Volvo V40 D2 Ocean Race - the call of the ocean
Ocean race. An extremely difficult regatta and at the same time a special version of some Volvo models. V40 in Ocean Race spec we went to the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg and then headed towards the Atlantic. In the end, the name obliges.
Gothenburg is located on the Kattegat, the end of the Baltic Sea, where the Ocean Race started and ended many times. The choice is not accidental. Gothenburg is home to Volvo's headquarters, Volvo's main factory and the brand's museum.
The Volvo Museum, though small, is a pleasant surprise. It features the most important models in the history of the brand. The exhibition is grouped by theme - the first hall tells about the origins of Volvo. Later we find a collection of the first models of the concern. We end our journey in the coming decades in the halls where the most interesting prototypes (including those not in production), sports cars, outboard motors and Volvo Penta trucks are displayed. Volvo is proud that the museum is visited by visitors from all over the world, even from China and Japan. Words are not thrown to the wind. During our visit, we met three motorists from Brazil. Another distinguishing feature of the Volvo Museum is its location. Volvo Marina is located next to the hotel. On the decks of landing ships, many people gather to visit the museum.
Since the tested V40 was on the other side of the Baltic Sea, we decided to combine business with pleasure and go towards a more open sea, and at the same time get acquainted with the tourist and automobile attractions of southern Scandinavia. Destination - Atlantic Road - one of the most scenic routes in Europe and the world. In stormy weather, almost nine kilometers of asphalt between the islands are carried away by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. It's hard to get a better baptism for the V40 Ocean Race.
Outwardly, we can only recognize the special edition of the compact Volvo by the small markings on the front fenders and the 17-inch Portunus wheels. There is more going on in the cabin. In addition to the leather upholstery, the Ocean Race package also features a center console frame with the names of the ports where the 2014-2015 regatta was held. The upholstery or floor mats are adorned with red stitching and Volvo Ocean Race logos.
The aforementioned Atlantic Road is considered one of the most scenic routes in the world. Before work began, there was a long debate about the possible impact of the investment on the environment or the justification for spending millions on asphalt between small towns. Some even question whether toll revenues will cover workers' wages. The Atlantic Road is one of the top XNUMX tourist attractions in Norway.
Put into operation in 1989. It was the payoff for the next decade. The toll booths were supposed to operate five years longer. However, the investment quickly paid off. Why? The trail attracts tourists from all over the world. The combination of eight bridges with a total length of 891 meters, stretched between the picturesque islands, is breathtaking. It is also important that the weather only slightly affects the experience. Storms, sunsets, and white nights are impressive. In the middle of summer, Atlantic Road is almost always light. Even after midnight, you can take a clear picture without using a tripod. The most populous part of the Atlantic Road is less than nine kilometers long. Worth going to the end of the route. Along the coast we find fishing and agricultural settlements and the fortifications of the Atlantic Quay.
On the way back, we decide to visit another significant episode - Trollstigen, the Troll Staircase. The name well reflects the appearance of a serpentine with 11 turns, crashing into a vertical rock wall. Every year Trollstigen manages 130 30 vehicles. Heavy traffic on a narrow road means that the speed is flat. Almost everyone came to admire the unique views, so signaling or offensive gestures are out of the question. Anyone who would like to enjoy the scenery alone or take a walk on Trollstigen, an unused gravel patch that remembers the second half of the XNUMXs, must come out of the wound. The movement between five and eight o'clock is symbolic. From the observation platforms at the top of the Troll Stairs, you can see not only the road, but also the valley with a huge waterfall and snowfields even in summer. There are also hiking trails, campsites and souvenir shops. The weather can be changeable. We may come across low-hanging clouds that tightly cover the entire serpentine. However, a few minutes of wind is enough for the bubbles to disperse.
For lovers of breathtaking landscapes, we recommend taking maps at local tourist information points - they mark the most interesting areas. Some of them were missing from the Volvo navigation system. However, it was enough to enter a few intermediate points, and the road displayed on the screen coincided with the recommended guide. Electronics has calculated that we will save more than a hundred kilometers. She also pointed out that the route is composed of sections available depending on the season. Why? Layers of snow of impressive thickness, still preserved, answered the question.
Volvo factory navigation does not shock with either graphical solutions or the easiest-to-use system - the problem is the lack of a multi-functional dial in the central tunnel with convenient quick access buttons. Once we understand the logic of the dial on the center console, we can enter the destination relatively quickly. The computer can suggest three different routes to your destination, showing the difference in travel time and estimated fuel consumption. This is a useful solution when time is running out. You can drive a little longer but save on fuel. When recalculating the route, the computer informs about toll sections, ferries or roads that are available seasonally. This is especially true for Norway. For one ferry across the fjord, we will pay approximately 50 PLN. This is an acceptable price. Driving around in circles would waste a lot of time and several liters of fuel if a detour were possible at all. Worse, when the planned route includes several ferry crossings, passages through toll tunnels or sections of highways. You will need to get a credit card frequently.
By refusing to determine the route through toll sections, we are more likely to find roads that are seasonally accessible. In some cases, these are serpentines in the mountains, which are expensive and difficult to maintain in winter. We can also find older ways of communication that have lost their meaning after the opening of new arteries. Older does not mean worse! The farther from the main roads, the less traffic jams. We will also enjoy much better views and a more attractive route configuration. Before the discovery of gas and oil, Norway could not invest much in road infrastructure - instead of tunnels, viaducts and bridges, winding and narrow lines were built on mountain ledges.
In such conditions, the Volvo V40 behaves very dignified. The Swedish compact has a precise and direct steering system and a well-tuned suspension that keeps body roll in corners and prevents understeer. Can you expect driving pleasure? Yes. On the secondary roads of Norway, speed limits are mostly set up where they are needed. Before tricky turns, you can also find recommended speed boards, useful mainly for truck and motorhome drivers. It is a pity that such a decision did not reach Poland.
Along the numerous serpentines we go to the shores of the sights of Norway, known to us from the many postcards and folders of travel agencies - the Geirangerfjord. This is a must stop on every trip along the coast of Norway. The Geirangerfjord is also impressive when viewed from land. It cuts between mountains, is surrounded by waterfalls and climbing routes, and no self-respecting fan of strong sensations will deny himself photography on the shelf of the Flidalsjuvet rock.
We drive along the Eagle's Way to the bottom of the Geirangerfjord - for eight kilometers the height drops by 600 meters. After refueling in the tourist village of Geiranger, we head to the Dalsnibba pass. Another climb. This time it is 12 km long, less steep and 1038 m above sea level, the scenery changes like in a kaleidoscope. At the bottom of the fjord, the onboard thermometer V40 showed almost 30 degrees Celsius. There are only about a dozen steps on the pass, which offer a fantastic view of the fjord. Huge sheets of snow lie on the shaded slopes, and Jupwatnet Lake remains frozen! The farther from the ocean, the less tourists on the way. They don't know they are losing. Following the map included in the local guide, we get to Grotli. Abandoned mountain village at the end of the 27 km stretch of Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. Opened in 1894, the road lost its importance after the construction of a parallel section with fewer turns and gradients. So much the better for motorized tourists. Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is another place whose photos can be found on postcards and brochures. All because of the snow from the Tystigbreen glacier, which literally flows across the road in winter. The track is cleared in the spring, but even in the middle of summer you have to drive several kilometers along the ditches cut in the snow.
Of course, the surface is not perfect. The V40 signals what's under the wheels, but can smooth out most of the bumps relatively gently and without unpleasant tapping. We only assessed the suspension characteristics before Grotli, where we were surprised by the change in the surface - the asphalt turned into gravel. However, this was not a cause for concern. Scandinavian gravel has little in common with unpaved roads in Poland. These are well-groomed, wide routes that do not limit your pace of movement.
We get to Sweden on secondary roads. Prices are noticeably lower than in Norway, which is the driving force behind cross-border trade. In the first few kilometers of Swedish territory, gas stations and shopping centers flourish, open all week. We visit one of them. The problem occurs when returning to the car. While it's easy to find a V40 parking lot in Poland, it's much more difficult in Sweden. The local market is dominated by the local brand, which is clearly visible on the streets and parking lots. It is not easy to distinguish the V40 from the crowd by the appearance of the front apron - it is similar to the equally popular S60 and V60 models.
In Scandinavia, economical cars are expensive to run. The household budget is depleted by both gas station bills and taxes. Looking at the markings of passing cars, we came to the conclusion that when buying a car, most people in northern Europe are guided by cold calculation. On the road - while staying with Volvo - we've seen relatively few flagship D5s and T6s. Most often we have seen D3 and T3 variants based on common sense.
We tested an even more economical version, the V40 with the D2 engine. The 1,6-liter turbodiesel produces 115 hp. and 270 Nm. It provides decent dynamics - acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h takes 12 seconds. The maximum torque available below 2000 rpm pays off on steep climbs or when overtaking, downshifting a gear or two is usually sufficient. And good. The gearbox shifts gears slowly. Switching to sport mode only increases the rpm at which the engine is kept. Manual mode gives partial control of the transmission - the electronics automatically shift gears when the engine tries to get the engine running too low or too high. In other words, the “automatic” will appeal to drivers with a calm character.
The biggest trump card in the sleeve version of the D2 is low fuel consumption. The manufacturer says 3,4 l/100 km or 3,8 l/100 km when the car gets automatic transmission. We looked forward to the computer reading in various conditions. We traveled by ferry from Swinoujscie almost exclusively on motorways and expressways. At an average speed of 109 km / h, the V40 consumed 5,8 l / 100 km. The best result was achieved when driving from Gothenburg towards the Norwegian border. At a distance of almost 300 kilometers at an average speed of 81 km / h, the V40 consumed 3,4 l / 100 km. You didn't even have to use manual mode to get great results. The gearbox tries to keep the engine speed as low as possible - the electronic tachometer needle fluctuates around 1500 rpm when the car is moving smoothly.
What else surprised us with the Scandinavian CD? Volvo is proud of its seats. They must be exceptionally ergonomic and comfortable. After spending a few hours behind the wheel of a Volvo V40, we have to admit that the Swedish brand does not paint reality. An inconspicuous compact will take care of the backs of passengers - they will not get hurt after driving 300 or 500 kilometers at a time.
We also found a flat center console with free space behind its rear wall. Volvo says it's the perfect place to haul a handbag, for example. Anger speaks of form over content. How is it really? The hiding place, which at first glance seems too complicated, turned out to be the ideal place to transport the 12-230 V converter. Finally, you can refuse to squeeze the device between the passenger seat and the center tunnel or transport it in a locker in the armrest. On the longer route, we also appreciated the unusual pocket in the front of the seat upholstery - perfect for carrying documents or a phone when the lockers in the center tunnel are filled with other things.
The Volvo V40 is well thought out, comfortable and enjoyable to drive. The combination of the base D2 engine and automatic transmission will appeal to riders with a calm disposition. The Swedish compact is ideal even for long trips. However, expeditions with a large number of passengers are not possible. We made sure of this by doubling some tourists from France to the top of the Troll Stairs. They gathered together, but it was already quite difficult to find a place for two large backpacks. Looking inside the V40 with a smile on his lips said - a good car. They got right to the point...
