Frankfurt, Germany - Held
only once every other year, the Frankfurt IAA is easily the most important show in the European market and possibly
the most important in the world to most car companies selling vehicles worldwide. It was no surprise then, that
Volvo chose the 2003 IAA as the launching pad for the all-new P1 chassis-based S40, the first new Volvo developed
in cooperation with Ford Motor Company.
In their presentation to the motoring press, Ford Motor Company's Premier Automotive Group (PAG) CEO Mark Fields
emphasized the growing nature of PAG and their strategy for continual growth, driven by new product. This presentation
began in the Volvo stand where Hans-Olov Olsson CEO and President, Volvo Car Corporation unveiled the new S40 in
several trim levels including the T-5 and four-cylinder diesel models.
Several other PAG introductions took place in rapid succession from other stages across nearby stands and all simulcast
over large screens throughout the PAG show area. These included the restyled Land Rover Freelander, the new Jaguar
XJ Estate and the Jaguar R-D6 concept.
It's poignant though that the PAG began with Mark Fields on the Volvo stage, and the first car to be shown was
the S40. Unlike its three British sisters, the Volvo brand provides the lion's share of PAG's income and the S40
is an important move for Volvo in establishing itself in the premium compact car segment of the market.
The S40, on first approach, appears to be strikingly larger than the current S40 model. Its lines are obviously
that of the Volvo family, and its appearance is quite attractive. Upon closer inspection, we noticed some aspects
we hadn't gathered from the photos of the car.
First, this production model does take several key design hallmarks from some of Volvo's more recent concept cars.
The unique center console design, with pass-through and additional storage behind it, appears to be very similar
to the SCC and VCC concepts, and the hue seems quite similar to the VCC concept car.
A diesel model on the stand also featured the optional clear plastic trim as opposed to the aluminum seen in press
release photography. This clear plastic with node-like design pattern resembles the ice-inspired trim in the ACC2
concept car first shown in Geneva 2002, though the S40's execution of the design features more of a tint.
There were also a few items about the car that, on first appearance, we felt might be weaknesses for it when it
comes to market. First, the sloping roofline that is becoming a mainstay in Volvo sedan design, cuts low in the
back leaving barely sufficient headroom for tall rear-seat passengers; a characteristic also evident in the S60.
Two other things we noticed about the car that we didn't like were not in the design and, we hope, might be changed
by the time S40 models reach American shores. First, the jam area of the trunk (i.e. the sheet metal on the underside
of the trunk and inside the trunk wells on the rear fenders, appears not to be clear coated. We're not sure why
that is, but as these cars are very early production models, we hope to see them painted when the car goes on sale.
Second, each car on the Volvo stand fitted with a standard transmission had a rubber shiftboot. The only car above
the Subaru Impreza in the market that we know of using rubber for the shift boot is the Industrial-design oriented
Audi TT. While the rubber boot doesn't look that out of place, the ones in the two cars we sat in popped out of
their mounting point to the center console with relative ease.
Okay, so we found some little things. Beyond that, we love the look of the new car. With no offense to owners of
the previous S40, the new one is in a different league. It will be very interesting to see how this vehicle is
perceived in the market and exactly what it finds itself up against in the eyes of consumers.
Also on the stand were an S80, XC90, a V70R AWD and one of the new S60 Sport models, although the cars were fairly
spaced out for the S40's press conference. We found ourselves in Frankfurt for an extra day this year, and returned
the first show day following media days and were surprised to see more Volvos on the stand including; an XC90 Executive,
an S80 Executive with 18-inch Nebula wheels, an XC70 with two Volvo mountain bikes mounted to a roof rack, an S80
AWD, a V70 D5 with unique polished (??) wheels and Geneva's VCC concept.
Volvo had interesting cars not only on the stand, but also in the
case. New 1:43 scale models of the S60R and S40 with sport package could be found in a glass cabinet with other
Volvo merchandise. Unfortunately, unlike most manufacturers tend to do at the IAA; Volvo was not selling any of
the merchandise. A pity.
Okay, so maybe we didn't come home with a model S60R, but seeing new models like the S40 and the XC90 Executive
made us quite certain that Volvo is on the right track. All-time record sales numbers probably could have told
us that, but who isn't ecstatic to see the first of the P1 cars turn out to be a highly attractive package?
