I've never said "whoa" so many times...

[Centurion]

I doubdt that it is the design team that doesn't have any balls. I think that the bosses want the company to stay very neutral, so it suits all ages and types of persons. If you are more specefic, buy something else! But usually a Volvo works for most people.

Well there is a way to have a neutral but very sexy design, like Audi for examples. The S60 really shows how retarted volvo are. When the S60 came out it had black cladding all over the car and when you look at the facelift it's just like a bimmer or a Benz, no cladding at all. The way the FL looks is how the S60 should have looked when it came out. Was it really that difficult for Volvo to figure out that black cladding doesn't belong in the premium segment?

 

[Yperion]

That's a major difference but i don't remember seeing any S60 with black plastic around. Perhaps it was only for the base model?

 

[Centurion]

That's a major difference but i don't remember seeing any S60 with black plastic around. Perhaps it was only for the base model?

The FL came lat year and all the S60 before that have black plastic all around them.

 

[Yperion]

The FL came lat year and all the S60 before that have black plastic all around them.

Giannis is the Volvo expert here. Maybe he can tell us more or is it simply that i don't pay much attention to Volvos i see in the streets.

 

[Centurion]

Giannis is the Volvo expert here. Maybe he can tell us more or is it simply that i don't pay much attention to Volvos i see in the streets.

Yeah you probably don't pay that much attention to it but here in Sweden more or less every 4-5th car is a Volvo so I see them more often than I see birds.

 

[Alx]

really nice kit, from the side i wasnt even able to tell what it was... very impressive! Id like to see one in person. Its just that i never knew anyone who hooked up a volvo.

 

[MikeJ]

Yeah you probably don't pay that much attention to it but here in Sweden more or less every 4-5th car is a Volvo so I see them more often than I see birds.

Yeah, in Sweden you'd think people were forced to buy the damn things.
But seriously, even in Finland the sales of the V70 alone were higher last year than those of the entire BMW lineup...

 

[Giannis]

Giannis is the Volvo expert here. Maybe he can tell us more or is it simply that i don't pay much attention to Volvos i see in the streets.

And here comes the expert . I know why you don't pay so much attentions to Volvos Yannis. Because, simply, there is almost not a single one in Zakynthos. I was there for 10 days there last year (2005) and i didn't see a single one. Same for Patras. There are no more than 10-20 S60 in the streets. S40 and XC90 sell like hot cakes though.

Anyway, on topic now. The pre-fc model had black plastic both on the doors and at the lower part of the car. The after-fc model has no black plastic at all, except for the basic on (Kinetic - 33.500eur). Here are some photos that may help. The pre-fc and the fc both fully loaded:

BTW, Yannis, if you notice, your A4 has black plastic at the lower part of the chassis (or whatever it is said)(at least my friend's A4 has)

 

[audi_rudy]

i would never had thought about looking at getting a volvo suv but those pics make me think twice because it is so damn nice. lovely color and nice interior

 

[Deutsch]

You'd think Volvo has a more modern but just as boring future for the design of its cars, you couldn't be more wrong, especially given that Steve Mattin(W221 S class and W164 ML class designer) will be leading the way for the next generation of Volvo design. He has had NO influence on the C30 nor the new S80 for the simple fact that these cars were already done by the time he arrived at Volvo. He says that he plans to add more detail to the more obscure elements, such as headlights, etc. In a nutshell more attention to detail. Volvos are very much in vain of Audis; simple and understated elegance w/ a sporting edge. They need not be more than what they are, and the Swedes are known for being rather quirky w/ their designs and what not. Take for instance the pen holder in the S60 located right in front of the gearshift, no other car manufacture that I know of has implemented such a feature in its interiors, as this is something only Volvo would think of. To say the least, Volvos are great cars, affordable european luxury and refinement that will last you a lifetime all for a relatively low cost to own. Perception is one thing, experience is another.

 

[SDNR]

You'd think Volvo has a more modern but just as boring future for the design of its cars, you couldn't be more wrong, especially given that Steve Mattin(W221 S class and W164 ML class designer) will be leading the way for the next generation of Volvo design.

Well, if the W221 is anything to go by, then Volvo's design future is certain to remain as "underwhelming" as ever.

 

[Deutsch]

Well, if the W221 is anything to go by, then Volvo's design future is certain to remain as "underwhelming" as ever.

Not so as long as they are interesting. There is a lot that can be done w/ the design of a Volvo, it's just the risk that has yet to be taken to make their designs more extreme.

EDIT: I see what you're getting at here, my comment on the S class that was dragged out quite a few threads ago. The design of the new S class was underwhelming in the sense that a lot of what could have been the "finer details" were very superflous details(wheel flare arches, tail lights, and so on). The details in a cars design, I believe, should be refined to absolute near perfection, as these are what end up being the true selling points of the car w/ the consumer when the look at the cars design for a closer inspection. Here emotion comes into play when the prospective buyer sees the car from a distance, knows they already like it, views for closer inspection to uncover the details that trigger the "love at first sight" kind of feeling. You catch my drift?

 

[Merc1]

Never seen a Volvo look this good:

Uh oh, do I now want a Volvo?

M

 

[Giannis]

You'd think Volvo has a more modern but just as boring future for the design of its cars, you couldn't be more wrong, especially given that Steve Mattin(W221 S class and W164 ML class designer) will be leading the way for the next generation of Volvo design. He has had NO influence on the C30 nor the new S80 for the simple fact that these cars were already done by the time he arrived at Volvo. He says that he plans to add more detail to the more obscure elements, such as headlights, etc. In a nutshell more attention to detail. Volvos are very much in vain of Audis; simple and understated elegance w/ a sporting edge. They need not be more than what they are, and the Swedes are known for being rather quirky w/ their designs and what not. Take for instance the pen holder in the S60 located right in front of the gearshift, no other car manufacture that I know of has implemented such a feature in its interiors, as this is something only Volvo would think of. To say the least, Volvos are great cars, affordable european luxury and refinement that will last you a lifetime all for a relatively low cost to own. Perception is one thing, experience is another.

i agree with every word you said! And here are some comments:

1) The penholder right in front of the knob, does no longer exist in the fc S60
2) Even though Steve Mattin was not there when the fc S60 and S80 were being designed, they are still great cars and can stand up against a BMW, an MB or an Audi (IMO)
3) And the cost to own is just relatively low. A service costed me about 180-200eur. and then a small repair-replacement that i needed costed me 150eur. It's not so low. A service at Huyndai doesn't cost more than 100eur. Oh, think of the gas prices, too!

 

[SDNR]

EDIT: I see what you're getting at here, my comment on the S class that was dragged out quite a few threads ago. The design of the new S class was underwhelming in the sense that a lot of what could have been the "finer details" were very superflous details(wheel flare arches, tail lights, and so on). The details in a cars design, I believe, should be refined to absolute near perfection, as these are what end up being the true selling points of the car w/ the consumer when the look at the cars design for a closer inspection. Here emotion comes into play when the prospective buyer sees the car from a distance, knows they already like it, views for closer inspection to uncover the details that trigger the "love at first sight" kind of feeling. You catch my drift?

Actually Deutsch, I wasn't pulling you up on any previous comment that you made; these are my own thoughts about the S class's design - I find it rather dull.

But who knows, Steve Mattin might just be the man for the job at Volvo - as far as SUV's go, this Volvo isn't too bad - I'll wait for the saloon cars to see what Mattin does.

 

[LaArtist]

Mattin´s first project will be the new S60.. so lets wait for that and see