1992 Volvo 740 Turbo Red Wagon on 2040-cars

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Volvo at CES announces Ride Pilot autonomy coming to California, deeper Google integration

Volvo just made a number of technology announcements at this year’s CES. We learned more about the companyÂ’s efforts toward autonomy, and in the near term, VolvoÂ’s infotainment system is getting some noteworthy updates. WeÂ’ll start with autonomy, and the system that Volvo is calling “Ride Pilot.” Volvo says itÂ’s working with the autonomous driving software company Zenseact and Luminar to bring more autonomy to its future vehicles. Today, it announced that the “Ride Pilot” system that will ultimately arise from this collaboration will first be offered to customers in California before rolling it out in other regions. Volvo is limiting initial use to California, because it says "the climate, traffic conditions and regulatory framework provide a favorable environment for the introduction of autonomous driving." The system will take full control of the car when it's on. That means the driver can do what they want, not limited to reading, writing or working, Volvo says. "The name ‘Ride PilotÂ’ implies what the driver can expect: when the car is driving on its own, Volvo Cars takes responsibility for the driving, offering the driver comfort and peace of mind," Volvo explains. ItÂ’ll be available as an add-on subscription service to a fully electric SUV that will be revealed later this year. How much it will cost per month or per year is still a mystery, but you wonÂ’t be able to factor it in with the standard purchase price of the vehicle. Said EV will be equipped with five radars, eight cameras and sixteen ultrasonic sensors. Testing for the above autonomy system is set to take place in California by the middle of this year, and itÂ’s already ongoing in Sweden and across Europe. Only once Volvo says it's verified for use on highways will this feature be available to subscribe to. Volvo does not provide a year estimate on the initial rollout. Google and Android Automotive update Volvo cars with the Google-based Android Automotive infotainment system will soon be integrated with the Google Home ecosystem and Google Assistant-enabled devices. This should give you greater ability to control your car with any Google Assistant device in your home. You could theoretically set charging scheduling (for an EV or PHEV), lock your doors or start the car via voice command — for more sensitive commands like unlocking the car, Volvo says it will require a two-factor authentication.

Junkyard Gem: 1987 Volvo 760 GLE Sedan

When Volvo finally created a replacement for the iconic 200 Series (which first appeared here as 1975 models but were virtually identical to their 140 predecessors from the A pillar back), that car was the 700 Series. As it turned out, the 240 was so beloved that it ended up outlasting its supposed successor in the showrooms, but the 740, 760 and 780 earned respectable sales worldwide. The first of the 700s to arrive in the United States were 760 sedans and wagons, with sales beginning in the 1983 model year and the cheaper 740 showing up for 1984. We saw a 760 Turbo sedan in a Colorado car graveyard last year, and now here's a naturally-aspirated 760 sedan in a Northern California yard. The middle digit in Volvo model names represented the number of engine cylinders in earlier years, so you knew a 164 would have a straight-six under its hood, while a 264 boasted a V6. That rule got bent with the 700, so the 740 Turbo had a four-cylinder (presumably, turbocharging made up for the missing two pistons).  In this case, though, there really are six cylinders present. This is a 2.8-liter version of the PRV V6 engine, which was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo and used to power an incredible variety of European vehicles plus a handful from Detroit. PRVs went into the DeLorean DMC-12, the Volvo 262C Bertone Coupe, the Alpine A310, the Citroen XM and the Eagle Premier/Dodge Monaco. Because the PRV design began as a V8 (that, sadly, never went into production), it has a V8-style 90° cylinder-bank angle. This one was rated at 145 horsepower and 173 pound-feet. There was a version of the 760 available with a straight-six engine as well: the 760 Turbodiesel, which used a Volkswagen-sourced 2.4-liter oil-burner making 106 horsepower and 140 pound-feet. 1986 was the last model year for that car in the United States. There was no manual transmission available in the 760 by 1987, so this car has the four-speed automatic. The MSRP for this car was $28,290, or about $78,304 in 2023 dollars. You got a sunroof at no extra cost. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Perfect for off-roading! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Who needs rebates? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The wagon version held eight very large dogs.

Turn up your speakers for this Shelby-powered Sunbeam Tiger and friends

Most of us are never going to be like Jay Leno and drive a new car every day. However, it's possibly affordable to collect a handful of vintage rides, especially if you look a touch off the beaten path. In recent video, Petrolicious highlights Hans Abrahams, who is doing just that. He has three 1960s, European classics that love to be driven.
The absolute star of the trio is a 1966 Sunbeam Tiger. In the cabin, it has the meaty growl of a muscle car, but outside it has a little of the raspiness of period European cars. Abrahams says its mostly original except for its Ford 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8 with Shelby parts, producing around 273 horsepower. He says it's a bit difficult to maintain and hard to keep cool, but when you hear it, you know the trouble is worth it.
Next up, is Abrahams' 1965 MGB that is a bit of a monster in its own right. It lacks the Tiger's oomph under the hood, but it's loud enough to blow out Petrolicious' microphone. It's still a very cool little roadster.