Volvo V40 Ocean Race 1.6 D2 - in honor of the sailors

The limited edition Volvo V40 is dedicated to the Volvo Ocean Race. We checked what came out of the combination of the automotive and sailing worlds and what customers benefited from it.

Avid fans love to collect gadgets around them, which they can consider as some kind of totems or trophies. They are supposed to bring them closer to their favorite sports club, player or discipline, while at the same time you can show them off to your friends and tell some stories related to them. Thanks to Volvo, a car can become one of these gadgets. 

The Whitbread Round the World Race has been running since 1973, although Volvo had nothing to do with them back then. Only in 2001 did the Swedish manufacturer become the main sponsor of the famous race, renaming it today's Volvo Ocean Race. From this position, the Swedes could change their itinerary so that the ports of entry for the crews were Germany, France and Sweden - their three largest car markets. Thus, the tradition of following in the footsteps of 19th century sailboats that carried goods around the world was shaken, but this is not the only innovation that has occurred since the change of sponsor. The name of the yacht has also changed, and in last year's edition, for the first time, all crews had an equal chance, because Volvo One-Design is one specific design. Not a set of design rules like it used to be. It is worth emphasizing the very nature of the regatta. The route traverses some of the world's most treacherous waters, spanning nearly 72 km, and crews face temperatures ranging from -000 to 5 degrees Celsius. At the same time, they overcome even 40-meter waves in the Southern Ocean and fight with a wind speed of 30 km / h. During the 110-month race, participants do not bring fresh food on board and only have one set of clothing to change. There is no doubt that completing a killer race is no small feat and crews deserve recognition and respect. Therefore, it is not surprising that many sailing enthusiasts follow the Volvo Ocean Race with bated breath and rejoice at the ports where the crews stop.

To be part of something bigger

The Volvo Ocean Race is really something and if you are interested in sailing it might be interesting to participate in this event somehow. AT Volvo V40 covered with the symbols of the regatta, one could feel like one of the organizers, especially since it attracted much more glances than the base model. It's a pity that the V40 Ocean Race version is only available to customers with a choice of special paint and, of course, "Ocean Race". If I were an avid racing fan, I would love to be able to show this to the world. Now only a small badge on the front wheel arches speaks of this.

Inside you can find much more of this type of taste. Across the center console is a line of names for the ports through which the race passes. Genuine leather seats are adorned with orange stitching and another Volvo Ocean Race logo. On the mats, you can also see orange accents and tags with the name of the regatta, which also hit the thresholds. But most impressive is the map on the roller shutters in the trunk. There are many references to the sailing event, but they do not seem particularly intrusive and fit well into the interior design. Volvo B40. 

From port to port

At long distances, it is not speed that matters, but tactics. So what, that for some time we will lead the pack, because we may not finish the race because of this. Test Volvo V40 Ocean Race it was simply equipped with an engine that is not the most powerful on offer, but allows you to save a little on fuel and cover long distances without visiting a gas station - but in turn.

Volvo's factory designation is D2, which we stand for as the weakest diesel engine in the offer. This is a carbon-reduced version, as the standard D2 options are 2 hp 120-litre engines. Here, with a working volume of 1560 cubic meters.³ we get 115 hp maximum power at 3600 rpm. The maximum torque is available between 1750 and 2500 rpm, and its useful value is 270 Nm. This allows you to accelerate to 100 km / h in 11,8 seconds. While the power doesn't knock you off your feet, there's enough momentum to easily overtake other vehicles. In terms of driving economy, as I mentioned earlier, it's decent. In the notorious track, the computer showed 5,5 l / 100 km, but I did not try to break the records - just exactly. After entering a typical urban area, fuel consumption was 8,1 l/100 km. 

You can have small reservations about the automatic transmission. First, mass. Volvo V40 with an automatic up to 200 kg heavier than the manual version. Although the switching process itself does not take much time, the controller has to think a little when switching operating modes. It is difficult to quickly turn around “into the top three”, since when switching from reverse to base “D” and vice versa, you have to wait for some time until the torque is delivered to the wheels. Similar situations arise while driving. We also have a sport mode labeled "S". Switching from "S" to "D" occurs with a significant delay, which allows the engine to accelerate. Uneven operation can also be observed when driving at a constant speed of 15-20 km / h and pressing the gas pedal hard. You feel a jerk, for a fraction of a second we accelerate sharply, and then everything returns to a calm norm.

The design of the Volvo V40 suits this. The rigid bodywork and well-balanced steering system replace the sporty feel and make the car feel very light. The standard suspension is comfortable but doesn't spoil the compact handling. As an option, we can also opt for a stiffer sports suspension 1cm lower. Additional costs amount to just over PLN 2000.

On the wave?

Volvo V40 Ocean Race it is, above all, the best equipment package. Although it outperforms the Volvo Ocean Race in many ways, what matters most to the buyer is what he gets by choosing the limited edition. As for the exterior, it's 17-inch Portunus rims, Ocean Blue color and all the accents inside. In addition, the price of the model includes high-quality upholstery made of genuine leather in one of two colors. 

The Volvo Ocean Race trim level falls somewhere between Momentum and Summum, which is closer to the more expensive versions. For this package you need to pay an additional PLN 17 to the price of the base model, which is at least PLN 200 in the version with the T83 engine. The price of a model similar to the one tested is about 700 zlotys.

Although the markup seems large, it contains most of the elements that we might be tempted to look at when looking at the price list. So, if you're thinking about buying a Volvo V40, the Ocean Race Edition seems like a pretty good deal.