PARIS MOTOR SHOW: R-Design for Volvo V40

Volvo has whipped the virtual covers off its first R-Design version of the upcoming V40 hatchback, which is slated for Australian release early next year.

Due to be formally revealed at the Paris Motor Show in two weeks, the R-Design treatment will only be available with Volvo Car Australia’s range-topping V40 T5, which will deliver no less than 187kW/350Nm and accelerate to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds on its way to 250km/h.

As with Volvo’s previous R-Design variants, the V40’s includes a host of aggressive exterior and interior design upgrades, including a “silk-metal” framed high-gloss grille design, 18-inch five-spoke diamond-cut alloy wheels and twin exhaust outlets flanking a central rear diffuser.

While six exterior paint colours will be available – including the show car’s ‘Rebel Blue’ hue – the V40 R-Design also sports a specific steering wheel, gear shifter, handbrake, pedals, perforated aluminium cabin highlights and seats in either full leather trim or black Nubuck fabric/leather upholstery – both with blue embroidered R-Design logos.

Like the standard V40, two chassis tunes will be offered, including the basic ‘Dynamic’ set-up and the optional ‘Sport’ chassis developed in co-operation with Swedish racing driver Robert Dahlgren and the Volvo Polestar Black R team. The Sport set-up comprises a 10mm-lower ride height and firmer springs and dampers, including 25mm piston rods for the front MacPherson struts, higher-performance monotube rear dampers and larger-diameter anti-roll bars.

“The V40 R-Design is agile, responsive and fun to drive,” said Volvo Car Corporation Senior Vice-President Research and Development, Peter Mertens. “The chassis offers the enthusiastic driver a feeling of total control. You get both that connected response that makes a winding country road so much fun as well as the precise, nimble moves it takes to stay on top of busy urban traffic.”

Volvo expects around 10 per cent of buyers to opt for the factory-fitted R-Design package, which is designed to appeal to younger customers.

“The V40 R-Design is designed around the performance-minded individual with a passion for those things that add extra spice to life,” said Volvo Car Corporation’s Senior Vice-President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management, Lex Kerssemakers. “Previous R-Design models have played an important role for increasing our sales and for lowering the age of our customer base. We believe that the new V40 R-Design will give this trend another boost.”

In Europe, the R-Design treatment will be available across the V40 range, including the entry-level D2 turbodiesel. Australia’s V40 engine line-up is yet to be announced and Volvo Car Australia Public Affairs Manager Oliver Peagam could not say whether the V40 T5 R-Design would be available here with a Polestar-tweaked software upgrade similar to that fitted to the top-shelf C30 since April.

The C30 T5 R-Design now comes with Polestar engine optimisation software as standard, boosting power to 184kW and torque to 370Nm (up from 169kW and 320Nm respectively), while Polestar-tuned versions of the S60 T5 and T6 R-Design are also now available here.

“The local models that now come with Polestar engine optimisation as standard are an extension of a local performance initiative that began here in Australia, with a one-off ‘concept’ S60 Polestar that was shown at AIMS in 2011,” Mr Peagam told motoring.com.au. “Such was the positive reaction to that, Volvo Car Australia went on, with Polestar’s blessing and assistance, to produce a limited-edition run of ‘S60 Polestars’ based on the S60 T6 R-Design, with engine software optimisation that boosted power to 242kW and 480Nm (up from the standard 224kW and 440Nm) plus 19-inch Heico alloy wheels and a Heico quad exhaust and diffuser.”

Since then, Volvo has produced an even hotter S60 in the form of the ‘S60 Polestar Concept’, which motoring.com.au saw in Sweden in June.

“This is a work-in-progress, one-off, extreme demonstration of what Polestar can do and has resulted in 379kW (more than an M3, RS5, C63, etc), 575Nm, Brembo brakes, a big Garret turbo and 0-100km/h acceleration in just 3.9 seconds. So what’s next? Watch this space,” said Mr Peagam.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…