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Volvo Concept Coupe is a long-legged Swedish GT [w/video]

They may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the marque, but Volvo has a long and surprisingly lustrous lineage of coupes in its stable, from the P1800 to the 142 to the Bertone 262C to the 780 Bertone and the recently departed C70. Few of those two-doors have stood the test of time the way the voluptuous P1800 has, a fact the company's designers are apparently keenly aware of. It is that exact model that Volvo says they've drawn upon for this new Concept Coupe, and while the showcar bears little resemblance to the smaller P1800 that inspired it, both cars have a visual grace and presence that has often eluded the brand's grasp.
While not completely ripping up the design language established by the 2001 S60 in 2000, the Coupe Concept is arguably the most radical design statement we've seen from Volvo in well over a decade. Gone is the tone set by the drop-shoulder hood, and in its place is a more flowing, organic look, with the generous proportions of a grand tourer. The concept is a particularly nice piece of work, from its new T-shaped daytime running lamps to its pronounced rear fenders that subtly echo those of the P1800. Interestingly, Volvo informs that the first production model to benefit from this new aesthetic will be the next-generation XC90 crossover - and judging by the teasers we recently saw, this language looks like it'll translate nicely to the CUV's larger shape.
The Concept Coupe is powered by a through-the-road plug-in hybrid architecture composed of a twincharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder powering the front wheels and an electric motor servicing the rears. All-in, Volvo says the system is good for 400 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque.

Volvo building new AstaZero safety proving ground in Sweden

Volvo is an automaker committed to vehicle safety, setting an ambitious target for itself: by 2020, the Swedish automaker envisions that no one will be killed or seriously injured in one of its cars. In order to achieve that goal, Volvo has announced a new proving ground designed specifically to test safety solutions.
Called AstaZero, the new facility near the company's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, is the result of a $70 million investment. It will cover some 500 acres, with over 60 acres of pavement, four city blocks and three and a half miles of highway. The Active Safety Test Area (the ASTA in AstaZero) will enable Volvo and its partners (including Scania trucks as well as government bodies and university development programs) to simulate city streets, highways, rural roads, roundabouts, T-junctions and more, combining traffic from cars, pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, buses, trucks and even animals in order to account for all manner of potential hazards.
The facility will enable Volvo to test active safety systems and autonomous vehicle operations, and even allow robots to test its prototypes in an adaptive environment that aims to be more flexible than existing proving grounds. Read more about Volvo's commitment to safety in the press release below.

New Volvo ad remembers the joy of rear-facing jump seats

With the rise in popularity of first the minivan and later the crossover as the default family vehicle, there have been about 20 years of children who have missed out on the joy of rear-facing jump seats in station wagons. It means kids today don't know the pleasure to be found in making faces or lewd gestures at other drivers while their parents can't see. Plus, they don't know the slightly nauseous feeling of watching the world pass by in reverse. However, a group of filmmakers look back with nostalgia at this increasingly uncommon automotive feature in a new ad for the 2015 Volvo V60.
As part of its sponsorship of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, Volvo commissions a team each year to create an advertisement to be shown during the festival. This year's shows how the company's buyers have gone from riding in the back to driving the brand's cars. Scroll down to check out the charming ad, along with some wistful looks at classic Volvo wagons, before the jump seat is forgotten.