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Volvo's Geneva-bound concept wagon looks sexy in a raincoat

Volvo is set to complete its concept car trilogy at the next month's Geneva Motor Show with the debut of its Concept Estate, the followup to its Concept Coupe from the Frankfurt Motor Show and Concept XC Coupe from the Detroit Auto Show. We've been looking forward to its Swiss debut, and now some teaser images of the Concept Estate have been uncovered... on the website of a raincoat seller?
Yes, Swedish raincoat maker Stutterheim has apparently been commissioned by Volvo to build a high-quality car cover for its Geneva concept, and the fabricator's website shows off some of the details of the long-roofed design study. From what we can see, it looks like the Concept Estate is more shooting brake than traditional wagon. Also, it's brown. So basically, Volvo has built the ultimate car for auto journalists.
Joking aside, the images show off more than a few of the design traits we've seen on Volvo's two previous concept cars. A wide, rectangular grille and lowercase-B-shaped taillights are both noticeable in these teasers, but we can't see much more than that.

Best places to get your car maintained and repaired

In this era of rampant inflation and high interest rates, the challenges of acquiring a car or SUV have been well documented. And so it has never been more important to protect that expensive investment by maintaining it. In recent months, Autoblog has shared Consumer Reports' evaluation of the least and most expensive car brands to keep running, as well as tips to prolong a car’s useful life. Especially since the pandemic, a number of factors have impacted these costs: more complex vehicles, new materials and manufacturing methods, a shortage of qualified technicians and replacement parts. Since 2022, repairs costs have jumped each year by about 10 percent. This month, Consumer Reports is offering a useful primer on keeping your ride in great shape, suggesting what might be the best options for searching out a repair shop, depending, as CR says, “on your car and your situation.” Author Ben Preston identifies three basic types of repair facilities: dealership service departments, independently owned repair shops, and chain repair shops. Building up trust with a specific shop and feeling comfortable going there is important. Preston quotes John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at Consumer ReportsÂ’ Auto Test Center: "You might be able to save a few bucks by going to whichever shop offers the cheapest prices, but if you want consistent, reliable service, itÂ’s best to find a repair shop you trust and stick with it,” Ibbotson says. The story goes on to evaluate each type of service facility. HereÂ’s a breakdown of CRÂ’s findings: Dealerships These work well for owners of newer cars, especially for covered warranty work. But the disadvantage is the high labor rates common to dealer service. Satisfaction ratings for dealer service departments range from very good (Acura, Lexus, Mazda, and Volvo) to not-so-good (Jeep and Kia). Dealers are best for: Fixing infotainment system glitches: "If the screen in the center of your dash has a habit of freezing up, or the touchscreen-activated climate controls arenÂ’t working, the dealership is the most likely place to find someone with the know-how to fix problems that maybe only a factory-authorized technician can access," Ibbotson says. Safety system recalibration: "Anything from a crack in your windshield to a minor fender dent can upset the calibration of the sensors that make features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control work," says Ibbotson.

2024 Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge add RWD, bigger battery pack

Volvo revealed rear-wheel-drive versions of its C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge for Europe a few months ago, but mum was the word on U.S. availability. That changes today, as Volvo just debuted a host of updates and changes coming to the electric SUVs sold here. The big, new offering is that both the 2024 C40 Recharge and 2024 XC40 Recharge will be available in entry-level rear-wheel-drive models. Volvo developed a new and more efficient 248 horsepower electric motor that will sit on the rear axle for these models. The battery pack is also updated to be more energy dense, so it’s now an 82 kilowatt-hour pack instead of a 78 kWh pack. Combine the more efficient motor with the bigger battery pack, and range skyrockets past the old AWD models. In this RWD configuration, the 2024 C40 Recharge is EPA-rated for 297 miles of range, and the XC40 Recharge at 293 miles.  Additionally, the charging experience should be greatly improved, as Volvo says itÂ’s upgraded the maximum charge speed to 200 kW instead of the 150 kW it could manage previously. A 10-80% charge should now take approximately 28 minutes instead of the 40 minutes Volvo estimated previously. ThatÂ’s going to make a big difference if youÂ’re road tripping with multiple stops. The dual-motor AWD version of both cars are getting some updates, too. Instead of the identical motors on the front and rear axle, Volvo is putting its new 248 horsepower motor on the rear and a lower power 147 horsepower motor on the front axle. That front motor is only engaged when itÂ’s needed, so Volvo says this updated AWD model will be more efficient than before. Unfortunately, both the C40 and XC40 Recharge AWD models will retain the old 78 kWh battery pack. This also means theyÂ’re saddled with the slower 150 kW charge speed. That said, the efficiency improvements from the new electric motor setup means range increases anyway. It goes up by 31 miles for the C40 Recharge to 257 miles, and by 21 miles for the XC40 Recharge to 254 miles. Other updates to the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge models include a new 19-inch aero wheel option, more paint colors and additional exterior themes to choose from. Updated pricing is not yet available. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.