For example, I still do not understand what is the difference between the "full time four wheel drive" of GX470 and "full time all wheel drive" of XC90 besides the initial torque distribution - 40/60 and 95/5 respectively. That distribution changes in 1/7th of the wheel revolution, if front wheels are slipping, and the eventual settings are (front/rear) 29/71 and 35/65 respectively. Look almost identical to me.
My understanding is that the point of significantly driving all four wheels all the time is that you don't have to wait for slippage to actually occur and react. By the time a system that distributes significant power assesses the slippage and reacts, some level of slippage has already occurred.
I think the reaction time of 1/7th of a wheel revolution is more of a theoretical, idealized concept than actual reality. One way or another, some slippage hsa already occurred that the system has to then correct. Whereas with a 40/60 distribution, some of those slippage scenarios never even occur in the first place. Sort of like prevention being better than the cure.
That said, 95/5 with re-routing is effective for the vast majority of inclement conditions. I would suspect that the percentage of scenarios that 40/60 handles well over 95/5 with a quick reaction is a very, very small percentage of extreme conditions.
Not to mention there is another small percentage that neither scenario will handle effectively.
I am sorry, William, But your reasoning does not sound right.
The scenario that you describe applies that XC90 will be miraculously removed from the slipping conditions and then dropped back again, etc. so the power distribution will be re-set.
In real life, the electronic distribution system will maintain the appropriate level of the distribution, once again up to 35/65, until the severe conditions will exist.
And by the way, it's a proven fact that the FWD cars are much better in the mud, as a "pure" RWD.
So, I do not know, if the RWD bias for the AWD car is a plus or a minus.
No wonder, that all the electronically controlled AWD system allow for the FWD bias, when required.
So, I can argue the point, that at 95/5 distribution some of the slippage scenarios will never occur in the first place.
Look, I do not want to claim that XC90 is the best off-road SUV in the world. Neither the GX470. It's older brother Landcruser is by far the better off-road performer, with the ability to lock the differential and with the low-gear mode.
But I have a high respect for the Volvo engineers and am offended by portraying the XC90 as a minivan replacement for the soccer moms.
That statement, if you remember, brought me to this discussion thread.
I maintain my position, that habitat's neighbor knows very little about car design and off-road driving.
And by the way, the 1/7th of the wheel revolution is about .25 second at 10MPH, if my calculations and assumptions are correct.
So, in a fraction of second the AWD system of XC90 will allow for the best required torque distribution.
Thanks, that helps make it clearer. Actually, the stats I quoted were YTD according to the website that I provided the link for. Those stats also show for June, as well as year to date 2004 and 2003, and comparable sales for June.
That said, I think Autosite's web site has a major typo so thus I think you're right, the XC90 did outsell the X5. Volvo claims 18,504 for 2004 U.S. sales through June, Autosite lists 8,355 which is probably a typo from 18,355.
So the XC90 is currently the best-selling European SUV. However, I don't think the XC90 far outsells the X5 in the U.S. market specifically, it looks like the difference is only about 20%.
Also, the X5 is getting long-in-the-tooth, with its mid-life update just completed. Its sales cycle is going to dwindle, whereas the XC90 is still in its growth stage of its sales cycle. Not to mention that X5 sales are going to be cannibalized somewhat by X3 sales.
Good for Volvo, the XC90 has hit a very nice spot in the marketplace. It's fairly European but doesn't have a lot of the compromises that the X5 has (e.g. little cargo room, less passenger room).
But I have a high respect for the Volvo engineers and am offended by portraying the XC90 as a minivan replacement for the soccer moms.
That statement, if you remember, brought me to this discussion thread.
I maintain my position, that habitat's neighbor knows very little about car design and off-road driving.
Whoa, sounds like I might have stepped into the middle of a nasty argument. That's not my intention. I don't really care about habitat's neighbor, and didn't know you're in this thread because you were offended by some comment about the XC90 being a minivan replacement (nor do I really care, I'd rather focus on the logical discussions).
I did not say that the system would let the distribution go back to 95/5 very quickly. I also did not bring off-roading into this mix.
Back to the more technical discussion and away from the emotionalism ...
My point is that with a more equal power distribution (hypothetically, let's say 50-50), you would never get some of the slippage situations you would get with 95/5, in the first place.
You would not have to wait for the system to determine the slippage, and for the system to react. And I think the total time for the event to occur, the determination to be made, and then the reaction is more than the 1/7th of a second that the marketeers cite.
If it's really .25 seconds, doesn't that mean that the vehicle is slipping for at least 3.5 feet during the 1/7th time, and for however many feet before the 1/7th time? Then you have to hope that the power-rerouting will stop the slipping, which has already begun.
In the 50-50 system, a lot of those scenarios never start in the first place. With a 50-50 system, you avoid the scenarios that a 100/0 system avoids in the first place, plus you avoid the scenarios that a 0/100 system avoids in the first place. You get the best of both worlds. And that is all four wheels delivering power, thus distributing your traction to help avoid slippage in the first place.
It's logical to conclude that you'd rather not slip in the first place.
The reason that X5 does relatively well in the US market, is that it is actually built here, in US and BMW has a challenge to sell it in Europe.
Volvo has to balance the quotas for the different countries. The XC90 is sooo hot in Europe, but Volvo commits to the US market and can not really push the sales in Europe.
I drove my XC90 through 7 European countries and we always were a focal point of attention at every public parking, gas station, rest area, etc.
People did not mind stare through the car windows even with us seating in the car, while I would get some gas, for instance.
The circumvent of the standard wheel is about 100" or 8 feet, so 1/7th of the revolution is about 1 feet. And by the way, I just checked the Volvo web site - it's a 1/7th of the wheel diameter, or about 1/3 of feet.
I did my speed to travel to time calculation in my head and in rush, so I could be wrong with .25 second at 10MPH.
Also, let me disagree with the statement that 50/50 torque distribution is always good. It is not. I can refer you to a lot of articles that describe the mechanics of the driving and effect of the different drive bias to handling. But the bottom line is, that the ability to change the torque distribution utilizes the best of the both worlds, under basically all driving condition, except racing, probably, where experts do not uniformly agree that the AWD cars are better than RWD.
Again, I find the claims of reaction time suspect at best. They're under ideal lab conditions.
Please note that I am not saying that 50-50 is "always" good. Especially if you bring in sporty handling into the debate. I'm simply saying that 50-50 is better than 95/5 for inclement weather conditions. There, a 95/5 system has to wait for slippage to actually occur before reacting (in however long that takes).
You have to be careful when discussing drivelines because there's sporty handling and feel vs. weather dynamics and traction in slippery conditions.
The reason a lot of folks prefer RWD or RWD-biased AWD is for the "feel" and handling chracteristics. Few people associate FWD vehicles with superior sporty handling.
The AWD systems found in AWD sports sedans are usually biased toward the rear. This to give them some of that RWD feel and cornering. You'll find that even when you go to the limits of, say, a Porsche Carrera AWD.
That all said, such distinctions in sporty handling are, relatively, minor trivialities in an SUV/minivan.
The situation you describe isn't really the "best of both worlds." It brings in some of the limitations of both worlds, while some of the advantages of both. E.g. the fact that you can start slipping because some wheels have very little power.
Anyway, this discussion is probably best transferred to the AWD/4WD discussion under SUV's. You'll find no shortage of people wanting to debate the merits of the various systems. Watch out there, because someone lurking there will tell you that a 95/5 torque-distributing AWD system is "inherently hazardous," something I totally disagree with. But that's another debate.
Agreed with the conclusion. I neither have enough expertise/experience driving various AWD/4WD systems nor have a desire to prove that one system is better than the other.
Once again, The initial point of contention was me defending the XC90 as a competent off-road SUV. Once again, not the best of the bunch, but not a minivan either. And since I lack a personal driving experience, I have relied on the testimony of different reviewers, domestic and international. The descriptions that I read are - "potent","making valid claim for the off-road capabilities", etc.
Many reviews put XC90 above of many other SUV in the same segment (Acura MDX or RX330, for instance). Plus XC90 did win a couple of awards, where the off-road capabilities did matter.
And that where I see it.
I will not take XC90 for the rally through the Amazon river jungles, but will not hesitate to get to my favorite lake on my next fishing trip.
I would like to apologizes for non-intentional mistake I made in my posting. While XC90 did outsell the X5 in US, the BMW sells more X5 worldwide, because they produce more of them. It seems that with the almost 50% increase in the worldwide sales for the XC90 by July 1, 2004 versus 32K sold in6 month of 2003, Xc90 worldwide is at the same level as X5, but I could not find exact numbers from Volvo.
Has anyone found an accessory to protect the hood from rock chips and/or bugs? Traditionally this type of protection has come in the form of a bra or a bug deflector. I have not seen either on a XC90 and am not real fond of bra's. (Fear of paint damage from dust under bra). Not sure how a bug deflector would effect the look of the XC90. I ran into a dealership that had applied a clear tape like protector to the hood, but I have not seen anything like it since either on the web or on a vehicle.
Sorry for the delay in my response, but work commitments have kept me from getting this looked at. The dealership I purchased my XC90 from isn't conveniently located on my normal commute. However, there is another dealership along the way, so I guess nothing is stopping me from taking it by that dealership to do a "sound test" against other XC90s.
But the audio problem still exists. My wife (and others) agree that the sound quality/volume has definitely changed, despite what the dealership told me the first time I mentioned it.
I'll try to get to a dealership this week to test it against another XC90.
I'm interested in tying in a back-up camera into the navigation display. Is there any video input modules on the market that can be tied (spliced) into the navigation system?
Hard to say. The S40's 5 cyl is 218 hp, maybe that engine will end up in the XC90. Also, keep in mind that Volvo is working on a new, more compact I6 for the next S80, doubtless that engine will also end up in the XC90
Those who have done OSD... we're thinking of going next April or May and driving through quite a lot of Norway and Sweden. How well are the roads maintained this time of year? Is driving up north (we want to see the Lofoten Islands in Norway) not advisable - is it icy and dangerous that time of year?
There's a bunch of Norwegian road web cams on the net that I ran across a couple of years ago. They are set up on various highways around the country. Don't have the link anymore, but if you can find them, you can check them over the winter and get some idea.
No, I did not drive to Norway at all. Just across the country from Gothenburg to Stockholm, and then down south to Copenhagen.
But the roads were absolutely clean. The weather was around melting point, with a lot of rains and wet snowstorms, but the road services were very efficient.
I used to live in both Sweden and Finland and drove couple of hundred thousand miles in all kinds of weather.
The snow starts melting in late March-early April, in the north a couple weeks later. All roads are very well maintained, with sand and salt being applied + plowed after each snow storm.
One thing I would be careful is the melting of snow during the days, which then turns to black ice during the night. This can give you a nasty surprise in the mornings.
The coast of Norway is typically warmer during the winter than the rest of Scandinavia due to the warming effect from the Gulf stream (Atlantic. Enjoy your trip!
I am picking up a 2005 XC 90 T 2.5 AWD in Sweden on Sept 20, 2004. I have been reading in this and other forums that it is a great idea, almost a MUST, to have front wheel mud flaps on the vehicle. I have been convinced that I wanted to do that. Since they are NOT listed as an option on the overseas delivery program price lists - only rear flap are shown and I have already ordered those, - I contacted the Volvo Overseas Center to have them installed as an accessory. They referred me to the dealer and told me who he should contact to have them installed prior to my arrival in Sweden. In that way they would be on the car when I drove it out of the delivery center.
When contacting the dealer I was told that ALL XC 90 come equipped with front mud flaps as standard equipment. Here is the quote from him “ I am sitting here at my desk looking point blank at an 05 XC-90 with integrated front mud flaps. It is an extension of the body trim on all cars and has been so since 03.” Does any one know IF I have been misreading the forum comments or if I have read comments from other countries that do NOT have the front mud flaps as a build in feature. Or does my dealer look at the front fender and believe it to be a mud flap?????? Please help me out.
Thanks to all the people out there in Volvo Land that has taken the time to answers on Front mud flaps “flop”. I found the answer on the “Official” Volvo Accessory page. The 2005 XC 90 do have an “official” front Mud Flap accessory. I have included the web address here.
I have sent a copy to the dealer and hope / trust that I will have front tire mud flaps on the car when I get to pick it up in Sweden. I am scheduled to take the tour and am looking forward to do just that.
We did not initially order the mud flaps with our vehicle, but the FDC was running a special on them this summer. We picked up our vehicle and drove it for about 1400 miles throughout Sweden. After our first trek into a National Park (one of many), we realized that the mud flaps would be a good idea. We dropped the vehicle off at the FDC and ordered the mud flaps. Our XC90 arrived a couple of weeks ago with the mud flaps installed (front and rear). And they work! Enjoy your trip - it is fantastic.
"our evaluation team wondered how a brand, whose very name conjures images of sturdiness, practicality and above all safety, would tackle the SUV challenge."
I posted this in the wrong forum so I will repost it here. Hope I am in the right place this time!!
I am picking up my new XC90 at the factory in about 3 weeks I have the VIN number and was wondering if there was any way to check where in the production process it currently is?????
They're made in a few hours, on one day, so it's either made, or it's not yet. ONe or the other. There is likely a production date scheduled for the car at this point.....and that's when it will happen. Your dealer should have the "build date" for you.
For the first time, Volvo Car Corp. will sell a vehicle with a V-8 engine.
Developed and manufactured by Yamaha Corp. in Japan, the 4.4-liter V-8 engine will power the popular XC90 sport wagon. The V-8 version arrives early next year.
Yamaha developed the all-aluminum transverse-mounted engine to fit the existing XC90 bay with minimal suspension changes. Volvo was unwilling to add 5 inches to the vehicle's length to make an existing Ford longitudinal V-8 fit, says Hans Wikman, Volvo Car vice president for large cars.
To save space in its east-west configuration, the engine's left-hand bank is positioned one-half cylinder ahead of the right bank. Instead of the typical 90-degree "V," the engine was given a 60-degree split, says Jorgen Svensson, XC90 chief program engineer.
The XC90 V-8 reaches 60 mph in seven seconds and meets ULEV II and Euro 5 emissions standards.
The XC90's existing five-speed automatic transmission couldn't handle the increased torque, so Volvo will source a six-speed transmission from Aisin Seiki Co. for the V-8, Svensson says.
While the five- and six-cylinder models offer a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, all XC90 V-8s will come with standard Haldex awd.
American dealers will receive their first orders in January.
Although exact pricing has not been finalized, Volvo has targeted $45,295 as the starting sticker price for the V-8, and about $47,000 typically equipped, says John Neu, Volvo Cars North America XC90 project manager.
By comparison, the base five-cylinder XC90 starts at $35,525 including destination.
also:
More vroom from a V-8 The XC90's Yamaha V-8 has significantly more power than the 2 base engines. 4.4-LITER V-8 2.9-LITER INLINE-6 2.5-LITER INLINE-5 Horsepower 315 @ 5,850 rpm 268 @ 5,100 rpm 208 @ 5,000 rpm Lbs.-ft. torque 325 @ 3,900 rpm 280 @ 1,800 rpm 236 @ 1,500 rpm 0-60, seconds 7 8.7 9.3
Thanks for the official announcement. It really looks good.
I noticed this comment:
"The AWD system has also been upgraded to handle the power of the V8 engine. Maximum short-term torque at the rear wheels has been increased by 50 percent compared to current XC90."
If it's been increased 50%, how much total torque can go to the rears for a short term?
59 ft/lbs is the starting figure. The new AWD system "precharges" the system. This will eliminate the 1/7 wheel rotation slip that occurs now before power is transfered to the rear wheels. Essentially you start off with all 4 wheels being driven instead of just the front 2
Now this is the engine / transmission combination that this SUV deserves. Priced in the mid to high $40's is reasonable and doesn't take away from the appeal of the 2.5 for the more budget minded set. But it completely blows away the T6 4-speed with considerably better performance and better fuel economy.
I only wish it would be available in late 2004 for a end of year write off, but I'll have to seriously consider waiting.
Thanks to those that posted the official information.
Agreed habitat. I'm waiting for the 2005 precisely for that reason. Don't want to handle a Wisconsin winter without enough torque to handle snow drifts and other "expert" winter drivers. I'm glad for the extra power too. Wondering if anyone knows more about the Haldex AWD? Any other vehicles using it now? What's the track record and reliability of it?
Price 1995 screens mounted in headrest, plays through the factory sound system unlike the current Volvo dealer installed system. Available for ordering late Sept.
I installed a video system in my minivan last year. I searched all the a/v shops and didn't like what I was getting for my money. Eventually I ended up buying all the equipment I needed on ebay and having it custom installed. I ended up paying about 50% of what others were charging for the same thing. I plan on doing the same for my XC 90 after I pick it up through OSD. In researching prices, I can purchase 4 screens (1 for each headrest), an FM modulator to send the sound through the stereo system or wireless headphones, a dvd player, a system splitter & a game port all for about $1000 or less. Installation will run around $500. The big advantage is that I can also plug in a playstation to the game port and split the signal to different screens. This means my 5 yr old girls can watch a movie on their screens while my 8 yr old boy plays playstation on his screen. I just have a small power inverter installed and wired to the game port to power the ps2. It works great in my minivan. Just search the internet to find the best prices on the equipment and once you have everything bring it to a quality install shop. They will try to sell you their own stuff, but why pay their huge markup when you can save money this way. It's well worth the effort.
Comments
According to this, as of end/June for the year 2004, 15,306 X5's were sold in the U.S. vs. 8,355 for Volvo?
http://www.autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svsuv.asp
12,070 M-class's were sold too. and 12,936 Touareg's and 8,594 Cayenne's.
My understanding is that the point of significantly driving all four wheels all the time is that you don't have to wait for slippage to actually occur and react. By the time a system that distributes significant power assesses the slippage and reacts, some level of slippage has already occurred.
I think the reaction time of 1/7th of a wheel revolution is more of a theoretical, idealized concept than actual reality. One way or another, some slippage hsa already occurred that the system has to then correct. Whereas with a 40/60 distribution, some of those slippage scenarios never even occur in the first place. Sort of like prevention being better than the cure.
That said, 95/5 with re-routing is effective for the vast majority of inclement conditions. I would suspect that the percentage of scenarios that 40/60 handles well over 95/5 with a quick reaction is a very, very small percentage of extreme conditions.
Not to mention there is another small percentage that neither scenario will handle effectively.
Here is a link to the BMW stats
http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/nav/index.html?http
and here is - to the Volvo of NA
http://www.volvocars-pr.com/index.asp?par=company&pag=sales&a- mp;lang=1&flash=1&year=2004&month=6
But your reasoning does not sound right.
The scenario that you describe applies that XC90 will be miraculously removed from the slipping conditions and then dropped back again, etc. so the power distribution will be re-set.
In real life, the electronic distribution system will maintain the appropriate level of the distribution, once again up to 35/65, until the severe conditions will exist.
And by the way, it's a proven fact that the FWD cars are much better in the mud, as a "pure" RWD.
So, I do not know, if the RWD bias for the AWD car is a plus or a minus.
No wonder, that all the electronically controlled AWD system allow for the FWD bias, when required.
So, I can argue the point, that at 95/5 distribution some of the slippage scenarios will never occur in the first place.
Look,
I do not want to claim that XC90 is the best off-road SUV in the world. Neither the GX470. It's older brother Landcruser is by far the better off-road performer, with the ability to lock the differential and with the low-gear mode.
But I have a high respect for the Volvo engineers and am offended by portraying the XC90 as a minivan replacement for the soccer moms.
That statement, if you remember, brought me to this discussion thread.
I maintain my position, that habitat's neighbor knows very little about car design and off-road driving.
And by the way, the 1/7th of the wheel revolution is about .25 second at 10MPH, if my calculations and assumptions are correct.
So, in a fraction of second the AWD system of XC90 will allow for the best required torque distribution.
That said, I think Autosite's web site has a major typo so thus I think you're right, the XC90 did outsell the X5. Volvo claims 18,504 for 2004 U.S. sales through June, Autosite lists 8,355 which is probably a typo from 18,355.
So the XC90 is currently the best-selling European SUV. However, I don't think the XC90 far outsells the X5 in the U.S. market specifically, it looks like the difference is only about 20%.
Also, the X5 is getting long-in-the-tooth, with its mid-life update just completed. Its sales cycle is going to dwindle, whereas the XC90 is still in its growth stage of its sales cycle. Not to mention that X5 sales are going to be cannibalized somewhat by X3 sales.
Good for Volvo, the XC90 has hit a very nice spot in the marketplace. It's fairly European but doesn't have a lot of the compromises that the X5 has (e.g. little cargo room, less passenger room).
That statement, if you remember, brought me to this discussion thread.
I maintain my position, that habitat's neighbor knows very little about car design and off-road driving.
Whoa, sounds like I might have stepped into the middle of a nasty argument. That's not my intention. I don't really care about habitat's neighbor, and didn't know you're in this thread because you were offended by some comment about the XC90 being a minivan replacement (nor do I really care, I'd rather focus on the logical discussions).
I did not say that the system would let the distribution go back to 95/5 very quickly. I also did not bring off-roading into this mix.
Back to the more technical discussion and away from the emotionalism ...
My point is that with a more equal power distribution (hypothetically, let's say 50-50), you would never get some of the slippage situations you would get with 95/5, in the first place.
You would not have to wait for the system to determine the slippage, and for the system to react. And I think the total time for the event to occur, the determination to be made, and then the reaction is more than the 1/7th of a second that the marketeers cite.
If it's really .25 seconds, doesn't that mean that the vehicle is slipping for at least 3.5 feet during the 1/7th time, and for however many feet before the 1/7th time? Then you have to hope that the power-rerouting will stop the slipping, which has already begun.
In the 50-50 system, a lot of those scenarios never start in the first place. With a 50-50 system, you avoid the scenarios that a 100/0 system avoids in the first place, plus you avoid the scenarios that a 0/100 system avoids in the first place. You get the best of both worlds. And that is all four wheels delivering power, thus distributing your traction to help avoid slippage in the first place.
It's logical to conclude that you'd rather not slip in the first place.
Volvo has to balance the quotas for the different countries. The XC90 is sooo hot in Europe, but Volvo commits to the US market and can not really push the sales in Europe.
I drove my XC90 through 7 European countries and we always were a focal point of attention at every public parking, gas station, rest area, etc.
People did not mind stare through the car windows even with us seating in the car, while I would get some gas, for instance.
Forget the emotions,
The circumvent of the standard wheel is about 100" or 8 feet, so 1/7th of the revolution is about 1 feet.
And by the way, I just checked the Volvo web site - it's a 1/7th of the wheel diameter, or about 1/3 of feet.
I did my speed to travel to time calculation in my head and in rush, so I could be wrong with .25 second at 10MPH.
Also, let me disagree with the statement that 50/50 torque distribution is always good. It is not. I can refer you to a lot of articles that describe the mechanics of the driving and effect of the different drive bias to handling.
But the bottom line is, that the ability to change the torque distribution utilizes the best of the both worlds, under basically all driving condition, except racing, probably, where experts do not uniformly agree that the AWD cars are better than RWD.
Please note that I am not saying that 50-50 is "always" good. Especially if you bring in sporty handling into the debate. I'm simply saying that 50-50 is better than 95/5 for inclement weather conditions. There, a 95/5 system has to wait for slippage to actually occur before reacting (in however long that takes).
You have to be careful when discussing drivelines because there's sporty handling and feel vs. weather dynamics and traction in slippery conditions.
The reason a lot of folks prefer RWD or RWD-biased AWD is for the "feel" and handling chracteristics. Few people associate FWD vehicles with superior sporty handling.
The AWD systems found in AWD sports sedans are usually biased toward the rear. This to give them some of that RWD feel and cornering. You'll find that even when you go to the limits of, say, a Porsche Carrera AWD.
That all said, such distinctions in sporty handling are, relatively, minor trivialities in an SUV/minivan.
The situation you describe isn't really the "best of both worlds." It brings in some of the limitations of both worlds, while some of the advantages of both. E.g. the fact that you can start slipping because some wheels have very little power.
Anyway, this discussion is probably best transferred to the AWD/4WD discussion under SUV's. You'll find no shortage of people wanting to debate the merits of the various systems. Watch out there, because someone lurking there will tell you that a 95/5 torque-distributing AWD system is "inherently hazardous," something I totally disagree with. But that's another debate.
I neither have enough expertise/experience driving various AWD/4WD systems nor have a desire to prove that one system is better than the other.
Once again,
The initial point of contention was me defending the XC90 as a competent off-road SUV. Once again, not the best of the bunch, but not a minivan either.
And since I lack a personal driving experience, I have relied on the testimony of different reviewers, domestic and international. The descriptions that I read are - "potent","making valid claim for the off-road capabilities", etc.
Many reviews put XC90 above of many other SUV in the same segment (Acura MDX or RX330, for instance). Plus XC90 did win a couple of awards, where the off-road capabilities did matter.
And that where I see it.
I will not take XC90 for the rally through the Amazon river jungles, but will not hesitate to get to my favorite lake on my next fishing trip.
While XC90 did outsell the X5 in US, the BMW sells more X5 worldwide, because they produce more of them.
It seems that with the almost 50% increase in the worldwide sales for the XC90 by July 1, 2004 versus 32K sold in6 month of 2003, Xc90 worldwide is at the same level as X5, but I could not find exact numbers from Volvo.
Thanks,
Chris
Car front end protective bras & film
Steve, Host
Sorry for the delay in my response, but work commitments have kept me from getting this looked at. The dealership I purchased my XC90 from isn't conveniently located on my normal commute. However, there is another dealership along the way, so I guess nothing is stopping me from taking it by that dealership to do a "sound test" against other XC90s.
But the audio problem still exists. My wife (and others) agree that the sound quality/volume has definitely changed, despite what the dealership told me the first time I mentioned it.
I'll try to get to a dealership this week to test it against another XC90.
Also, keep in mind that Volvo is working on a new, more compact I6 for the next S80, doubtless that engine will also end up in the XC90
2005 Volvo XC90 Midsize SUV
Or did you say that already, Volvomax?
Steve, Host
http://www.nav-tv.com
Also, its not a Ford engine like Edmunds claimed
Delays are just rumors at this point.
There are over 1000 headed for CA for Dec.
Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks.
Thanks!
Steve, Host
But the roads were absolutely clean. The weather was around melting point, with a lot of rains and wet snowstorms, but the road services were very efficient.
The snow starts melting in late March-early April, in the north a couple weeks later. All roads are very well maintained, with sand and salt being applied + plowed after each snow storm.
One thing I would be careful is the melting of snow during the days, which then turns to black ice during the night. This can give you a nasty surprise in the mornings.
The coast of Norway is typically warmer during the winter than the rest of Scandinavia due to the warming effect from the Gulf stream (Atlantic. Enjoy your trip!
According to Kelley Blue Book, the 2005 XC90 will have the best resale value of all SUV's in the next 5 years.
When contacting the dealer I was told that ALL XC 90 come equipped with front mud flaps as standard equipment. Here is the quote from him “ I am sitting here at my desk looking point blank at an 05 XC-90 with integrated front mud flaps. It is an extension of the body trim on all cars and has been so since 03.” Does any one know IF I have been misreading the forum comments or if I have read comments from other countries that do NOT have the front mud flaps as a build in feature. Or does my dealer look at the front fender and believe it to be a mud flap?????? Please help me out.
Thanks you
I have included the web address here.
http://www.volvocars.us/Showroom/XC90/Specifications/OptionsAcces- sories/
I have sent a copy to the dealer and hope / trust that I will have front tire mud flaps on the car when I get to pick it up in Sweden.
I am scheduled to take the tour and am looking forward to do just that.
Long-Term Test: 2004 Volvo XC90 T6
Steve, Host
I am picking up my new XC90 at the factory in about 3 weeks I have the VIN number and was wondering if there was any way to check where in the production process it currently is?????
I know Just about like waiting for a new born!
For the first time, Volvo Car Corp. will sell a vehicle with a V-8 engine.
Developed and manufactured by Yamaha Corp. in Japan, the 4.4-liter V-8 engine will power the popular XC90 sport wagon. The V-8 version arrives early next year.
Yamaha developed the all-aluminum transverse-mounted engine to fit the existing XC90 bay with minimal suspension changes. Volvo was unwilling to add 5 inches to the vehicle's length to make an existing Ford longitudinal V-8 fit, says Hans Wikman, Volvo Car vice president for large cars.
To save space in its east-west configuration, the engine's left-hand bank is positioned one-half cylinder ahead of the right bank. Instead of the typical 90-degree "V," the engine was given a 60-degree split, says Jorgen Svensson, XC90 chief program engineer.
The XC90 V-8 reaches 60 mph in seven seconds and meets ULEV II and Euro 5 emissions standards.
The XC90's existing five-speed automatic transmission couldn't handle the increased torque, so Volvo will source a six-speed transmission from Aisin Seiki Co. for the V-8, Svensson says.
While the five- and six-cylinder models offer a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, all XC90 V-8s will come with standard Haldex awd.
American dealers will receive their first orders in January.
Although exact pricing has not been finalized, Volvo has targeted $45,295 as the starting sticker price for the V-8, and about $47,000 typically equipped, says John Neu, Volvo Cars North America XC90 project manager.
By comparison, the base five-cylinder XC90 starts at $35,525 including destination.
also:
More vroom from a V-8
The XC90's Yamaha V-8 has significantly more power than the 2 base engines.
4.4-LITER V-8 2.9-LITER INLINE-6 2.5-LITER INLINE-5
Horsepower 315 @ 5,850 rpm 268 @ 5,100 rpm 208 @ 5,000 rpm
Lbs.-ft. torque 325 @ 3,900 rpm 280 @ 1,800 rpm 236 @ 1,500 rpm
0-60, seconds 7 8.7 9.3
It'd be great if they can do this for under $50k as the article suggests.
http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Volvo_News/article_329.htm- l
New 18" wheels
Side mouldings and door handles painted in the car’s body color
New chrome-plated trim around the bumper air intake
http://www.volvocars-pr.com/index.asp?mediaid1=2302
2003 Nautic Blue T6 Nav etc
1995 Blue 960 SW
I noticed this comment:
"The AWD system has also been upgraded to handle the power of the V8 engine. Maximum short-term torque at the rear wheels has been increased by 50 percent compared to current XC90."
If it's been increased 50%, how much total torque can go to the rears for a short term?
Essentially you start off with all 4 wheels being driven instead of just the front 2
Anyone heard anything about DVD consoles on the front-seat headrests for this SUV or is it better to go with after-market brands?
I only wish it would be available in late 2004 for a end of year write off, but I'll have to seriously consider waiting.
Thanks to those that posted the official information.
screens mounted in headrest, plays through the factory sound system unlike the current Volvo dealer installed system.
Available for ordering late Sept.
Check with your local dealer.
I have not seen any complains here, on Edmunds.
In researching prices, I can purchase 4 screens (1 for each headrest), an FM modulator to send the sound through the stereo system or wireless headphones, a dvd player, a system splitter & a game port all for about $1000 or less. Installation will run around $500. The big advantage is that I can also plug in a playstation to the game port and split the signal to different screens. This means my 5 yr old girls can watch a movie on their screens while my 8 yr old boy plays playstation on his screen. I just have a small power inverter installed and wired to the game port to power the ps2. It works great in my minivan. Just search the internet to find the best prices on the equipment and once you have everything bring it to a quality install shop. They will try to sell you their own stuff, but why pay their huge markup when you can save money this way. It's well worth the effort.