Have Volvo vehicles improved since being bought by Ford?Rating 1 to 6. (1 - Yes, 6 - No)

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Volvo2002

What influence did Ford have on the S40/V40 Phase 2 cars? Would be interested to find out.

None what so ever as it is mainly a Mitsubishi Charisma floor pan, made in the old DAF factory in holland where the 340 was born and the Charisma was made :-)

[Volvo2002]

Originally Posted by Clan

None what so ever as it is mainly a Mitsubishi Charisma floor pan, made in the old DAF factory in holland where the 340 was born and the Charisma was made :-)

"shudders" at the mention of the Charisma lol!

Have been inside a Charisma and it feels nothing like the S40/V40.

[AcidicDavey]

Originally Posted by Volvo2002

"shudders" at the mention of the Charisma lol!

Have been inside a Charisma and it feels nothing like the S40/V40.

Peel the Volvo sticker off your steering wheel and you'll soon see the similarities

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Volvo2002

"shudders" at the mention of the Charisma lol!

Have been inside a Charisma and it feels nothing like the S40/V40.

Yes the Charisma must be one of the least charismatic car made :-)

[Volvo2002]

Originally Posted by AcidicDavey

Peel the Volvo sticker off your steering wheel and you'll soon see the similarities

I know for one they feel nothing alike though. The S40 feels like a Volvo to me, not as well built as the old boxes but still has a Volvo character if you know what I mean lol.

[Daim]

Originally Posted by AcidicDavey

When Renault and Volvo did team up in the past they made what is possibly the biggest love/hate car the world has ever had; the 480!

Yes, I love the 480 but if every Volvo ended up like one then they would indeed be ruined!

I have to say though that Volvo had started to get their act together before Ford actually bought them, have they progressed at all because of Ford? Not in my eyes, they seemed like they were going the right way on their own. I don't really 'like' modern Volvos but then I am a fan of older cars so...

Well, not all the best in the 480...

The 1.7l turbo was so "bad", Volvo contacted Porsche (noch Porsche cars!) to make it better.
The rear suspension is supposed to be influenced by Lotus (I doubt it, as a simple beam axle is about as Lotus as a 1.6l Diesel Elise!).
The electrics are a catastophy! If you can get a 480 with working board computer, you have basically won the lottery. If you can get one with working computer AND working height adjustment for the headlights, you've won the lottery AND have been struck by lightning. If you find a 480 with working computer, working height adjustment AND which is totally dry inside, then, hmm, you must be the most luckiest person ON THIS PLANET!