2002 Volvo S80 2.9l I6 on 2040-cars

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BMW can't build enough M3 wagons, but the U.S. won't see any

Why, oh why, won’t the automobile companies that supposedly cater to Americans give us a viable touring wagon? Seems that BMW is one manufacturer thatÂ’s aware of the question, but skirts the answer. WhatÂ’s more frustrating is that the German company, and others, have for years been off-handedly tossing out the same refrain: “Maybe weÂ’ll bring a wagon back to the U.S.” Not. All the more irritating then is the news that the Bavarians have increased production in Munich of its M3 Touring longroof version to keep up with demand. The information comes via Bimmer Today, which spoke with BMW M CEO Frank van Meel. He said that the company was surprised by the amount of interest in the M3 Touring since its debut during last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. In fact, he said, the company had to facilitate a production ramp-up within its Munich facility. Despite that increased production, the backlog of orders means that customers are still on wait lists, he said. Last year, van Peel admitted that demand for M-wagons in the U.S. has been steadily increasing, and exporting a touring example was a concept BMW was "taking into consideration.” Crossovers certainly are this decadeÂ’s version of the wagon, which leaves American enthusiasts will few choices: only expensive versions from Audi, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz and a couple of others. Details that were announced last year — a few months before the wagon went into production for sale in Europe, the U.K. and elsewhere — noted that the M3 Touring was only available in Competition spec with xDrive all-wheel drive and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six with 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Pricing started at GBP80,550 ($105,000 U.S.) More data on the M3Â’s intro here. Related video:

Next-generation Volvo XC90 could wear the Embla nameplate

Volvo's next-generation XC90 will have a lot of firsts on its resume. It will inaugurate an evolution of the modular SPA2 platform that underpins the current model, it will be available with a new suite of driver assistance features, and it will reportedly adopt the Embla name. Citing a trademark application filed in Europe in 2021, British magazine Autocar believes it has uncovered the big SUV's new name. While a trademark or a patent filing is never a guarantee that a feature, a name or a car is right around the corner, we know that Volvo plans to ditch its alphanumerical naming system in the near future to start giving its cars real names. "We're going to give cars a name as you give a newborn child," explained outgoing company boss Hakan Samuelsson. He also confirmed the next XC90's name will start with a vowel. Embla, your author just learned, is the first woman created by the gods according to Norse mythology. Its etymology is seemingly lost to history. It appears that Volvo wants to build on the Thor's Hammer lights and continue putting its Swedish heritage front and center. Viewed in that light, Embla is a relatively good choice. It's reasonably easy to pronounce, even for folks outside of Scandinavia, and it's original; it's likely not a name that you hear on a daily basis. It's also relatively soft — Volvo Yggdrasil Recharge arguably has less of a ring to it.  Unofficial morsels of information allow us to piece together a vague idea of what to expect from the Embla. We hear the SUV will be loosely related to the Concept Recharge design study (pictured) that Volvo introduced in November 2021. If that's accurate, it won't look anything like the model that's currently in showrooms. It will be longer, higher off the ground, and built on a much longer wheelbase. Details about the powertrain are conflicting: some sources say the Embla will be entirely electric, while others believe it will also be available as a hybrid. Volvo is expected to unveil the Embla before the end of 2022, and the crossover will arrive in showrooms as either a 2023 or a 2024 model. An earlier report claims that production will take place near Charleston, South Carolina, where the firm currently builds the S60 sedan. And, to complete the history lesson: the first man created by the gods in Norse mythology was named Ask.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volvo and Polestar Range Assistant app promises more range for EVs

Volvo and Polestar just released a new app for their EVs that promises to help optimize driving range. It’s called “Range Assistant,” and itÂ’s coming as an over-the-air update to the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2. The Volvo C40 Recharge will have it built into the car from the factory. ItÂ’s exclusive to EVs and Volvo/Polestar products running the Android Automotive infotainment system. Volvo says the app has a range-optimizer functionality that automatically adjusts the climate control to improve range. ItÂ’ll also coach drivers with driving style and speed recommendations to increase range on longer trips. The app also comes with passive forms of range improvements. Volvo claims itÂ’ll help better manage battery and regeneration performance. Plus, it has a “smarter timer to precondition the batteries.” For example, when you input a charging destination into Google Maps, the car will automatically precondition the batteries to be ready for maximum charging speed by the time you arrive. ThereÂ’s more data for the driver to scan, too, as Volvo provides greater detail on the available range and real-time energy consumption. Volvo doesnÂ’t put a number or percentage on the range increase that drivers may experience with this new app, but does claim that range will go up because of it. In addition to the new app, Volvo says this latest OTA update includes “further improvements on the safety systems, new information about cold climate impact on battery range and various bug fixes.”  The app is scheduled to be rolled out to the applicable vehicles by the end of October. Its functionality will come baked into the complimentary four-year Volvo Care Package that all Volvo EVs automatically get. Of course, after those four years, youÂ’ll be on the hook for the data connection cost and package fee. Note that the Range Assistant appears to be tied up into this package, and while it wonÂ’t incur a separate fee, youÂ’ll need it and the data connection to take advantage of it after so many years. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.