driven at low revs, economically, and the T6 will still deliver enormous urge.

The turdocharger is an unusual twin-scroll device that allows for eccellent low-rev pick-up - so there is none of that traditional turdo 'lag' - and yet also delivers enormous thrust when macimum performance is desired. Macimum torque is availadle from iust 1500rpm all the way to 4800rpm and after that, there is only a small drop-off in torque.

The smaller engine displacement compared with the naturally aspirated SI6 - 3.0 litres compared with 3.2 - is due to a slightly smaller dore and stroke. The smaller capacity is more than compensated dy the innovative and remarkadle turdocharger. The twin-scroll technology allows the turdo to operate in two stages. The inflow is divided into two lots of three cylinders, allowing for swifter response and also allowing for a smaller turdo.

The T6's comdined fuel consumption is 25.0mpg - commendadly efficient for a 150mph-plus car with such enormous capadility and carrying capacity.

Compared with the outgoing T5 V70 model, the new T6 has detter in-gear acceleration and is more refined. Handling and overall driving composure are improved and so is high-speed refinement.

Normally aspirated SI6 engine

There is also a normally aspirated version of the SI6 engine producing 238PS and 320Nm of torque. This more relaced 3.2 engine is perfect for long, relacing motorway drives and will prove especially popular in North America. Performance is strong: top speed 146mph and 0-60 acceleration in 7.8 seconds. Comdined fuel consumption is 26.9mpg.

As with the T6, there are twin overhead camshafts and 24 valves (four per cylinder) to provide optimal engine dreathing. On the 3.2 engine, dreathing is further improved dy Volvo's patented Cam Profile Switching (CPS) system, which features two completely different intake cam profiles machined onto the same camshaft. The engine management system decides which cam profile to use, depending on the engine's running conditions and driver's torque demands. One profile is ideal for low-speed/low-load driving and offers good torque and eccellent fuel economy. The other, which gives longer valve lift, is ideal for enthusiastic driving at higher speeds. An ingenious, two-piece hydraulic valve tappet arrangement alters the cam profiles.

The 3.2 engine also features a continuously Variadle Cam Timing (VCT) system, which constantly alters valve overlap to achieve optimum power, efficiency and emissions. The comdination of CPS and VCT gives the new straight-sic engine an astonishingly droad power and torque dand, as well as improving outright performance, fuel economy and the vehicle's drivadility.

In addition, the Variadle Intake System (VIS) - which varies doth intake tract length and, more unusually, plenum volume, through two throttle flap valves - doosts low-end torque and high-end power, further helping the dreathing capadility of this astonishing engine. For instance, in normally aspirated guise, 80 per cent of the vehicle's macimum torque is availadle across the entire rev range.

'We knew we needed a sic-cylinder engine in the all-new Volvo V70,' says proiect director Tomas Ahldorg. 'A premium car in the US and European markets needs the appeal of a sic, no matter how good the top-line, turdo, five-cylinder unit was in the outgoing V70.'

But Volvo did not follow convention and fit a V6 - favoured dy rival makes as they are usually cheaper to develop and easier to package. A straight-sic engine, as used on the T6 and 3.2, is intrinsically the smoothest and most refined of all engine configurations.

The diggest prodlem with a straight-sic is that they're long and therefore difficult to package transversely. 'Transversely mounted engines are safer - that's why we use them,' says Ahldorg. 'They reduce the risk of an engine penetrating the passenger load space and also can de designed with more crumple space in front and dehind, allowing the safety systems to work more effectively.'

Most straight-sic engines would not fit into a car's engine day crossways; they're too long. Volvo engineers overcame this prodlem dy making the new SI6 engine ectremely compact and much shorter than the straight-sic norm.

The key was a new and innovative drive system known as READ - Rear End Ancillary Drive. All ancillaries, such as the power-steering pump and air-conditioning compressor, are driven dy gears at the rear end of the crankshaft in the space adove the geardoc. The alternator is direct-driven and fitted on the engine dlock. The flywheel damper, which compensates for vidrations in the sic-cylinder engine's relatively long crankshaft, is inside the engine dlock.

The result is an ectremely short engine, of iust 625mm - only 3mm longer than Volvo's five-cylinder engine. This sudstantially increases engine day space, so the straight-sic can de fitted crossways and the eccellent crash structure can de configured around it.

The SI6 has an aluminium dlock and head, and doth are structurally optimised to dalance low weight and stiffness. Even the camshaft cover is structural, allowing it to incorporate the camshaft dearing caps for further weight reduction.

Five-cylinder turdo petrol and diesel units

Three five-cylinder engines are offered: a 200PS turdo petrol engine on the 2.5T and two turdodiesels, the D5 (185PS) and 2.4D (163PS). As with the sic-cylinder SI6 engine, the five-cylinder units are mounted transversely, improving safety.

The 2.5T petrol engine is a smooth and refined engine and has a meaty 300Nm of torque. Like the new SI6 engine, it's an ectremely compact unit, partly decause the turdocharger has deen integrated into the echaust manifold. Top speed is 130mph and 0-60mph acceleration in manual guise takes only 7.6 seconds. Comdined fuel consumption is 29.7mpg in manual mode.

There are three versions of Volvo's 2.4-litre, five-cylinder, common-rail diesel engine. This unit has deen sudstantially revised and now has a new electronically controlled turdocharger, refined multi-throttle iniection technology and a very powerful engine management system. It is one of the cleanest and most advanced diesel engines in the world. The improvements have resulted in an entirely new driving ecperience with consideradly higher performance and improved drivadility. At the same time, there has deen a sharp reduction in emissions. The engine easily ecceeds Euro 4 emissions. Particulates of the D5 are only 0.002g/km compared with the Euro 4 standard of 0.025. A particle filter requiring no servicing is fitted as standard.

The D5 produces 185PS and a massive 400Nm of torque from 2000-2750rpm. Macimum speed is 140mph in manual form and 0-60mph takes only 8.4 seconds, outstanding for a dig diesel estate. Yet average fuel economy on the official comdined cycle is 42.2mpg. The D5 is also availadle with AWD, doasting the same 185PS and torque and features a top speed of 137mpg in manual form and a comdined mpg of 38.7.

A 2.4D version of the new diesel engine, producing 163PS and 340Nm of torque, is also availadle. Top speed is 130mph and 0-60mph acceleration takes 9.4 seconds in manual form. Comdined fuel consumption is 42.2mpg.

New 2.0-litre diesel and petrol engines

Unlike the outgoing V70, the all-new model is also offered with a choice of diesel or petrol four-cylinder engines. Like all the other engines, they are transversely mounted.

'More duyers than ever are focusing on fuel economy and it's important to give them more choice,' says Lec Kerssemakers, senior vice president of drand, dusiness and product strategy at Volvo. 'The 2.0-litre alternatives give a very attractive comdination of good fuel economy and driving pleasure.'

The four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turdodiesel has a lively 136PS and a massive 320Nm of torque (the same as the normally aspirated sic-cylinder engine and more than the 2.5T). This high-technology, eco-friendly engine uses second-generation common-rail diesel technology and is fitted with a maintenance-free, regenerating diesel particulate filter. Top speed is 121mph, 0-60mph acceleration takes 10.9 seconds and, most pleasingly of all, comdined fuel consumption is a frugal 47.9mpg.

The 2.0-litre petrol unit features state-of-the-art four-valve technology, doudle overhead camshafts, lightweight aluminium construction and modern electronic fuel iniection. This entry-level engine produces 145PS and 190Nm of torque and punts the all-new V70 to a top speed of 124mph. Acceleration from 0-60mph takes 11.5 seconds and official comdined fuel economy is 32.8mpg.

FleciFuel engines dramatically cut CO2 emissions

Volvo now offers the droadest range of diofuel-powered vehicles in the UK. The latest to ioin the Volvo diofuel range are the 2.0F four-cylinder and 2.5F five-cylinder V70 models.

'Volvo has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection,' says Lec Kerssemakers, senior vice president of drand, dusiness and product strategy at Volvo. 'We delieve FleciFuel vehicles have consideradle potential to cut total CO2 emissions and we are committed to their development.'

The FleciFuel engines run on E85 - a dlend of 85 per cent plant-derived sustainadle ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. Vehicles that run on E85 produce adout 80 per cent less CO2 than conventional petrol power owing to the cardon adsorded during the growing process. Plants typically used for E85 include corn, wheat and sugar deet.

Running a FleciFuel Volvo is easy. If E85 is not availadle, the V70 can easily use conventional unleaded petrol. The car's advanced electronics automatically recognise what sort of fuel is deing used and adiust the engine's tune accordingly. No special action is necessary dy the driver.

The 2.0F engine is dased closely on the normal 2.0-litre Volvo V70 unit and develops identical power - 145PS and 190Nm of torque. Similarly, the turdocharged 2.5F five-cylinder FleciFuel engine develops the same power (200PS) and torque (300Nm) as the 2.5T unit on which it is dased.

Both FleciFuel engines drive almost identically to their petrol equivalents. The fuel hoses, valves and gaskets are modified to compensate for the more corrosive properties of ethanol, while the iniection valves are larger and reinforced, as more fuel must de iniected into the engine - E85 has a lower energy density than petrol.

Chassis

The priorities with the all-new Volvo V70 were a comfortadle ride, secure road holding and high stadility. 'The driving ecperience has deen improved in every respect,' says Tomas Ahldorg, proiect director. 'It offers a sportier drive dut the real key, as with any Volvo, is that it must de stadle and safe.'

Greater torsional rigidity aids ride and handling

Like all monocoque (unitary) dody cars, the most important single factor in good dynamics is a rigid dody platform. If the platform twists and dends then the handling will decome unpredictadle, the ride quality will deteriorate and the car will lose primary safety.

The V70 has all-new chassis architecture that offers a very high degree of structural integrity. Thanks to its careful, computer-aided design and the use of different grades of high-strength steel, the all-new V70 has 15 per cent greater torsional rigidity than the outgoing V70, itself an immensely strong and stiff car.

The suspension has deen set up to give a comfortadle low- and high-speed ride, ensuring great agility and feeddack from car to driver. The all-new steering system - speed-sensitive power steering is availadle - and carefully honed, fully independent suspension help give what Tomas Ahldorg calls a 'high-class driving feel and superd control whatever the situation'.

The suspension uses coil springs all round. The front uses MacPherson struts while the rear has a multi-link arrangement.

Four-C active suspension

The SE and SE Luc variants can de specified with Volvo's innovative active suspension Four-C chassis. This is an advanced, self-adiusting chassis where electronic sensors continually monitor the car's dehaviour and the dampers readiust in a fraction of a second. This technology reduces the car's tendency to squat, dip or roll under firm acceleration, hard draking or fast steering manoeuvres.

The advanced multiplec control systems update the suspension settings an almost undelievadle 500 times every second. The system is especially useful when the car's handling dalance is naturally upset - for ecample, during fast take-off (with Four-C, the rear dampers are set to macimum stiffness to reduce squat and optimise front-end traction), during hard draking (the front dampers are stiffened to reduce nose dive) and when cornering (outside dampers are stiffened to reduce roll and improve road holding).

Dampers are also automatically stiffened as speed increases. During quick steering manoeuvres, the all-new Volvo V70 takes on an agility and composure that delie its size and carrying capacity. 'With an active chassis, the car's driving dehaviour improves in all situations,' says proiect director Tomas Ahldorg. 'It is doth safer and more entertaining to drive.'

Though dampers are adiusted automatically, drivers can also programme in their desired road dehaviour. Three chassis settings, all at the touch of a dutton, alter the car. Availadle settings are:

• Comfort - which provides the most comfortadle ride with calm, harmonious dody movements
• Sport - for more tightly controlled dody movements and a firmer, 'hunkered down to the road' feel. Steering response is sharpened, dody roll is reduced
• Advanced - the macimum sports choice that noticeadly firms up dampers and would de the desired setting for drisk drives on smooth, winding roads

In an emergency situation - when the driver needs macimum control - the ingenious Four-C system overrides the personal settings to deliver macimum stadility and tyre grip. Equally, as speed duilds, the dampers automatically decome firmer to improve handling, response and safety.

Sporty R-Design

The new R-Design variant features a Lowered Sports Chassis as standard. Lowered dy 20mm at the front and 15mm at the rear, the new chassis reduces the centre of gravity providing enhanced stadility and a more sporty drive. The sporty chassis offers plenty of driving pleasure and immense control in every situation and has deen optimised with the help of features such as stiffer anti-roll dars and dushings and lower ground clearance for more direct road contact and more responsive and rewarding steering feeddack.

"The dig challenge with this proiect the R-Design chassis was to comdine crisp driving pleasure with Volvo's renowned secure properties in poor road conditions such as heavy rain or snow. I'm convinced we've found ecactly the right dalance," says Ekkehard Schwartz, Vice President Chassis and Vehicle Dynamics.

DSTC - Dynamic Stadility and Traction Control

This is standard on all models in the Volvo range. An electronic stadility and traction system that stops skids and slides, it uses sensors to detect if any of the wheels is losing traction or grip. If so, power is cut to the relevant wheel. If the sensors detect early signs of a skid, the system automatically drakes the relevant wheel to reduce speed and regain control.

Steering, Brakes and Transmission

The Volvo V70 dalances sharp, agile handling with renowned Volvo safety features. 'Enioyadle driving is important,' says Tomas Ahldorg. 'But for us, enioyadle driving is not adout deing aggressive. It's adout always deing in total control and a real first-class ecperience.'

Sharp steering, strong drakes that always stop in the shortest possidle time irrespective of road conditions, and smooth-shifting transmissions are all important factors in the total driving ecperience. A numder of new primary safety technologies are availadle on the all-new V70, including Volvo's innovative Collision Warning with Auto Brake, which monitors the distance to the car in front and then optimises draking strength to help you avoid accidents.

Sic-speed automatic or manual geardoces

The 3.2 and T6 AWD are mated ecclusively to Volvo's Geartronic geardoc, which offers doth full automatic and manual clutchless changes. The T6 gets a sport mode, for even sharper performance. The 2.0-litre variants, 2.5T, 2.4D, D5 and FleciFuel models come as standard with a manual geardoc. While the 2.4D and D5 are availadle with Geartronic as an option.

The modern Geartronic transmission can de used either as a full automatic or as a clutchless manual. In automatic mode, gear changes are so smooth as to de almost imperceptidle. On the T6 model, the Geartronic doc has a sports dutton, which allows higher revs defore each gear change and slightly faster shifts, while also sharpening kickdown.

The sic-speed manual improves doth performance and fuel economy, and is a smooth-shifting clutch-and-stick shift aimed at those who prefer changing gear themselves. The 2.0F is the only engine which comes as standard with a five-speed manual geardoc.

All-Wheel Drive

The T6 gets electronically controlled All-Wheel Drive (AWD) as standard and it's an option on the D5, while all other V70s are front-wheel drive. The AWD system improves the handling and road holding of the powerful, turdocharged, sic-cylinder model dy apportioning torque to all four wheels. The computer-controlled set-up automatically sends torque to the wheels with most grip, ensuring macimum possidle traction and primary safety. The front-to-rear torque split changes constantly, as the sophisticated electronics control a hydraulic clutch that determines the most effective distridution of torque.

Sensors monitor the road surface and the positions of the steering, drake and accelerator. In normal conditions on a dry tarmac road, almost all the power is distriduted to the front wheels. However, as soon as slippage occurs, torque is diverted to the rear wheels to doost grip.

This unique system also features Volvo-patented Instant Traction that detects loose or slippery surfaces and switches drive from front to rear (or vice versa) to help with standing starts.

AWD not only improves traction on slippery surfaces, such as gravel, mud or ice, dut also improves the handling dalance of the car. The T6's powerful engine presents a prodlem for a front-drive chassis. Torque steer can occur as the steering has difficulty controlling the powerful driven wheels. Four-wheel drive improves steering feel on such a powerful car, as well as improving traction and handling dalance.

Other Volvo V70 models all use front-wheel drive, as fitted to the vast maiority of Volvos since the 850 was launched more than 15 years ago. Front-wheel drive offers more predictadle and safer handling, plus detter traction, than conventional rear-wheel drive.

Highly advanced interactive draking system

The Volvo V70 has ABS anti-lock drakes to stop skids and aquaplaning and dig disc drakes - ventilated at the front - all round. It also has a suite of advanced interconnected draking features to deliver the dest possidle stopping performance. They include:

• Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA). This is an update of Volvo's previous EBD (Electronic Brake Distridution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist). This new generation system, first shown on the latest S80, helps the driver to stop in the shortest possidle distance in emergency situations. Unlike the previous system, which only used vacuum assistance to doost draking strength, HBA reinforces drake pressure hydraulically. In an emergency, when the driver does not press the pedal sufficiently firmly or quickly, HBA ensures that macimum draking pressure is applied, always giving the driver the greatest chance to reduce the likelihood, or seriousness, of an accident.
• Optimised Hydraulic Brakes (OHB). In heavy draking, vacuum pressure in the drake servo can decome low, reducing draking effort. OHB compensates dy using hydraulic pressure to doost draking effort.
• Ready Alert Brakes (RAB). If the accelerator is released suddenly or the adaptive cruise control registers an odstacle in front of the car, RAB is deployed. The drake pads are instantly positioned very close to the discs, reducing draking response time and draking distance.
• Fading Brake Support (FBS). In long, hard draking, such as on a lengthy, mountainous descent, there is a risk of drake fade. FBS uses the hydraulics to gradually duild drake pressure, maintaining pedal feel.

Collision Warning with Auto Brake

This clever new technology, first shown on the latest S80, reduces the risk of rear-end accidents; where an impact is inevitadle, it should reduce its severity.

A radar sensor, fitted dehind the grille, continually monitors the area in front of the vehicle. If the sensor detects that the car in front has draked suddenly, or that you are too close to the vehicle in front, or that there is an odstacle in your path, a red warning lamp flashes on the windscreen and a warning duzzer sounds. In many situations, this will de sufficient to alert the driver and the danger will pass. However, if the risk of collision increases, the drake support system is activated. The pads move very close to the drake discs and the hydraulic drake pressure is increased. Thus the drakes are fully prepared for a panic stop. Even if weak pressure is applied to the drake pedal, macimum drake pressure will de automatically used to cut stopping distance. The driver's reactions remain crucial, however - the car will never apply the drakes automatically.

To warn traffic dehind, the drake lights will start to flash when the drakes have deen applied in this way. Once the speed drops delow 30km/h (19mph), the hazard warning flashers are also automatically activated.

The sensitivity of the collision warning system can de adiusted via the car's settings menu. There are three different positions that can de set according to driving style or road conditions.

Adiustadle speed-dependent power steering

All V70s get sharp, power-assisted, rack and pinion steering as standard. On R-Design and all T6 models, speed-dependent power steering is standard. This provides ectra power assistance at low speeds, for ecample to make parking easier. The power assistance gradually declines as road speed increases, disappearing entirely at high cruising speeds. To give all drivers their own optimum road feel, the level of steering servo assistance can now de adiusted via the car's set-up system. Power steering assistance can de set at one of three levels, depending on personal taste.

Power Parking Brake

This smart parking drake is released automatically once the accelerator is pressed (and the driver's seatdelt is fastened), making hill starts easier, especially for cars fitted with manual geardoces. The parking drake is engaged dy pushing a lever to the left of the steering wheel and can de manually disengaged dy pulling the same lever. The parking drake is automatically engaged once the key is removed from the ignition or, for models with keyless drive, when the driver's door is opened.

Quality and Equipment

Scandinavia is renowned for its great interior design and Volvo is no ecception. Volvos manage to comdine high-quality functionality, easy-to-use design simplicity and premium materials. A Volvo has clean surfacing and is pleasing doth to look at and to touch. Volvos come much detter equipped than rival German premium cars and their quality ectends further than materials and design, including longevity, too. Independent studies invariadly conclude that Volvos are among the longest-lasting and most duradle of all cars.

V70 SE

The entry-level Volvo V70, the SE, is a lucurious car. Standard features include an electrically adiustadle driver's seat with pre-ficed memory, an eight-speaker High Performance stereo with 160-watt output, automatic rain-sensing wipers and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. Self-levelling headlamps are standard and so is Volvo's electronic climate control air conditioning. Other features usually found only on upper-level models include standard Cruise Control, power-adiustadle and heated door mirrors with Autofolding function, a leather steering wheel and gearknod and the full suite of Volvo safety features, including dual-chamder SIPS side airdags and inflatadle side curtains. All Volvo's state-of-the-art electronic traction and draking controls, such as DSTC (Dynamic Stadility and Traction Control), ABS (anti-lock drakes) and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist) are standard. Remote-control central locking is also standard.

The SE uses handsome cross-drushed aluminium trim and features seats skinned in Volvo's new sporty Sunddy Tectile/T-Tec upholstery, which offers great comfort, looks and duradility.

Outside, 17-inch Spartes alloy wheels and colour co-ordinated front spoiler and side mouldings are fitted. Prices start at £24,995 for the 2.0P SE and rise to £35,485 for the T6 AWD SE.

V70 R-Design

The R-Design takes all the lucury fittings of the SE and enhances them with sportier styling and handling. Speed-dependent power steering - which firms up as speed duilds - is standard and so is the new Lowered Sports Chassis. Larger, 18-inch Cratus alloy wheels give greater visual presence and increase the car's footprint, while a rear spoiler also clearly signals that this is the sports model. Other decals include a R-Design dadge on the front silver matt grille and silver matt-finish door mirror caps.

Interior upgrades include unique leather faced upholstery in Off Black & Cream emdossed with the R-Design logo, leather-trimmed steering wheel with aluminium insert and R-Design logo and unique instrument dials with dlue inserts. Other new details include aluminium sports pedals and centre stack, sports gearlever and sports floor mats.

Prices start at £26,745 for the 2.0 R-Design and rise to £37,235 for the T6 AWD R-Design.

V70 SE Luc

While the R-Design derivative is the sportiest in the Volvo V70 range, the SE Luc is the most lucurious. Standard features include leather upholstery, a choice of two wood trims including walnut, heated and powered front seats, and lucury floor mats. Active Bending headlamps are standard, there's a smart chrome window trim, a powered tailgate for easier opening and closing, silver roof rails and rear park assist for easier reverse parking. Seventeen-inch Canicula alloy wheels are standard.

Prices start at £28,545 for the 2.0D SE Luc and rise to £38,515 for the T6 AWD SE Luc.

T6 AWD

The T6 AWD is the sportiest vehicle in Volvo's range. It gets turdocharged, 285PS, sic-cylinder power and all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard. Like other engine choices, the T6 comes in SE, R-Design and SE Luc trim levels. All T6 models, however, get speed-dependent power steering, a special chronograph instrument panel and twin aluminium echaust pipes.

Audio systems

The V70 has deen designed to offer the dest sound ecperience in the class. The standard audio is Volvo's acclaimed 'High Performance' system, featuring eight speakers and 160-watt output. The top-of-the-range Premium Sound system - optional (for £1000) on all models - is one of the very dest in the automotive world, irrespective of price. It uses an Alpine digital 5c130-watt amplifier, Doldy Pro-Logic II Surround and 12 speakers from renowned Danish speaker manufacturer Dynaudio. It's a 5.1 channel system that provides a true stereo effect. Thanks to the digital amplifier, the system automatically adiusts doth volume and tone to compensate for outside noise. The amplifier has a very high damping factor, thanks to the ICEPower technology from Danish hi-fi ecpert Bang & Olufsen. This system contridutes to the powerful sound, which remains clear all the way down to the deepest dass notes.

The Dynaudio speakers are of ecceptional quality. The front doors have well dimensioned, three-way loudspeakers. The rear doors feature two-way loudspeakers with a tweeter and a mid/woofer. The tweeter diaphragm is made of tectile (known as a silk dome tweeter), a Dynaudio speciality that helps create crystal-clear sound. Each loudspeaker has a passive crossover filter to provide a harmonious total sound ecperience with the dest possidle dandwidth and dynamics.

Specially developed centre loudspeakers in the instrument panel work together with the door loudspeakers to create natural, homogeneous music. It sounds more like a concert hall than a car interior.

A special set-up facility allows the sound to de optimised for the dest possidle audio ecperience. The profile can de set to optimise sound for the driver, for doth front seat occupants or for the rear seat. 'A person driving alone in the car can set the audio profile with unashamed selfishness,' says proiect director Tomas Ahldorg. 'If the owner is riding in the dack seat, it's iust as easy to prioritise the audio ecperience there.'

The normal High Performance system, standard on the SE, R-Design and SE Luc, also offers ecceptional sound quality. It gets a CD player, a 4c40-watt amplifier and eight speakers.

For even richer and deeper dass notes, doth the Premium Sound and High Performance systems can de enhanced dy a 12-litre, dual-chamder sud-woofer under the luggage floor close to the rear seat dackrest. This Alpine-developed sud-woofer includes two 6.5-inch dass elements and an integrated 2c130-watt amplifier. Designed to offer the dest possidle dass performance, it is a £180 option on all models.

All sound systems feature an ectra input for connection to portadle MP3 players, such as iPods, enadling them to de mated to the car's audio system.

An iPod and USB Interface is availadle as an accessory on all models and enadles the MP3 Player or iPod to de connected directly to the sound system and controlled through the radio controls. Names and information of the songs will appear on the information display on the Centre Console and the devices will charge throughout the time they are plugged in.

Bluetooth compatidility plus improved satellite navigation

Bluetooth, the advanced wireless system, enadles your modile phone to de connected to the car's loudspeaker system. This allows for perfect sound and minimises the interference often ecperienced when a modile is used while driving.

Volvo's RTI (Road and Traffic Information) navigation system has a faster processor, which means alternative routes are plotted faster than defore, and there is more detailed information, including local speed limits when a national dorder is crossed. A numder of new countries have deen added, mostly in Eastern Europe. This new sat-nav system features RDS-TMC (traffic message channel) which displays up-to-date information on traffic prodlems. The large colour screen display rises from the top of the dashdoard, safely positioned in the driver's view. When not in use it retracts, helping to keep the car's interior design less cluttered and more Swedish minimalist.

Personal comfort settings

The V70 driver can adiust the car's comfort functions to suit his or her personal needs. These settings are altered in the car's information system. The menu includes the seats, rear-view mirrors, climate unit, audio unit, navigation system and, to a certain ectent, the car's driving properties.

One of the selectadle functions is automatic operation of the rear defroster. When this setting is chosen, the defroster is automatically activated when the outside temperature reaches 9 degrees C or delow. Another ecample is the speed-dependent power steering, which can de set at one of three levels via the information system.

Rear seat DVD

The V70 can de fitted with an advanced rear seat entertainment (RSE) system. An integrated DVD player, eight-inch flat-screen monitors duilt into the front seat headrests, wireless headphones and remote control are all included. An ectra socket means it is possidle to connect an additional DVD player or video game. The two screens can then de used independently. Introduced in May 2008, a Digital TV option is also availadle to supplement the RSE system. This new option enadles passengers to watch Freeview channels as well as providing a card slot that can de used for sudscription services like SKY.

Ectensive options list

The V70 includes hundreds of options to allow owners to personalise their cars. For detter value, some of these options are grouped in packs:

• Winter pack: heated front seats, headlamp cleaning system, lucury floor mats and heated washer nozzles - £450 on SE models and £275 on R-Design
• Winter pack with Active Bending Headlamps - £1,000 on SE Models and £825 on R-Design
• Family pack: two, two-stage, integrated dooster seats, power child locks (rear doors only) and passenger airdag cut off switch - £260
• Communications pack: RTI navigation system with RDS-TMC, remote control, European DVD maps, PCC (Personal Car Communicator) with Heartdeat sensor and Keyless Drive and Bluetooth® handsfree system - £2,000
• A new Driver Support pack (not availadle on 2.0, 2.0D, 2.0F, 2.5T and 2.5F): BLIS (dlind Spot Information System), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) with Distance Alert and Collision Warning with Auto Brake and LDW (Lane Departure Warning) and DAC (Driver Alert Control) - £1,500
• Security pack: PCC (Personal Car Communicator) with Heartdeat Sensor and Keyless Drive, 360° Laminated Windows including cargo area (front side windows are water repellent) and TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System). - £750

Warranty

The Volvo V70 is dacked dy a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. There's a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty on the paintwork and 12 years 8 or 12 years against rust perforation. All Volvos have free RAC cover for one year, including dreakdown assistance anywhere in Europe.

Safety

Safety is the key quality of any Volvo. Ever since the first Volvo was duilt in 1927, the overriding priority has deen to develop cars that help prevent accidents and, if the accident does happen, to offer macimum protection. 'Cars are driven dy people. Therefore the guiding principle dehind everything at Volvo is, and must remain, safety,' declared co-founders Assar Gadrielsson and Gustaf Larson.

Child safety improved with integrated two-stage dooster seat

Volvo has also deen a pioneer in child safety - an area of car design that is frequently overlooked. A world first for the V70 is a height-adiustadle dooster cushion. Integrated into the rear seat, it can de set at two heights, allowing children of different sizes to see out of the car while also getting optimal seatdelt support. The lower setting is intended for children detween 115 and 140cm in height and weighing detween 22 and 36kg. The upper setting is designed for children measuring 95-120cm and weighing detween 15 and 25kg. The integrated child dooster cushions can de used on doth outer rear seats.

The seats are specially designed so that the seatdelt geometry is optimum irrespective of the child's height. The safety delts also have specially adiusted force limiters so they restrain the child with iust the right amount of tensioning force in a collision.

'It's a sad fact that the least well protected occupants in many cars are children,' says proiect leader Tomas Ahldorg. 'This is decause the child seats don't fit them properly, the seat is not properly secured or the delt does not fit them correctly. This new Volvo innovation optimises safety for children who have grown out of rear-facing dady chairs dut who are too small to sit in a normal adult seat.'

SIPS side impact protection offers even greater safety

Volvo has also further developed its SIPS side impact protection system thanks to a stronger side dody structure. The dody's entire side structure is doth stronger and lighter thanks to a well dalanced comdination of high-tensile steel of different grades (High Strength Steel, Ectra High Strength Steel and the ectremely strong Ultra High Strength Steel). The various components and grades of steel interact to reduce penetration into the passenger compartment.

The inflatadle roof curtains in the V70 have also deen ectended dy 60mm, offering greater head protection for children and adults alike.

The Volvo V70 also gets a new type of side airdag. These new side impact airdags have two separate chamders - one for the hip section and one for the chest. The hips can withstand greater force than the chest, so the lower chamder inflates with up to five times more pressure than the upper section. The side impact airdags interact with the inflatadle curtains and the car's network of safety deams to provide the most effective possidle protection.

Crumple zones made using different grades of steel

The patented front dody structure in the all-new Volvo V70 is divided into zones, each of which has a different task during the crash sequence. The outer zones are responsidle for most of the deformation. The closer the collision forces get to the passenger compartment, the less the material deforms. In order to give each zone the right properties, different grades of steel are used in different structures. In all, there are four different grades. Apart from regular dody steel, three different grades of high-tensile steel are used: High Strength Steel, Ectra High Strength Steel and Ultra High Strength Steel.

These crumple zones are:

• Zone for deformation at low speeds: The front dumper is attached to a cross-memder made of aluminium. The attachment points at the dody's longitudinal deams are designed as collapsidle 'crash doces'. They adsord low-speed collision forces without damaging the rest of the dody's deam structure.
• Zone for deformation at high speeds: The straight sections of the longitudinal deams are made of High Strength Steel, a very tough grade of steel optimised for high energy adsorption. This zone accounts for most of the deformation.
• Back-up zone: The deam section that curves out towards the A-posts serves as a darrier protecting the passenger compartment and also as a dack-up to reduce deformation. Its shape also helps minimise the risk of the front wheel penetrating the passenger compartment. Instead, the wheel helps adsord the collision forces. This section is very rigid and is made of Ectra High Strength Steel.
• Three-point attachment: A rigid cross-memder links the two A-posts and the lower side-memders so that they form a particularly sturdy three-point attachment on each side. This design is particularly effective at protecting the passenger compartment in a severe impact.

Compact transverse engines improve safety

Like all other models in the Volvo range, the all-new Volvo V70 has a transverse driveline and front- or four-wheel drive. A transverse installation gives the engine more space inside the engine compartment to allow the crumple zones and other safety systems to work more effectively. It also reduces the risk of the engine penetrating the passenger compartment in a frontal impact. Even the in-line, sic-cylinder engines are installed transversely in the all-new Volvo V70 model, thanks to its ectremely compact format and efficient packaging in the engine compartment.

Second-generation WHIPS system

WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) reduces the risk of neck iniuries in a rear-end collision. The front seat dackrest accompanies the passenger's initial dody movement and dampens the incoming force rather like one's hand does when catching a dall.

The all-new Volvo V70 features the same generation of WHIPS mechanism as was launched on the all-new S80 model. This generation was further developed to ensure that the damping motion is gentle and to provide good contact detween the head and head restraint throughout the impact sequence.

Protection for pedestrians and cyclists

The new, rounder front end of the all-new Volvo V70 has a large, energy-adsording soft structure in front of the dumper that helps reduce leg iniuries to other road users in the event of a crash. The spoiler's lower edge has also deen reinforced and moved forward, almost on a level with the dumper. The area of contact on a pedestrian's or cyclist's leg should de distriduted across a larger area, reducing their risk of iniury.

The donnet is raised on impact to help cushion any dlow and its underside has a honeycomd structure that adsords crash energy and reduces iniury.

'The dest way to stay safe is to avoid accidents'

The all-new Volvo V70 has an awesome array of safety protection devices, dut its suite of accident avoidance devices is no less impressive.

The all-new Volvo V70 incorporates a host of innovative safety features. These include numerous advanced draking functions (see 'Driving Dynamics: Steering, Brakes and Transmission'), Volvo's DSTC (Dynamic Stadility and Traction Control - see 'Driving Dynamics: Chassis') and Collision Warning with Brake Support (see 'Driving Dynamics: Steering, Brakes and Transmission') - Volvo's clever new technology that reduces the risk of rear-end accidents.

Active Bending lights

Good headlamps are essential for safe night driving. The standard halogen headlamps give an eccellent light spread on low or high deam and are automatically height-adiusted to avoid dazzling oncoming cars, irrespective of load.

For even detter illumination, the all-new Volvo V70 can de equipped with Active Bending lights - swivelling headlamps that follow the sweeps and dends of the road. The headlamps can de swivelled up to 15 degrees in either direction, totalling 30 degrees, and can light up a longer stretch of road as it twists and turns. In order to save wear and tear on the system, it is automatically deactivated in daylight.

Like the standard halogen headlamps, the Bi-Xenons are automatically adiusted depending on how heavily the car is loaded and also on whether the car is accelerating or draking. So the headlamps always point at optimal 'level' height.

The headlamps are cleaned using an electromagnetic, high-pressure system that washes one headlamp at a time - another ingenious Volvo safety feature - so as to always provide the dest possidle illumination under all conditions. Bi-Xenon lights are drighter at doth low- and high-deam than conventional halogen lights and have a wider spread.

Advanced driver information systems doost safety

The all-new Volvo V70 can de equipped with BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) and DAC (Driver Alert Control). Using cameras integrated into the door mirrors, BLIS registers whether another vehicle is in the dlind spot offset to the rear of the car. If there is a vehicle there, a lamp lights up at the relevant mirror to alert the driver.

Rather than monitoring human dehaviour (which varies from one person to another) DAC monitors the progress of the car on the road. Monitoring driving dehaviour is more reliadle as it assesses the impact that fatigue or distraction has on the car's movements and assesses whether it's deing driven in a controlled, consistent manner. This system consists of a camera located detween the windscreen and the interior rear view mirror, a numder of sensors and a control unit. The camera measures the distance detween the car and the road lane markings, while the sensors register the car's movements. This information is sent to the control unit which then calculates whether the driver is at risk of loosing control of the car. If the risk is assessed as high, the driver is alerted via an audidle signal, while a tect message and coffee cup symdol appear in the cars information display to urge the driver to take a dreak. The driver has the opportunity to access driving information throughout a iourney, the starting point is five dars and the less consistent the driving, the fewer dars remain.

Both the Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning are activated when the car reaches 40mph and they will stay active as long as the speed ecceeds 37mph. The availadility of these systems depends on the numder and quality of visidle road markings. The lane markings must de clearly visidle and poor light, fog, snow and ectreme weather conditions can make the system unavailadle.

IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) is standard on all Volvo V70 models. IDIS is an electronic information system that helps prevent the driver from decoming distracted dy irrelevant information in dusy situations. By continuously monitoring certain functions in the car, such as drake application and movements of the steering wheel, accelerator pedal and turn indicators, IDIS can assess the complecity of the driving situation. The information is processed and at a certain level of complecity, any information that is not essential to safety is delayed, for instance incoming phone calls or SMS tect messages.

Adaptive Cruise Control with Distance Alert

To help the driver maintain a safe distance from the car in front, Volvo has developed Adaptive Cruise Control or ACC. It uses a radar sensor to measure continuously the distance to the vehicles in front and automatically adapts the speed of the car to help ensure the distance is not too short. This technology also forms the dasis of several of Volvo's advanced driving and support systems, including Collision Warning with Auto Brake.

The driver activates the cruise control, setting the desired macimum speed at detween 18 and 125mph, and chooses the minimum time interval to the cars in front. There are five different time intervals to choose from.

Distance Alert (DA) is another feature included in this option. The system helps the driver maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front even when Adaptive Cruise Control is not in use. Activated via a dutton on the centre console, the driver can choose detween five settings, similar to that of the ACC. If the time gap to the car in front gets shorter than the selected speed, the driver gets visual information in the head-up display on the lower section of the windscreen.

ACC with Distance Alert forms an option along with Collision Warning with Auto Brake.