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Volvo V50 - Sportswagon with driving pleasure & also on winter roads

17 January 2005

• Compact car with high performance and excellent driving pleasure
• All-Wheel Drive gives more stable and predictable winter characteristics
• TRACS and DSTC give enhanced driving properties
• Chassis with pliant, dependable driving characteristics

The Volvo V50 is a compact sportswagon offering excellent driving pleasure. Powerful transverse in-line engines and a well-matched chassis offer performance and driving manners worthy of a sportswagon, not least in combination with All-Wheel Drive.

The top-of-the-line model in the V50 range is the four-wheel-drive, turbocharged Volvo V50 T5 AWD. It has a five-cylinder, 2.5-litre petrol engine with a light-pressure turbocharger. Turbo technology produces exceptional torque from low to high revs. The high, flat torque curve ensures excellent acceleration. The manifold and turbo unit in the T5 engine have been cast together in high-alloy cast steel which is particularly heat resistant (to 1,050°C). It therefore requires less conventional cooling with petrol. As a result, the engine can be run on a leaner fuel mixture, resulting in lower fuel consumption and emissions, especially when driving at highway speeds. The T5 engine offers a maximum output of 220 bhp and 320 Nm of torque.

Gearbox from the R models
The T5 engine can be mated to the same six-speed manual gearbox that was developed for the Volvo S60 R and V70 R. The six gears are spread out to combine swift acceleration with high top speed. The gearbox features triple synchromesh and an extremely distinct gearchanging pattern.

Increased driving pleasure with All-Wheel Drive
With the Volvo V50 T5 AWD, Volvo can now offer All-Wheel Drive in the compact segment too. "We want to give our customers the widest possible range of choices irrespective of car size," Peter Ewerstrand, project manager of the V50. "And here they get a car that is highly entertaining to drive and that has many of the features normally only associated with larger cars. There's plenty of driving pleasure even on demanding winter roads, since the car is so stable in its behaviour" The four-wheel drive system used here is similar to that found on Volvo's larger AWD models. Engine power is distributed automatically between the front and rear wheels with the help of an extremely fast-responding electrically operated hydraulic clutch from Haldex. It can transmit maximum torque to the rear wheels even before the front wheels have time to rotate a quarter of a revolution. This instant engagement and disengagement contributes to consistent and stable road manners on all types of surface. The AWD system's added weight over the rear wheels also helps boost stability.

TRACS for easier starting
The AWD system is combined with the Traction Control System (TRACS), which aids starts on slippery surfaces by braking any wheel that starts spinning. TRACS operates independently on the front and rear axles. The AWD model sits somewhat higher off the ground than a front-wheel drive V50, since the propeller shaft requires more space between the chassis and body. A stiffer anti-roll bar and altered damper settings compensate for the somewhat higher centre of gravity, helping to maintain the car's dynamic properties. "The T5 engine and All-Wheel Drive boost the V50 model's sporty nature still further," says Peter Ewerstrand. "With its combination of high performance and smooth road manners, even winter driving can be a truly enjoyable and pleasant experience."

DSTC provides added driving safety The Volvo V50 is also equipped with Dynamic Stability and Traction Control System (DSTC). Put simply, DSTC compares the car's ideal behaviour with the actual situation at any given moment in time. By registering the steering angle, the car's lateral acceleration, the speed of the wheels and the yaw angle, DSTC can quickly discover every deviation from the ideal and adjust its course.
. If the car understeers in a curve, the throttle is reduced and inner wheels are braked to bring the car back onto the desired course.
. In the event of oversteering, the outer front wheel is braked to prevent the rear of the car from swinging out.

Chassis with the properties of a large car
The Volvo V50 has been developed in the same spirit as the Volvo S60 and Volvo S80. The experience acquired from the advanced Volvo S60 R and V70 R has also helped to form the basis for this new compact model. "We wanted to produce a sportswagon with the right driving experience," explains Peter Ewerstrand. "Driving pleasure with responsive, stable road performance as the starting point." The five-cylinder powertrain laid the foundation for the model's large-car behaviour. Independent wheel suspension with a multilink system at the rear produces a superb combination of comfort and consistent driving characteristics. The wide track and long wheelbase also contribute to the car's reassuring behaviour. Front suspension geometry has been carefully balanced to provide quick, precise steering response, thereby enhancing the sporty appeal. The steering is electro-hydraulic, with light, distinct and controlled steering feedback.

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