Just looking at the Volvos on the road today, things are moving for this company. Who remembers the boxy 850 and 960 sedan of the late 1990s? Even the tailpipes were square. Nowadays, you look around and see very forward thinking designs and concepts that could even be labeled as exciting. Take for example, the V50 wagon. Swoopy lines. Big wheels. Good proportions. Pleasing on the eyes. The fact that they’re based on a Mazda chassis might have something to do with its success. Reminds me a lot of the last-gen Audi A4 wagons.
Next we have the Euro-bound only C30 hatchback coupe with striking similarities to the Audi TT. Again, this doesn’t look like something Volvo would have come with only 10 years ago. Personally, I like it and I wish more high-dollar car co’s would embrace this type of next-gen styling.
All this is great but it makes me wonder about Volvo’s strategy into the next decade. Previously, Volvo was all about safety – and they accomplished this by building cars inspired by Dessert Storm tank design. It seems that Volvo has gone a complete 180-degree and focused on cars having more go and more show. Is safety and sassy styling compatible? Or is Volvo having an identity crisis that left unchecked, could potentially upset the entire Volvo brand line?
The Six Speed Transmission 
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