The Auto Writer

Whether the Ford Motor Company keeps Volvo or not isn’t having any impact on new products being developed by the Swedish automaker. At least it appears to be that way.

Volvo continues to plan for the future no matter what its long term fate is within Ford’s global empire. To that end, Volvo is rolling out a pair of 2.4-liter turbo diesel engines, powerplants which should help the brand remain competitive, especially in the European marketplace. Volvo says that both engines are available in the Volvo S80, Volvo V70, Volvo XC60 and Volvo XC70 beginning this Spring.

“This is yet another step in our determination to reduce the combustion engine’s environmental impact, at the same time as we give customers truly quiet and sophisticated engines with excellent performance,” says Derek Crabb, Vice President, Powertrain Engineering at Volvo Cars.

According to Volvo, the performance and driveability requirements in the high-performance D5-engine have been solved with twin turbochargers of different sizes that operate in sequence to provide added power within a broader rev range. The result is alert response and rapid acceleration at all speeds, with very smooth power delivery between the turbo ranges.

This twin-turbo technology in the D5 has also made it possible to introduce higher levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) across a wider rev range than before. This harnesses the two turbochargers’ different properties optimally to deliver a combination of high performance and low fuel consumption that is bidding for the title of best in class.

The advanced fuel injection technology uses piezoelectric fuel injectors. This provides precise distribution of the atomized fuel in the combustion chamber, resulting in efficient combustion and low emissions. At the same time, this technology and the efficient combustion create a pleasant sound bearing a closer resemblance to the elegant note of a six-cylinder petrol engine.

The two new diesel engines share a number of technology solutions. The engines have lower compression, more efficient combustion and the latest generation of engine management. Volvo Cars’ powertrain experts have reduced internal friction and pump losses in the diesel engines. The pressure drop in the intake and exhaust system has also been significantly reduced.

Volvo’s U.S. sales were down 31.3% in 2008, just above the average for all Ford Motor Company brands.  Up to recently, most analysts believed that luxury car buyers were immune to the vagaries of the economy, but that idea has been proven wrong.

Source: Volvo Media