Swedish plant tools up for next 50 years

A Volvo agency rep, on the one hand, was excited by my emphasis in last weekend’s review that the new V60 sportswagon comes right out of the old Torslanda factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. That cheers longtime Volvo faithful, who aren’t certain where lies the future of the Swedish company.

On the other hand, said Malena Silva, while near the end of the column I correctly attributed a quote, “Our Swedish heart is beating strongly,” to Volvo North America CEO John Maloney, it wasn’t made clear that Maloney has since been replaced as CEO by Tony Nicolosi.

Okay, it is now.

The Torslanda plant, which has housed Volvo headquarters, has produced more than 6.8 million cars in its 50 years of operation.

Rolling off the line on opening of the factory in 1964 was the Volvo Amazon, followed shortly by the P1800 sports car, which today is a sought-after classic. Production of the Volvo 140 began in the fall of 1966.

Torslanda launched in 1974 a sensible, safe, sturdy model which would identify Volvo Car Corporation ’round the world for 20 years – the 240. In August 1979, I reviewed in The Post the ’79 Volvo 242GT, with which “thicker-than-standard front and rear stabilizer bars and stiffer springs have isolated most road harshness away from the steering feel.” A turbocharged version was added to the 240 line in the early 1980s and the 760 showed up in 1982.

Torslanda tooled up for an all-new vehicle in 1991 – the Volvo 850. It was the first Swedish-developed, front-wheel-drive Volvo ever, and was equipped with a transversely mounted 5-cylinder engine. Also produced at the factory were the 940 and 960, larger and more traditional models.

Torslanda entered the modern era at the turn of the century with production runs for the S70, V70 and the luxurious S80 sedan. Based on the S80 technology, the XC70 was added and continues in popularity today.

Torslanda paid heed to the sport utility vehicle craze with launch of the XC90 in 2002. Fifteen thousand orders had been received before the first one came down the line.

Manufactured today at Torslanda are the S60, V60, V70, XC70, S80 and XC90. A redesigned XC90 will be added later this year.

Torslanda factory rolls on four years after Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co.

'14 VW Jetta TDI shows 40 mpg at 65 mph

Forty-miles-per-gallon consistency in highway cruising is a highlight of the torquey, 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower TDI engine in the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta; a bonus is its ability to kick down and conquer those big hills to the west of the city.

The clean-diesel performance exceeds that of most gas/electric hybrids among competitively sized compact sedans.

Cross-shopping of diesels and hybrids may not be prevalent today.

“Most of our TDI customers are dedicated diesel followers,” said Denise Dennis, general sales manager at Tynan’s Volkswsagen in Aurora, from where I picked up the Jetta review model.

Volkswagen TDI diesel engines date back into the 1990s and the German automaker has dominated sales of clean-diesel, light-duty automobile sales since.

The Jetta and its larger sibling, the Passat, are far ahead of the pack among diesel-equipped vehicles.

Through the first three months of this year, 8,151 Jetta TDI diesels have been sold in the U.S., followed by 7,769 Passats. Others of the top 10-selling diesels are the BMW 3-series with 2,179 sales, the BMW X5 with 1,553, Chevrolet Cruze 1,509, Audi Q5 1,424, Volkswagen Golf 1,267, Porsche Cayenne 1,180, BMW 5-series 1,098 and Mercedes ML 1,088.

Quite a lot is offered by the Jetta TDI compact four-door for its sticker price of $28,960.

Heading the amenities are an easy-to-use touch-screen navigation system and premium package of Fender audio, rearview camera, power sliding/tilting sunroof, push-button start, power driver seat and 17-inch alloy wheels with Continental ContiProContact 225/45R17 tires.

It also has front/front-side/curtain protection airbags and height-adjustable front safety belts, SiriusXM satellite radio/Bluetooth connectivity/iPod cable, air conditioning, trip computer, heated leatherette front seats, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power windows and mirrors, intermittent wipers and a first-aid kit in the trunk.

The front-wheel-drive Jetta with clean-diesel technology operates smoothly and quietly; the clatter of the engines and smokey exhausts are only bad memories of diesels of the past. The TDI engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and carries an EPA estimate of 30/42 mpg.

An improved independent rear suspension lends good ride and handling to the Jetta.

The Jetta is one of the roomiest of compact models in rear-seat space and its trunk is a large 15.5 cubic feet.

In addition to the TDI diesel version, the ’14 Jetta is available in gasoline editions of S, SE, SEL and GLI models. Beginning prices are around $18,000.

The Jetta’s overall length of 182.2 inches is among the longest of the compact segment. Other measurements are 183.9 for the Dodge Dart, 182.6 for Toyota Corolla, 182.1 for Nissan Sentra, 181 for Chevrolet Cruze, 179.4 for Honda Civic, 178.5 for Ford Focus and 178.3 for Hyundai Elantra.

For 2014, the Jetta’s standard 5-cylinder gas power has been replaced with a more spirited 1.8-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

The original VW Jetta, in 1980, was 15 inches shorter and considered a subcompact. I drove one, a four-door notchback, over Memorial Day weekend in 1980; it was priced at $8,065, weighed only 1,900 pounds and boasted a short turning circle of 31 feet. Its wheelbase was 94.4 inches, same as that of a Chevrolet Chevette.

A look back

In early May 35 years ago, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1979 Buick Electra Limited four-door sedan. Excerpts:

Even in its downsized form, the 1979 Buick Electra Limited is a very large automobile – on a wheelbase of 118.9 inches and 221.1 inches long. Only the Cadillac DeVille and Fleetwood are bigger among cars built by General Motors. Highest ratings for the Electra would be for its ride and handling, interior trim and fit, its luxury offerings and the steady response of its 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine with high-altitude emission system. Gas-mileage tests produced averages of 12.9 in town driving and 17.8 on the highway. Impressive optional items pushed the price of the Electra past $14,000 from a base of $8,402.15. Among the options are a CB-radio-clock package for $889 and an Astroroof for $998, automatic electric door locks, remote-control side mirrors with temperature on the left, custom wire wheel covers and white sidewall tires. Power steering, power brakes and power windows are all standard items. Trunk space is a wide 20.4 cubic feet and the fuel tank holds 25.3 gallons. With a weight of more than 3,900 pounds and automatic level control, the Electra’s ride is smooth, with little pitching or wallowing.

Denver sends Mustang to 50th festivities

Shortly before the Lexus IS250/350 sport sedan was chosen “Car of the Year” at last week’s Denver Auto Show, it was apparent that the event’s biggest attraction was the 2015 Ford Mustang.

The focus on the Mustang continued all over the country this past week, as Ford marked the 50th anniversary of the original pony car.

Jan and I sat in Lee Iacocca’s office in Beverly Hills last May with his assistant Norma Saken and listened to a just-recorded tribute to the iconic Mustang by Iacocca; the recording was released this past week as part of the anniversary celebration.

Under Iacocca’s direction, as an executive with Ford Motor Co., the 1965 Mustang was unveiled on April 17, 1965.

Kia’s display area dressed up by K900

Another star of Denver’s auto show was the 2015 Kia K900, an all-new rear-drive luxury sedan, which went on sale this month. The large, sleekly styled four-door looked almost out of place in the display area of Kia, known for 20 years for small, economical automobiles.

The K900 is impressive enough on the auto show circuit that it has been named by AutoTrader.com to its list of “Must Test Drive” vehicles.

AutoTrader.com said the K900 showed “unexpected amenities, outstanding design and tremendous value within its segment.”

Pricing of the Kia V-8, which went on sale this month, begins around $60,000.

Larry Miller staff lends day of service

Employees of six Larry H. Miller dealerships in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs are volunteering in their communities during the fifth year of a Miller Day of Service, an annual event honoring the late founder of the dealerships near his birthdate.

The team which volunteered at the Coalition for the Upper South Platte in Colorado Springs on Friday raked and reshaped the ground surface, reseeded native vegetation, mulched and installed log erosion control structures to the Waldo Canyon area, ravaged by fire in 2012.

A second team will volunteer Friday of this week at the Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, unloading, sorting and packaging food donations. A third team Friday will assist Boulder County Parks & Open Space with clean-up after the September 2013 flooding, including piling and hauling trash and debris, building fences and planting trees and shrubs.

V60 wagon lends hope for Volvo continuance

Questions regarding the future of Volvo have rolled all over the roadway the past three or four years since China’s Zhejiang Geely took ownership of the Swedish firm.

A bit of an answer was delivered to my doorstep last week in the form of the 2015 V60 Sportswagon.

It’s a sleek, low-slung, front-wheel-drive compact wagon offering great handling and good economy; an all-wheel-drive version will be available. The new V60 is 8 inches shorter and 300 pounds lighter than the long-popular XC70 wagon.

Turbocharging and direct-injection boost performance of the V60′s 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission to a rating of 240 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, and an EPA estimate of 25/37 miles per gallon (I failed to get near the 37-mpg mark).

The 8-speed goes far beyond the former 6-speed in delivery. Move the shifter into the gate to the left of Drive, the Sport mode, and the paddleshifting sequences are immediate and smooth up or down the gears, after a momentary lull on takeoff.

Keeping the turbo revved high with a tap of the paddle to a gear lower, the wagon shows outstanding, flat cornering and impressive maneuverability.Adding economy to the V60 is an automatic stop/start system which shuts down the engine at stoplights, restarting on release of the brake. My overall fuel-mileage average with the wagon, of which more than half its miles were on the highway, was 28.7 mpg.

With Stuart Wright as a passenger, I drove the V60 to the Colorado Convention Center for the opening day of the Denver Auto Show last week. A like model was spotlighted in the Volvo display area.

Power blue metallic finish enhances the structure, from its blunt nose and long hood to the roof that slopes to Volvo’s trademark elongated taillights. It rides on 19-inch, polished diamond-cut wheels with Pirelli Cinturato 235/40R19 all-season tires.

V60 occupants are gripped by deeply bolstered, leather-covered seatbacks, an interior highlight. Up front, of course for a Volvo, is the floating center stack. Legroom is somewhat tight and footroom even more restrictive, especially in exiting, in the rear seating area. Cargo capacity is only 15.2 cubic feet; fold the rear seats, though, and it expands to 43 feet.

The review model is the V60 T5 Drive-E model, the E representing the fuel-efficiency. Don’t be confused by the T5 for a 4-cylinder-powered vehicle. Under the hood of the AWD version will be a turbocharged inline-5-cylinder block. Also available will be a T6 R-design, powered by a turbocharged 6-cylinder.

Power-folding side mirrors (when car is locked or unlocked) were among optional items which pushed sticker price of the V60 Premier Plus model to $42,225 from a base of $35,300. Also on the added list were a lowered sport chassis, paddle shifters, the 19-inch wheels, heated front seats and metallic paint.

Sensus navigation, up graded audio, sunroof, push-button start, dual-zone climate control and rain-sensing wipers were other features.

Volvo, known traditionally for structural integrity, includes on the V60 a rearview camera, blind-spot and lane-change alert and a City Safety system which can apply braking if it detects excessive speeds on approaching an object, as well as standard airbags.

Scandinavian-based Volvo has endured a period of uncertainty since its purchase by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China, so introduction of the new Swedish-built wagon is refreshing. Geely bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co. in 2010. Volvo supporters insist that the new owners maintain the level of quality for which the carmaker has been recognized.

“This is an exciting time of transformation for Volvo and shows our Swedish heart is beating strongly,” said Volvo Cars of North America President and CEO John Maloney. “The V60 signifies our first step in a gradual move toward powerful, highly efficient, 4-cylinder engines across the entire portfolio of our vehicles.”

Volvo was founded in Sweden in 1924 by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson; their first car, the 1944-cc Jakob, was in production three years later.Sales in the U.S. began in 1955, when the Volvo PV444 cars arrived in Los Angeles. In 1956, Volvo sold 5,047 cars here.

In 1958, Volvo invented the three-point safety belt, considered one of the most important safety features of all time.

Some of its better-known cars, after coming to America, were the P1800 coupe of 1961 and the 240 series, beginning in 1974. Some of those 240s, now 20 to 40 years old, are still seen about the streets of Denver.

Volvo, bought by Ford Motor Co. in 1999, was re-sold in 2010.

This is what Ford's doing for Mustang's 50th anniversary

Ford is building a limited-edition Mustang GT to honor the pony car’s 50th anniversary.

The company will only build 1,964 special cars, honoring the year the Mustang first went on sale.

The 50 Year Limited Edition will come in one of the two colors of Ford’s logo: white or blue. Buyers can choose a manual or automatic transmission.

There are special chrome highlights around the grille, windows and tail lights. The Limited Edition will also be the only 2015 Mustang with a faux gas cap badge on the rear, where the original cap sat.

Limited Edition cars will be among the first built when 2015 Mustang production begins later this year.

Ford is showing the Limited Edition at the New York auto show, which begins this week. Pricing wasn’t announced.

Truck unvelings add status to Denver Auto Show

Oh, such an assortment of automotive marvels parked inside the Colorado Convention Center.

It’s the Denver Auto Show, for which two days remain.

A pleasantly disposed woman, I noted, seemed content to wander among the Ford display area at the Charity Preview Party Tuesday night, as other members of her family scurried about the huge hall. Was the attraction the 2015 Mustang, or maybe the small coffee bar? I would inquire.

Do you drive a Ford, I asked.

“No.” A Toyota, or a Lexus?

“No.”

“Six months ago, I bought the first 2014 Quattroporte sold by Sill-TerHar Maserati in Broomfield,” said Jan Scheimer, of Colorado Springs. “It is a wonderful car.” She could be an apt judge of that, for she also owns a Mercedes-Benz S550.

Those luxury vehicles are far to the back of the big show spread, and to walk from Ford, at the front door, all the way through, is to peruse the best and the shiniest of 550 new cars and trucks.

Among them are the Jeep Cherokee, selected SUV of the Year by members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press; the Chevrolet Silverado, chosen Truck of the Year, and the Lexus IS250/350, named Car of the Year.

The auto show will open its doors at 10 a.m. this morning and again at 10 on Sunday morning.

“This year’s show is high on energy, high on impact and high on technology. From clean to green, to mean and lean, there’s something for everybody,” said Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.

Truck news is always well received in this part of the country and Chevrolet drew interest by unveiling the High Country edition of its Heavy Duty 2500/3500 series to compete with the Ford King Ranch and Ram Longhorn. A new Power Wagon and an innovative 1500 light-duty EcoDiesel pickup are being shown by Ram. Ford, along with its 50th anniversary Mustang, is focusing on the 2015 F-150 with aluminum-alloy body, bed and cab parts that will shed 700 pounds in overall weight.

The new Corvette Stingray, revealed a year ago in Detroit, rivaled the Mustang for most immediate attraction among showgoers.

Among highlights:

Indoor offroading – Camp Jeep’s traction tests of climbs, descents and obstacles aboard one of the tough 4-by-4s.

Deceptive – What can compare with the big 550-horsepower launch from the small stature of the Nissan GT-R.

Storyteller – Jack TerHar, who last year talked of Jaguar stylist Ian Collum in showing the Jaguar F-Type convertible, this week discussed his meeting with Jaguar owner Ratan Tata and his statement that “I listen with my ears, and hear with my heart, ” in unveiling the F-Type Coupe.

Good catch – The halibut, shared with General Motors executives, at the Oceanaire Seafood Room two blocks from the convention center.

Grilled – The most prominent nose is that of the Audi A8L TDI, or is it the spindle look of the Lexus GX460?

Light touch – The park lights for the 2015 Chrysler 200 have been placed along the forward edge of the front fender wells.

Wheels – How about those titanium-finished beauties on the Audi R8.

A natural – Mention of $1.69 per gallon natural-gas prices at the CNG display.

Great pumpkin – The new Dodge Dart GT finished in header orange clear coat.

Standout models – Jenna, who said at the Ford display, “I’m for sure a Mustang girl,” and Candlelynn, who said the only thing she likes better than promoting Subarus is hiking with her two young sons.

WHAT: The 2014 Denver Auto Show

WHERE: Colorado Convention Center

WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

HOW MUCH: $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 6 through 12 (and free for those younger)

Saturday Drive can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.

Denver Auto Show ends Sunday, April 13

Doors open at 10 a.m. today (Sunday) at the Colorado Convention Center for final viewing of the 2014 Denver Auto Show. More than 500 new cars, trucks and SUVs are on display.

The five-day attendance count is expected to surpass 100,000 by the time the doors close at 6 p.m. today.

The auto show is owned by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, coloradodealers.org, and produced by the Paragon Group, paragoneexpo.com.

WHAT: The Denver Auto Show

WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Colorado Convention Center

HOW MUCH: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6 through 12 (those younger are admitted free).

Inside the Showroom can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.