2000 Volvo V40 Base Wagon 4-door 1.9l on 2040-cars

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2024 Volvo EX90 SUV revealed as forward-looking electric flagship

STOCKHOLM — Volvo has unveiled its EX90 electric three-row SUV in Stockholm, Sweden, representing the future of the brand with a focus on sustainability, safety and technology-driven design. The EX90 will be offered with two twin-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain options. The first offers a total of 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds. The performance version is good for a heaping 496 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque, and 0-60 shrinks to 4.7 seconds. Its 111-kilowatt-hour battery (107-kWh usable), supplied by CATL, will provide up to 300 miles from a full charge, replenishable at a DC fast charger from 10-80% in 30 minutes at a peak charging rate of 250 kW. It will feature bi-directional charging, allowing the EX90 to supply electricity to your home, appliances or another Volvo EV. As far as size, the EX90 is 198.3 inches in overall length, eclipsing the XC90 by 3.3 inches in length with an identical 117.5-inch wheelbase. On the exterior, we see the Hammer of Thor daytime lights with a vertical bar below representing the lightning strike of the hammer. The horizontal lighting opens up like eyelids tto reveal the nighttime lights behind them. Up top, the lidar unit is prominent, but artfully blended into the black of the roof. The 22-inch wheels feature aerodynamic inserts that reduce turbulence; 20- and 21-inch wheels will also be available. The door handles rise to greet you when you approach with your digital key — your phone — from 30 feet away. The rear lights borrow their vertical signature from the C40. In all, the design is very "Scandinavian," meaning clean, inspired by nature and harmonious with technology, as Volvo design head Robin Page explained to us. True to the Volvo brand, safety is paramount. The EX90 utilizes cameras, radar and lidar, along with Nvidia-powered software, to take stock of the vehicleÂ’s surroundings, as well as the driverÂ’s gaze and attention, to help keep the occupants safe. The lidar can detect objects ahead to centimeter accuracy from 250 meters (about 820 feet) away in glaring sun or total darkness, Volvo says. Volvo describes the EX90 as “a highly advanced computer on wheels” with the ability to improve over time thanks to over-the-air software updates.

Dealers mobilize to protect their margins from automaker subscription services

Six individual auto brands — Lincoln, Cadillac, Porsche, Mercedes, BMW and Volvo — have established or are trialing a vehicle subscription service in the U.S. Three third-party companies — Flexdrive, Clutch and Carma — run brand-agnostic subscription services. And three automakers — Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and General Motors — have also launched short-term rental services. Dealers, afraid of how these trends might affect their margins, are building political and lawmaking campaigns to protect their revenue streams. So far, three states are investigating automaker subscriptions, and Indiana has banned any such service until next year. It's certain that those three states are the first fronts in a long political and legal battle. Powerful dealer franchise laws mandate the existence of dealers and restrict how automakers are allowed to interact with customers to sell a vehicle. On top of that, Bob Reisner, CEO of Nassau Business Funding & Services, said, "Dealers and their associations are among the strongest political operators in many states. They as a group are difficult for state politicians to vote against." In California earlier this year, the state Assembly debated a bill with wide-ranging provisions to protect against what the California New Car Dealers Association called "inappropriate treatment of dealers by manufacturers." One of those provisions stipulated that subscription services need to go through dealers, but that item got stripped out when dealers and manufacturers agreed to discuss the matter further. In Indiana, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a moratorium on all subscription programs by dealers or manufacturers until May 1, 2019, to give legislators more time to investigate. Dealers in New Jersey have taken their campaign to the state capitol, asking that the cars in subscription programs get a different classification for registration purposes. Automakers run the current subscription services and own the vehicles. Sign-ups and financial transactions happen online or through apps, leaving dealers to do little more than act as fulfillment centers to various degrees, with little legal recourse as to compensation amounts when they're called on to deliver or service a car. That's a bad base to build on for business owners who've sunk millions of dollars into their operations.

Autoblog Minute: Finalists announced for 2016 Tech of the Year award

Here are the finalists for Autoblog's 2016 Technology of the Year award. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute, with commentary from Autoblog executive producer Adam Morath, AutoblogGreen editor-in-chief Sebastian Blanco, and Autoblog senior editor Alex Kierstein. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] It's Fall here in Detroit and for us that means it's time for football, autumn beers, and the fourth annual Autoblog Tech of the Year awards. I'm Chris McGraw and this is your Autoblog Minute. Tech of the Year is one of our favorite things here at Autoblog. It's a time when we get celebrate all the best tech from the industry we love most. [00:00:30] - [00:01:00] [Commentary form Adam Morath, Sebastian Blanco, Alex Kierstein] Past winners include, Tesla's Supercharger network, FCA's Uconnect system and the BMW i8. In 2016 we're doing something a little different for Tech of the Year. We've separated our award into two categories. One award for best tech car, and a second award for best technology of the year. The nominees for best car in 2016 are: [00:01:30] the Tesla Model S, the Chevrolet Volt, and the BMW 7 series. The nominees for best tech in 2016 are: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Volkswagen's MiB II with AppConnect, Ford Sync 3, Audi's Virtual Cockpit, the Smart Cross Connect App, and Volvo Sensus. [00:02:00] We're going to announce Autoblog's Tech of the Year winners in January at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. For Autoblog, I'm Chris McGraw. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Green BMW Chevrolet Ford Hummer smart Tesla Volkswagen Volvo Technology Infotainment Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video