Car Throttle

2011 was undoubtedly Car Throttle's "Year of the Swede". Thanks to Volvo UK's generosity and support of CT, we managed to get our hands on nearly every model in their line-up from the S60 to the XC60. We even managed to captain some scallywags across The Solent in a Volvo Racing Yacht; definitely one of my highlights of the year. So it comes as no large surprise that we would choose Volvo, especially after the passing of their younger Swedish brother Saab, to kick-start our 2012. However this time we chose to steer clear of the family saloons, older-gen estates and pricey SUV's and instead took on a car right up your alleyway, fellow youngsters. Yes, the 2012 Volvo C30. With a starting price of £14,995 though

Welcome back to News Bites, Car Throttle's one-stop-shop for the this-and-that of all that's auto news.  What's on the plate for today?  Track times, the President's old whip, Volvos, wrecking Datsuns, and some other fun stuff. Car and Driver is one of the few automotive print publications people still like, because they still produce some unique content.  Best example: the annual Lightning Lap challenge.  They take road-going cars, divided up into classes by price, for hot laps around Virginia International Raceway - street tires, pump gas, license plates and full interiors, to see what's fastest.  This year they didn't run any LL5 cars ($250,000+) or LLU (non-street-legal, like the Ariel Atom and KTM X-Box), but they did add a new class: LLT, for trucks.  There's a

There's a long precedent of rappers referencing cars in their songs.  It's part of the baller lifestyle: huge house, lots of skeezy women, and a gold-plated Range Rover with 38" gold-plated wheels.  Since rap these days is all about conspicuous consumption, it's part and parcel. But as much as we like seeing Jay-Z and Kanye cut the doors off a Maybach, weld sheet metal fenders on it, and drift it around an industrial parking lot, there's something amusing about local rappers laying down a track about... their Volvo.  Awww, hell yeah son!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKOVF1qwPzI

The above video is by Seattle-area rapper Grynch, and I actually kinda like the song.  I mean, not just because I'm partial to ancient Volvo station wagons - it's a

The year 2012 is now upon us, which may mean a few things.  One is that we've only got 350-odd days before the Mayan's prediction of the apocalypse comes true and we all die.  (I'm not betting on it!)  The other thing it does mean is the Detroit Auto Show is just around the corner- just a few days, in fact.  So I've awoken from my Christmas/New Years slumber to share the news. This little trucklet is the new Ford EcoSport, debuting at the New Delhi Auto Expo.  Based on the Fiesta, this miniature soft-roader is the second generation of the EcoSport, which was previously only sold in Brazil.  This new one should be more widely available, with production in Brazil and India, as part of

Polestar? Interesting name.....it is the moniker Volvo slapped on for a new line of power upgrades available direct from the company. Aftermarket chips are out there that aim to boost engine power outputs, but when you have a car that is new or just a few years old, voiding the warranty isn't too bright of an idea. BMW was the first out with their Power Kit line of engine horsepower boosts, and Volvo followed suit. As far as we know other manufacturers aren't doing things like this. Could this trend catch on? We aren't sure, it depends if there is demand for an expensive package like this. You wouldn't think at Volvo there would be, but according to Chris Dauerer, Volvo Cars of North America

It's not everyday that one of your favourite bands hooks up with one of your favourite manufacturers. Okay so JLS - X Factor Runners Up - may have a fan-base with an average age in the low teens, but your slightly embarrassed author loves a good ballad or three and Marvin, Oritse, Aston and JB certainly know how to craft a top-selling single. The fact that they have already racked up 5 UK Number 1's is a testament not only to "Jack the Lad Swing" but their innate ability to create a catchy tune. What we have here though is Volvo Cars UK following on from where their Swedish head office left off with placement in the Twilight Saga. In order to get "in" with a

Whilst you're probably well aware of Volvo's success in the world of luxury vehicle production, you may not be as well versed in the world of sailing, and the fact that this Swedish-based manufacturer has been a key sponsor of British sailing since 1999. Volvo UK has supported everything from youth development at grass roots through to Britain’s top sailors at the pinnacle of the sport. And what better way to celebrate London's hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games than to teach the country's armchair pundits about the murky waters of sailing via some clever usage of technology. Having already been treated to an afternoon aboard a Volvo racing yacht at the 2012 XC60 Drive, we ventured into Covent Garden to catch-up with Team Volvo

Nobody is content with their age. The young and juvenile will do anything to grow up quickly and start living life, whilst the old will do almost anything they can to regain their youth. It's one of the overriding themes of life and it's a thought which springs to mind when I muse over Volvo's 2011 V60 sports wagon. It's not just a sports "wagon" either. No, the Swedish manufacturer have labelled this big-booty estate - as we call it here - with the keyword dynamic. Is it just a buzz word? Perhaps. But it's only once you spend a week with the car, as I was lucky enough to do, that you realise that the V60 possibly does contain that special change agent which allows it

Volvo is one of our most-loved manufacturers here at Car Throttle, and thus is comes as no surprise to us to find out that the Swedish marque is the fastest growing brand in the USA. Sales are up 21% in the first eight months of the year and Stefan Jacoby is extremely confident about where he sees Volvo heading. One market which Volvo have yet to dominate is the high-end saloon segment usually covered by the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes. The current S80 tries to compete but unfortunately doesn't have the right backing or history behind it to make it a big contender. This is where things stop and the new Volvo enters the room. At Frankfurt, Volvo unveiled their "Concept You" which is

Being an eco-warrior normally involves growing dreads, not showering for a couple of weeks and growing your own compost out of human manure. That, or being extremely good at Doomsday Powerpoint presentations. The fact of the matter is, it's 2012 and we're still no closer to finding a true sustainable power source to light up our homes and fuel our cars, and the verdict is even worse if you listen to the rascals on Top Gear. Electric batteries take ages to charge, hydrogen fuel pumps still carry inherent safety risks and air-powered vehicles still remain something you would probably see in some Sci-Fi Thriller and not in real life. So what options do you have as an environmentally-aware motorist? You could get yourself a Toyota