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Volvo’s new flagship sedans impress
I’m starting to feel like a broken record but am happy to repeat this joyful tale as often as necessary… Volvo went from a bleak future to new ownership (Geely) and superb products. After the 40 and 60 Series, the Swedes tackled their XC90 and reinvented a whole range – this new S90 sedan is part of that.
What you need to know: The Volvo V60 is an estate car, no doubt about it. South Africans hate estate cars because they think of them as hearses. Volvo’s been clever by nailing some off-roady bits to a normal V60 and calling it “Cross Country”. You see? No more undertaker! All lifestyle, ready for your mountain bike trip…
Today I’ll let you into another little secret of life – choose your travel companions wisely. What at first may seem like a quirky and interesting choice can sometimes turn into an annoying mistake or worse, an incessant bore. And if you’re a car enthusiast, that can also apply to your chosen mode of transport.
Volvo isn’t really known for red-hot performance cars although brand aficionados and the odd GTi pilot will attest to the rapidity of older Swedish metal sporting “T5” or “T6” badges. In more recent times, there’s been a new sticker adorning sporty Volvos – a cyan blue square with the word “Polestar”.
What you need to know: The Volvo V40 is a stylish and modern mixture between hatchback and estate, blessed with a talented chassis and wide array of superb engines. “Cross Country” means exactly that – it can cross parts of the country but (at least in this guise) is not a 4×4 or even all-wheel-drive.
What’s it about? Volvo have got canny with presenting a big SUV with a small 2litre, 4-cylinder engine and making it so stylishly desirable and fantastic to drive that you’ll want one… if you’re happy to pay the hefty price tag that is. We tested the T5 Inscription, an upper power level version of the new XC90 and were suitably impressed.
If I asked you what the future of the automobile looked like, what would your answer be? Maybe you’ll describe a Jetsons floater, autonomous bubble or electric people mover. We may be a long way from cars like that but I’d like to tell you about one that’s getting closer; and is actually a combination of those three.
Ag no man. Your mother-in-law is coming along on holiday and the kids want to take ALL their toys and sports equipment along. Where are you going to fit all of this?
Perhaps you have already invested in a sizable trailer and decent roof-top box but your car simply can’t handle more luggage. Well, we at NamWheels love to help and have compiled a list of cars with at least 400L of luggage space. Big enough to put your skoonma in the boot.
Die “ge-tune” is apokrief en kom uit die jare sewentig in die Kalahari waar Engels min gehoor word en Afrikaans sy eie en mooi uitdrukkings het. Soos die leerling wat vir my ‘n opstel geskryf het waarin sy gesê het dat die man “skroutaaier” om die draai gekom het!
What you need to know: The Opel Adam is a modern, stylish and compact city car in the mould of Audi’s A1 and the desirable Mini. Arriving rather late to this party of trendy runabouts, Opel even named it after its founding father and gave it plenty of style and proper technology to stand a fighting chance.