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Volvo Unveils Two Hot New Concepts At The 2005 SEMA Show

3 November 2005

Volvo Cars of North America, (VCNA) has revealed two exciting new concept cars at the 2005 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, continuing a trend established in recent years.

The two cars explore the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of just how far vehicle design may be pushed. Painted a glittering Saffron colour reminiscent of a desert sunset, the 'XC70 AT' (All Terrain) takes the production Volvo XC70 to the off-road extreme. The second car, a 'T6 Roadster' takes Volvo to the drag strip with its 1930s inspired body, wide tyres and low beltline.

XC70 AT
The XC70 AT is inspired by the legendary, tough off-road Baja race. It features the 2.5-litre,5-cylinder turbo engine that is normally found in the high performance V70 R. But where the V70 R makes an impressive 300 bhp, the XC70 AT, with its Garrett GT2835R turbocharger and ipd/MTE Stage III software upgrade makes 408 bhp at 6,200 rpm. Keeping the hot-blooded engine cool is an Aquamist in-cylinder intercooling system and an extra large top-mounted intercooler. Low restriction 3-inch stainless steel exhaust pipes emit a husky sound.

Producing an amazing 398 lb-ft of torque at a low 4,000 rpm, the XC70 AT uses the same 6-speed automatic transmission that is standard in the XC90 V8 (available in USA) and the 2006 V70 R. Making sure all four wheels get the most of the broad torque curve is Volvo’s fully automatic all-wheel-drive system by Haldex with Instant Traction.

The XC70 AT takes Volvo's Four-C active chassis to the next level with a custom fully independent air ride suspension offering 4-inches of adjustability via dash-mounted buttons. Add in a 4-inch lift kit and the XC70 AT can ride up to 8 inches higher than the standard production Volvo XC70. To keep body roll in check, 25 mm front and 28 mm rear anti-roll bars have been fitted.

Additional accessories include a 1,000 watt generator, high-lift jack, spare jerry can and tyre and remote exterior battery terminal connections.

T6 Roadster
Has Volvo gone mad? Perhaps. But that's about the only word to describe the hand-built hotrod based on Volvo components from a car manufacturer more widely known for safety and functionality.

Built entirely by hand, the T6 Roadstar uses original Volvo parts including a twin-turbocharged 2.9 litre in-line 6-cylinder engine borrowed from an S80 executive saloon.

Where you find the engine, however, isn't under the bonnet. It's in the back, located just behind the supportive leather bucket seats that were also lifted from a Volvo S80. The gearbox is a 5-speed Geartronic transmission that sends the power to the rear wheels. To help keep the engine cool, the rear decklid automatically lifts when a preset temperature is reached inside the engine compartment. Up front is a small compartment containing the mechanicals for the functioning ABS brakes and the top-notch audio equipment.

The custom fabricated tubular steel frame was hand formed and utilises rear subframes from the donor S80. Braking is handled via 6-piston callipers and 330 mm discs while the rear discs are carried over from the Volvo S80. The front wheels are 8.5 inches wide and 20 inches in diameter, the rears are a full 10 inches wide and 22 inches in diameter.

Inside, the T6 Roadster looks as if it rolled off the Volvo factory line in Torslanda, Sweden. Aside from the seats, the instruments, headrests, gearshift handle and pedal assembly can all be found in the Volvo S80. A steering wheel from a Volvo S60 adds a sporty look, while the instrument panel has been hand fabricated to locate the gauges centrally in the passenger compartment.

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