Tasty Volvo P1800 custom

Retro can be so yesterday but then again there is nothing new in this world so everything must be retro at some level and with this in mind we now look at the handiwork of one Mattias Vöcks. Vocks is a Swedish-born designer who spends his working hours assembling Koenigsegg’s delicious supercars and on his time off, he creates stunning works of automotive art. He has found enough free time to come up with a fresh interpretation of the elegant Volvo P1800 coupe and it looks gorgeous.

Vock’s last Volvo was a 1967 Volvo Amazon custom that he showed off at SEMA some time ago and that was promptly voted “Sweden’s Hottest Volvo.” That title may soon go modern interpretation of the Volvo P1800 made famous in part as the car driven by Roger Moore in the British television series The Saint from the 1960s.

With help from Bo Zolland from Swedish design firm Vizualtech, Vöcks has added a few modifications to bring the shapely Swedish beauty to modern standards.  Aerodynamics is improved by a rear diffuser, flat underbody tray and a front fascia that’s been smoothed out and lengthened by 70mm.

Powering the beast is a 4.4-liter V8 borrowed from a Volvo XC90 SUV that’s been force-fed by a   urbocharger and feeds its 600 horses through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels. Good news for those with fat wallets: The car may go into limited production in the near future.

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Kid-Friendly Luxury Cars

The Volvo XC90 leads our list of the industry's most kid-friendly luxury cars. The Acura MDX, Saab 9-3 Sport Combi, Mercedes M Class and BMW X5 round out the top five. All are examples of how an increasing number of luxury automakers are recognizing that luxury isn't just for adults. With that in mind, they are equipping vehicles with safety features and amenities designed to protect and accommodate infants, children and adults.

Shop wisely, and you'll see it's possible to drive a more stylish car with luxurious leather seats, a superior sound system--and plenty of holders for your children's sippie cups.

That's what you'll find in the three-row Volvo XC 90. It also features a unique second-row seat with a 40-20-40 three-way split that offers flexible seating combinations and cargo space for strollers and groceries when needed. All safety belt systems in the XC 90 include "pretensioners," which cut rear seatbelt slack in the event of a collision, a feature typically reserved for front-seat passengers. There's third-row air conditioning and an interior air quality system that alerts passengers to toxic substances in the incoming air stream.

The Mercedes Benz ML 350 has an eye to safety and entertainment with DVD screens mounted to the rear of the front head rests. This design means that drivers are not obstructed by roof-mounted DVD screens or a rear passenger reaching up to adjust the screen.

"There is a level of expectation that a car that is well equipped for a family should have certain amenities for children.” says Fallon. "They want some minivan amenities, but don't want to remove themselves from a level of comfort, style and prestige they are accustomed to.”

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First Drive: 2008 Volvo C30

Ten years ago these associations would have been Volvo: boxy, Volvo: staid and Volvo: maturity. Of course there has always been the foundation of safety on which the company has built its reputation, and that hasn't changed and shouldn't change. But lately Volvo has been trying hard to be hip, cool and sporty, and those swingin' Swedes seem to be pulling it off.

Consumer research told Volvo designers and engineers that in order to reach the target consumer group of 28-38 year olds, they needed to produce a car that highlighted these five items: 1) exterior design; 2) performance; 3) sporty interior; 4) great sound system; and 5) high-tech features. The result of their work is the all-new C30.

The C30 is the smallest car offered by Volvo, available only as a sporty 2-door hatchback. This is both a move in a new direction and a return to the company's roots—the C30 carries a number of styling cues from the 2-door hatchback Sportwagon that Volvo sold in the 1970s.

The exterior styling of the new C30 has obvious ties to the rest of the Volvo lineup, but designers chose to emphasize lines that give the new hatchback bolder front-end styling. Lines flow from the headlights to the taillights, and the roof line peaks over the driver, sloping down in the rear to meet the taillights. Large 17-inch alloy wheels, emphasized fender flares and the raised hood add to a powerful image. All C30s are equipped with front airbags, side airbags, side-curtain airbags, as well as SIPS and WHIPS (Side Impact Protection System and Whiplash Protection Seating System).

The ultimate decision was to make only one engine available, but after driving the car we'd have to say those Volvo engineers chose the right one. Every C30 in America is powered by Volvo's 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. Power output is 227 horses, but more noticeable is 236 lb-ft of torque available at a low 1800 rpm.

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2008 Volvo C30 T5 Version 1.0

The 2008 C30 is a 2-door, 4-passenger sports coupe, available in two trims, the T5 Version 1.0 and the T5 Version 2.0.

Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 2.5-liter, I5, 227-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission is optional.

The 2008 C30 is all-new for 2008.

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