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Old Jan 4th, 2011, 21:59   #41
triumphtoledo
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Last Online: Apr 24th, 2024 19:29
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Worcs
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I'm pretty sure there was an advert championing the affordability of the 4xx series; I remember them selling for less than £10,000, especially when the budget 440 1.6Li was launched in around 1991. The 460 (especially the Turbo) had a heavy price loading applied to it by Volvo UK, I assume to profiteer on the fact it had a bit more snob potential over the more common hatches. Why else are early high-spec booted 460s so rare? 460 prices matched that of the 440 eventually.

Personally, I do not think that the 4xx design was old hat in the late 1980s/early 1990s. It was Volvo's chunky interpretation of the typical Eurobox of the day. It worked well and was different enough to identify itself as a Volvo. Even so, I was disappointed with the 850 saloon at its launch, I thought that car looked too square in the early 1990s, particularly as Volvo was pinning so much hope on it. My own worries turned out to be unfounded.

The facelift 400 series aimed to capitalise on the 850's success by association in its design and it was helped by new wheel/interior/front & rear end design but, like the last Escorts, I agree that it was starting to look a bit out of place by the time production ended.

The comment about Japanese cars is a bit generalist, especially as a chunk of my living involves writing about them. Overall, I do find the interior materials (although not the build) inferior to European products (although some 4xx series plastics are a bit low-rent, although the fabrics tend to last very well indeed). Mechanically, they tend to be lovely and refined at low revs and a bit rough when extended; gearboxes are slick, unlike the clunk-click every change of the 4xx! The Japs also tend to build their cars with useful odd touches designed to help the technician but I agree that many Euro cars can offer a superior driving experience but, then again, Jap cars are often adapted for Euro roads.

I am not going to lambast enthusiasts of rice cars - they do present a different proposition to Euro cars (including 4xx) and both have their pros and cons. Wouldn't it be a boring world if we all liked the same vehicles? Still, to simply proclaim the 400 series as cr*p is over simplistic, just as it would be to criticise all Jap cars for being boringly efficient.

Back to topic, perhaps the biggest problem with the 440/460 is perhaps under appreciation...

R
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