Guess the new car

[renault12ts]

Mine has 7 forward and one reverse - does that count ?

You may have 2 reverse....making 9!

 

[grober]

So a Volvo ----a Ford designed - Chinese owned -built in Belgium -Swede then.

 

[Charles Morgan]

 

[renault12ts]

Ooh...nice colour.

 

[Charles Morgan]

So a Volvo ----a Ford designed - Chinese owned -built in Belgium -Swede then.

In Ghent, my favourite Belgian city, where only last year I sang a solo in the cathedral. Makes it all the sweeter!

 

[Piff]

We have a winner!

2 litre diesel 4 just brought out with new 8 speed auto. The engine and drivetrain
combination is incredible. About as refined as a straight six and at the legal limit it is revving at 1400. A sudden burst of acceleration got me to a naughty speed and at that it was revving at 2100 rpm. Gearshifts totally imperceptible.

180 bhp and 400nm of torque from a 2 litre diesel of total refinement and 60 mpg combined.

Build quality superb, as are seats. The only thing I find disconcerting to start with is auto stop start. Normally when my vehicle cuts out when halted something has dropped off.

I'm in love.

don't want to put a damper on your joy, but we switched from a C30 diesel with stop/start to the current SLK 250CDi and the MB stopstart is way ahead of the volvo system (admitedly 4yr old now)

 

[trapperjohn]

I have had the honour of a short journey in Charles's new car. Tell you what fellas its a bobby dazzler. Just the sort of car for passengers to fall asleep in on longer journeys. Charles sums it up nicely in his own description. And that colour and the internal colour pack is bob-on. If I didnt know it was a 4 pot I would say it was a six pot. Punchy as hell but relaxed as a sleeping labrador when the "loud" button is not pressed. Oh its not a loud button either just a "more" button. Happy Motoring Charles.

Oh and that gear box - totally seamless. Mercedes ride in one and learn.

 

[Charles Morgan]

It was 210 miles and John tested the ability to sleep on those splendid seats not once but twice, entirely successfully.

 

[C240Sport97]

always liked the looks of the XC60 ..

had a diesel loan car for a weekend. nothing wonderful, very average. poor ride.

 

[C43AMG]

Not the vehicle I would picture you with Charles

 

[Charles Morgan]

Fortunately given my looks I don't have to look at myself when driving, so that is the least important consideration! Having been stuck behind some fool the other day who spent a good two miles looking at me in my Allard via his rear view mirror while progressively slowing down, the aim of making good, economic, progress is served by a relaxing and most comfortable vehicle with excellent views and a gorgeous engine and drivetrain.

I looked at the products of the big Germans and French with almost total ennui. I liked the Maxda 6 but the salesman was incapable of understanding what he needed to do to sell it, and the Volvo was perfect for the day to day driving I do, at a price that was excellent.

I would agree with Sean that the ride could be better, but round here the roads are so bad it makes not one jot of difference for most of my driving - the Citroens barely cope, so a lot of rubber helps alloy longevity. It's about the only compromise I forced on myself, as I decided after lots of money spent that my obsession with ride perfection was getting me no joy. On a six hour drive the other day (accident causing M40 shutdown) the seats were so supportive I had no lower back twinges, the first time I can recall in any car bar the SM.

 

[trapperjohn]

It was 210 miles and John tested the ability to sleep on those splendid seats not once but twice, entirely successfully.

Very rude of me Charles but what seats. Sumptuous I think is the word.

 

[Charles Morgan]

A remarkably polite friend of mine once remarked when I apologised for sleeping through a journey that he took it as a compliment to his driving. I do too!