I mentioned the center stack just a minute ago, and have to admit to falling head over heals for its design. I'm a big-time stereo buff, having owned amps made by Bryston, Carver, Marantz, McIntosh, and Onkyo, tape decks by Akai, Denon and Nakamichi, speaker systems by Boston Acoustics, Mordaunt-Short, Tannoy, and turntables by Dual, Linn, Oracle, Technics, and yes, Bang & Olufson. While the B&O table was nowhere near the equal to the others when it came to sound quality, its styling was far superior when compared to all but the Oracle for stunning houseguests.
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The S40's stunning center stack not only looks great, but is also very functional. (Photo: Volvo Cars of Canada) |
The S40's B&O inspired floating center stack not only looks sensational, but integrates every needful thing into a well thought out, user friendly interface that looks ready to pop out as a removable remote. It doesn't release, something I'm quite sure of after spending more than enough time looking for a likely button, which is probably a good thing considering my ability keeping remotes within striking distance of my home audiovisual system. Besides, Volvo includes steering wheel mounted controls.
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First and foremost the little Volvo is quick off the line in either base or top-line trim. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
With audio in mind, Volvo regularly pulls together some of the industry's best components resulting in systems superior to those found in the majority of its rivals. The young-at-heart S40 is no exception. A multi-disc changer came with my test car, delivering stellar sound reproduction.
But here I am talking audio when I really should be sharing more about the S40's driving dynamics. First and foremost the little Volvo is quick off the line in either base or top-line trim. The starter motor is a zippy 2.4-liter inline 5-cylinder producing a healthy 168-hp and 166 lb-ft of torque. While this doesn't sound like much compared to some of the V6s currently available in middle-of-the-road Asian sedans, it's a lot of power for a car that weighs in at just 1,398 kilos (3,082 pounds), automatic transmission included.