2003 Volvo S80 2.9 Sedan 4-door 2.9l on 2040-cars

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European new car sales drop nearly 8% in first half of 2019

PARIS — European car sales dropped 7.9% in June, led by bigger declines for Nissan, Volvo and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), according to industry data published on Wednesday. Registrations fell to 1.49 million cars last month from 1.62 million a year earlier across the European Union and EFTA countries, the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers said in a statement. Calendar effects resulted in two fewer sales days in most markets, accentuating the decline. Registrations for the first half closed 3.1% lower, ACEA said. For European carmakers, weakening demand at home compounds the pressure from a sharper contraction in China and emerging markets that may yet bring more profit warnings. NissanÂ’s aging model lineup contributed to a 26.6% June sales slump while Volvo Cars, owned by ChinaÂ’s Geely, saw deliveries tumble 21.7%. Registrations also fell 13.5% last month at FCA, 10.1% at BMW, 9.6% at Volkswagen Group and 8.2% for both Mercedes parent Daimler and FranceÂ’s PSA Group. The Peugeot makerÂ’s domestic rival Renault suffered less, posting a 3.9% decline. By the Numbers BMW Chrysler Fiat Nissan Volkswagen Volvo Peugeot Renault

Volvo S60 Polestar concept plays in the snow with Mercedes C63 AMG

Chris Harris took to a snowy stretch of tarmac to get a fingertips-on-the-wheel feel of the Volvo S60 Polestar concept. Harris says the turbocharged sedan with 508 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque - and a manual transmission - is "a study to see if Volvo can get back into the fast-car market." The Polestar S60 concept, one of which was already purchased for $300,000 by a private buyer, is still making the publicity rounds because even Volvo's Chinese owners realize that, as Harris says, "Volvo sold more cars because it made fast cars" like the old 850 T5 Wagon that stormed the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s.
For reference, Harris compares the blue wonder to the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and its 487 hp and 442 lb-ft. The question is, were Volvo to get the price of a production version of the S60 Polestar to climb way down from its 200,000-pound sticker, could it be worthy competition to the established giants?
You can watch Harris divine the answer via a lot of drifting through the snow and a drag race in the video below.

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge priced, goes on sale late 2021

Pricing for the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is out, and in consistent coupe crossover fashion, it’s a little more expensive than the traditionally-styled XC40 Recharge. The starting price is $59,845, including the $1,095 destination charge. ThatÂ’s $4,760 more than a base 2022 XC40 Recharge. ItÂ’ll be limited to just a single fully-loaded trim called “Ultimate” initially — there will be no additional options, Volvo says. Volvo lets you choose a lower “Plus” trim with the standard XC40 Recharge, but the cheaper starting price also carries less standard equipment. Sweetening the deal for C40 customers is an Electrify America partnership that starts all owners off with 250 kWh of complimentary charging. This comes with the regular XC40 Recharge, too, but it must be a 2022 model year vehicle. One should also take into account any federal or state tax incentives on offer when running the number — Volvo is still eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit, so your effective net price could be closer to $50,000 depending on your location. Unfortunately, EPA-rated electric range on a full charge was not included in this announcement. Volvo announced the C40 with a 260-mile range estimate, but the real EPA number will surely fall below that figure. The XC40 Recharge, which the C40 shares all of its vital parts with, is EPA-rated for 208 miles on a full charge. Deliveries are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter this year for folks who pre-ordered the C40 online in March. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.