What Is It?
Volvo V50 SV Concept
What's Special About It?
This one-off vehicle is our first look at the work of Volvo's Special Vehicle (SV) department based in Sweden. The SV engineers wanted to see just how radical they could make the new V50 without straying too far from its original design philosophy. First up was a major dose of power in the form of a modified version of the V50's turbocharged five-cylinder engine. With 340 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, the 2.5-liter engine has more juice than most V8s, and with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive getting that power to the ground shouldn't be much of a problem either. Keeping control of it all falls to a Euro-spec suspension, an 18-inch wheel-tire combo and oversize AP Racing brakes.
The SV group's touch extended to the interior as well as this V50 features an aftermarket boost gauge, dashboard shift light and twin LCD monitors in back for viewing DVDs. There's also unique upholstery that mimics the feel of a wetsuit, a spot steering wheel with aluminum inlays and custom-built racing pedals.
What's Edmunds Take?
Volvo was one of the first manufacturers to come up with the idea of building a hot-rod wagon and the V50 SV looks like another solid effort. Don't expect to see a V50 with this kind of power in your local Volvo dealer anytime soon, but a V50R certainly isn't out of the question. If you like the power of the Dodge Magnum but don't want a wagon quite that big, keep an eye on Volvo. — Ed Hellwig
Volvo V50 SV Concept
What's Special About It?
This one-off vehicle is our first look at the work of Volvo's Special Vehicle (SV) department based in Sweden. The SV engineers wanted to see just how radical they could make the new V50 without straying too far from its original design philosophy. First up was a major dose of power in the form of a modified version of the V50's turbocharged five-cylinder engine. With 340 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, the 2.5-liter engine has more juice than most V8s, and with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive getting that power to the ground shouldn't be much of a problem either. Keeping control of it all falls to a Euro-spec suspension, an 18-inch wheel-tire combo and oversize AP Racing brakes.
The SV group's touch extended to the interior as well as this V50 features an aftermarket boost gauge, dashboard shift light and twin LCD monitors in back for viewing DVDs. There's also unique upholstery that mimics the feel of a wetsuit, a spot steering wheel with aluminum inlays and custom-built racing pedals.
What's Edmunds Take?
Volvo was one of the first manufacturers to come up with the idea of building a hot-rod wagon and the V50 SV looks like another solid effort. Don't expect to see a V50 with this kind of power in your local Volvo dealer anytime soon, but a V50R certainly isn't out of the question. If you like the power of the Dodge Magnum but don't want a wagon quite that big, keep an eye on Volvo. — Ed Hellwig
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