Iconic Volvos that advanced technology and design

Volvo C30 added a dash of sportiness and quirky design to the brand. The sporty hatchback was named Car of the Year-Philippines in 2007.

MANILA, Philippines–Volvo recently marked its 20th year in the Philippines under the distributorship of Scandinavian Motors Corp. (SMC). Volvo has been at the forefront of automotive safety and technology, and SMC had been quick to bring in the latest models from the Swedish brand.

SMC has announced an anniversary promotion. It’s offering a P200,000 cash discount on the Volvo S60 T4, S60 D4 Lux and XC60. The S60 T5 and XC90 are available with a 20-percent cash discount. Special lease offers and other promotions are also available, with the Volvo V40 T4 Advantage coming in at under P2 million.

As Volvo celebrates 20 years in the Philippines, we take a look at some of the memorable cars that have borne the Iron logo on its grille:

850 (1994)

The 850 was the very first car launched by Volvo Philippines in 1994. The 850 embodied technology espoused by the brand: a transverse inline-five cylinder engine, front wheel drive and axle-type rear suspension.

Volvo has always been keen on safety, and so the 850 was advertised as having an integrated side-impact protection system. Turbocharged engines followed, as did a very attractive wagon version.

XC70

The Volvo XC90 was an SUV that families grew to love the more they used it.

The “Cross Country” version of the V70 wagon was, appropriately, a cross between a wagon and a SUV. With raised ground clearance, bigger tires and a grippy all-wheel-drive system, the XC70 provided the comfort of a premium wagon with the mild offroad capabilities of an SUV. Its turbocharged inline-five engine provided plenty of thrust, which the all-wheel-drive system effectively put to the road.

S40 T4 (1997)

One of the last boxy Volvos, the compact sedan was the first to use the new company nomenclature: S for sedan, and 40 denoting the size. The S40 gave of a hint of the new, non-boxy styling favored by new designer Peter Horbury.

The S40 offered good value versus the German competition even if the chassis wasn’t quite as sophisticated. The T4 did have one ace up its sleeve: a high-pressure, 2-liter turbo engine that outputted an even 200 horsepower with 300 Newton-meters of torque, quite impressive at that time. True to Volvo form, there was also a wagon version.

C30 (2003)

Though we’d rather forget its association with a certain twinkly vampire, the C30 coupe did raise the company’s profile with the younger set. The compact car was sleek and stylish, even managing to integrate a daring all-glass hatchback. The C30 impressed even the local journalists, as it bagged that year’s Car of the Year-Philippines Award.

C70 (2007)

For their next coupe, Volvo penned the midsize C70, a car that could comfortably fit four adults. The C70 was both coupe and convertible, a retractable hardtop allowing it to change from being an open-air tourer to being as secure as a sedan. The car was first designed as a coupe, and then changes were made to allow it to lose its top. Italian design firm Pininfarina helped with the styling.

XC60 (2010)

The XC60 was one of the first cars developed after Volvo’s separation from Ford. Significantly, the XC60 advanced the brand further in technology and design.

The boxy 850 was the first car launched by Volvo Philippines.

The organic styling makes it one of the better looking compact SUVs around, and its adoption of features such as emergency self-braking have made it one of the safer offerings in the class.

S60 T5 (2010)

The S60 bears a strong family resemblance to the XC60, and carries the same safety technology. The S60 T6 goes for high performance, with a 306-HP turbocharged engine, and 400 Nm on tap. The car feels quick and confident.

In the best company tradition, the S60 was rated the safest in its class by the US Institute for Highway Safety in its severe frontal crash test, getting a good rating where its German rivals all rated poorly.