Hi,

Today, I took my '98 Volvo S70 GLE into the Volvo service department to do its 112k service, including replacing the timing belt & tensioner ( Ahh ... cost me
$ 850 Cdn when everything is done ).

Anyhow, they lend me a 2002 Volvo V40 1.9T station wagon to drive for the day.
It had leather seats, power sunroof, premium sound system with in-dash CD, ... but I know it doesn't have the Sport Package because the rims are the standard one and it doesn't have front fog light nor a rear spoiler.

But still, it was a blast to drive. Not long after driving the car out of the service lot, on the way home, a young punk in a new yellow Protege5 tried to outrun and outcorner me. The V40 smoked him in both categories. The turbo can get you into serious trouble if you don't know how to handle the wagon b/c the wagon just took off as soon as the turbo kicked in. Before I knew it, I was doing 100+ km/hr down this straightway that was narrowing down from a 2-lanes to one lane. At the beginning, we were both side-by-side, but as soon as the turbo came in, there was no fight. The Volvo just took off. I could see in my sideview mirror that he tried shifting his manual transmission faster to keep me from going into his lane before it went into one lane, but he didn't had a chance. The Volvo just took off and soon was 5-6 cars ahead of his '02 or '03 Protege5. We both enter into this multiple sharp S-curves going downhill. In my rearview mirror, I could see the Mazda braking around the corners. I just flew around the corners. The wagon grip the road like hell; although I felt the DSA kick in a few times.

At the bottom of the hill, he just gave up !!!!! ... I know because he backed off all the way. I know what he was thinking !! ... He had one of the big fat
noisy exhaust at the back, along with a lowered suspension and probably an air intake system from the sound of his engine at the light when I was beside him
and before the V40 smoke his Mazda's ass so BAD ! ... He was probably thinking that his Mazda can smoke and outrun this " Family Volvo Wagon " beside him.
Well, I guessed he was wrong, huh ?

Come to think of it, the V40 is more fun to drive than my S70; although my S70 has more interior room than the V40. This is one of those times that I regret
not buying the GLT or T5 those days.

Man, I really had a lot of fun with the '02 V40 service loaner today :-)

Cheer !

--
Kenny
2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE; 1998 Volvo S70 GLE