2005
Volvo T6 Roadster Concept
What happens when a top auto manufacture gone mad? Perhaps. But
that's about the only word to describe the hand-built hotrod based
on Volvo components and a twin turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine
from a car manufacturer more widely known for safety and
functionality. But that's what the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer
Association's annual trade show is all about. Drop in the glittering
lights and over-the-top excess of Las Vegas and suddenly the Volvo
T6 Roadster fits right in.
"The
car came to our attention from its owner, Leif Tufvesson," said
Anne Belec, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
(VCNA). "And when we saw the pictures, and the level of detail
and quality that Leif put into this vehicle, we knew it had a place
on the stand at SEMA." Sitting next to VCNA's other SEMA entry,
the XC70 AT, the two cars are a study in contrast. But Leif is a
former Volvo employee, having spent time at the prototype department
in Gothenburg, Sweden, and knows that quality is a hallmark of the
brand.
Specifications |
Engine |
|
2.9 liter
inline-6 |
HP |
~300 HP |
Displacement |
2900cc (177cu. in.) |
Torque |
|
Weight lb (kg) |
2400 lbs
(1089) |
Acceleration 0-62 mph |
|
Top speed |
|
Driveline |
Rear Wheel
Drive |
Price (approx) |
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It's the quality and care for the details that makes Leif's T6
roadster stand out from the crowd of lowered small cars with
mega-wattage stereos at the 2005 SEMA show. Built entirely by hand
in his garage, with his own tools, painstaking effort went into
every part. You won't find a mail-ordered headlight or a grille from
a Prowler on the T6 Roadster. What you will find are OEM Volvo parts
including a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter inline 6-cylinder engine
borrowed from an S80. "This engine has a few other
tweaks," says Leif, "that probably bumps the horsepower
from 268 to around 300."
Where you find the engine, however, isn't under the hood. It's in
back, located just behind the supportive leather bucket seats that
were also lifted from a Volvo S80. The gearbox is a 5-speed
Geartronic transmission that sends the power to the rear wheels. To
help keep the engine cool, the rear decklid automatically lifts when
a preset temperature is reached inside the engine compartment. Up
front is a small compartment containing the mechanicals for the
functioning ABS brakes and the top-notch audio equipment.
The custom fabricated tubular steel frame was hand formed and
utilizes rear subframes from the donor S80. Leif fabricated
stainless steel A-arms for the fully independent front and rear
suspension systems. Volvo C70 spindles, custom carbon-fiber leaf
springs and a shortened S80 steering rack can be found up front.
Around back are S80 front spindles and lower trailing arms with
remote-reservoir Ohlins shock absorbers. The rear coil-over shocks,
incidentally, are centrally mounted in the engine compartment.
Braking up front is handled via 6-piston calipers and 330-mm discs
while the rear discs are carried over from the Volvo S80. The front
wheels are 8.5 inches wide and 20 inches in diameter, the rears are
a full 10-inches wide and 22 inches in diameter.
Other specifications:
Vehicle Type: 2-door coupe, concept car
Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic
Configuration: Mid Engine/RWD
Aspiration/Induction: Twin-turbocharged
Fuel Type: Gasoline - Petrol
Cylinders: 6
Suspension
Front : Independent. Carbon-fiber
leaf springs
Rear : Independent. Front spindles
and lower trailing arms with remote-reservoir Ohlins
shock absorbers.
Dimensions
Seating Capacity: 2
Doors: 2
Tires / Wheels
Wheels Front : 8.5 x 20
Rear : 10 x 22
Brakes
Front Brake Size: 330.001 mm | 13 in.
Inside, the T6 Roadster looks as if it rolled off the Volvo
factory line in Torslanda, Sweden. Aside from the seats, the
instruments, headrests, shifter handle and pedal assembly can all be
found in the Volvo S80. A steering wheel from a Volvo S60 adds a
sporty look, while the instrument panel has been hand fabricated to
locate the gauges centrally in the passenger compartment.
Leif began building his masterpiece way back in 1998. He placed the
engine and transmission on a chassis jig in his shop and built the
tubular frame around the mechanicals. The body came next. Consisting
mostly of 1.5-mm aluminum, the entire car weighs just 2,400 pounds.
His idea with this project was to design and build a car utilizing
different Volvo forms. The rear hood is shaped like the Volvo P
1800, the rear lights like the old Volvo PV 444, the grill like the
new Volvo XC70, and shape of the sides like old Volvo Amazon and the
new C70, S60, S80.
"It's really exciting to have my car on display at SEMA,"
says Leif. "This is such a great show, and it's an honor to
have the recognition from VCNA. If anyone is interested in a T6
Roadster for their own garage, look for me on the stand at SEMA!''
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