OK guys, here's the skinny: Understanding that the 200 series was the final permutation of the Volvo safety concept car that predated it, I learned from a company engineer that the 's' bend in the pipe was, likewise, a safety feature, and wasn't just put there for grins. The theory was, in the case of a reverse impact, such as the car spinning and hitting something while going backwards, the pipe would crumple along with the rear crash zone, and would be unlikely to 'spear' someone or something that got hit. As they say, 'the devil's in the details.' Pretty cool, huh?

Brad