I'm talking about model numbers.
Did you know even numbers are saloons and odd numbers are hatchbacks/estates?
So a C30 is a hatch, an S40 a saloon, a V50 an estate, an S60 a saloon, a V70 an estate, an S80 a big saloon and an XC90 a big estate.
So what's a 99?
An ice cream with a flake in it, dummy.
Seriously, the way Volvo play the numbers game was news to me, is it news to you ?
And anyone care to explain other manufacturers' numbering systems?
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XC60 is a small SUV estate so the scheme stops working at that point.
Otherwise, I think yes we all knew that!
There is no logic since BMW numbered 523i didn't have a 2.3 engine in it.
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Quite common with Beemers - a 318d has a two litre diesel engine.
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I must be a in a parallel universe - here, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 & 90 are all even numbers.
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Fair point, although I suspect everyone knows what I'm talking about.
As for you, Manatee, I reckon I can out-pedant most people, so I'll be keeping an eye on your posts in future. :)
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>>I reckon I can out-pedant most people
Ditto, but I try to keep it in check - moment of weakness ;-)
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I thought the Volvo numbers referred to the number of cyclists and motorcyclists they were expected to maim over the car's life? 30 for the baby ones up to 90 for the big ones.
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When I was a lad I thought I had the Volvo numbers worked out (this was when there was 3 of them of course) - the first was series, the second was cylinders and the third was doors, so 245 means 200 series, 4 cylinders and 5 doors (i.e. an estate). Of course, it all fell apart when I came across a 240 (wot, no doors?)
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Volvo dealers went on with it for some time after the numbers changed to end in 0. In the mid-90s I very nearly went for an 850 estate, and the quote was for an 855.
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Of course there is always the exception. What about the S70 saloon of about 10 years ago? Also the predecessor of the current V50 was the V40 which was the estate version of the old S40.
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So what's a 99? <<
A SAAB smartypants ;-)
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So what's a 99?
A Saab?
I didn't know that about Volvo numbers but my life has improved considerably now that I do. What I would like to know is whether buying an '05 S40 would be a sensible change from a Focus in terms of servicing costs.
I don't know about other manufacturers but would like to point out that the words "Peugeot 504", to me was always like someone rubbing polystyrene in the immediate viscinity. Five hundred and four isn't a good number for any car.
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Isnt an 05 S40 a MK2 Focus in disguise? Cheaper to just buy a Focus.
Edited by Old Navy on 24/01/2009 at 19:21
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That's true OldNavy, I forgot. I hear the heaters are good in Swedish cars though. Plus, the uindeniable "Volvo factor". Who doesn't think Volvos are cool? Exactly.
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Plus the undeniable "Volvo factor".>>
As in badge snobbery?
Edited by Old Navy on 24/01/2009 at 19:44
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Who doesn't think Volvos are cool?
Females under the age of 40. Any of them that I've met anyway. If Iwas a single man, the S60 would have been gone within a week of taking delivery.
In all seriousness, I love the car, and am long past the stage of my life where my car's image with the opposite sex (or the same sex for that matter) means anything to me, but I have *never* owned a car which has been the butt of so many jokes. Good natured of course, but jokes nonetheless.
But am I bovvered though?
Cheers
DP
Edited by DP on 24/01/2009 at 20:00
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"Five hundred and four isn't a good number for any car."
Do tell us why not!
The only association with 504 I can think of is a rather nice old wartime song 'Room Five Hundred and Four'.
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Do tell us why not!
I don't have to. it's clearly a silly number as a main identifier for a manufacturer's model. Even if there's a good story behind the number, it just doesn't wash with me I'm afraid. A BMW "318" is pushing it; if it was a 317 for example, then I couldn't cope with that. 500, that's a nice number. So why just add a poxy 4 to it? There, I hope that makes clearer my objection to this irritating number: Latent Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It's ok though, I don't wash my hands every five minutes anymore so this is definitely Peugeot's fault.
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All this talk of vehicular nomenclature is truly fascinating and has got me wondering, what will Peugeot call the replacement for the 308 as the 309 has already been and gone? I really would be able to sleep easier if I knew what Peugeot plan to do once they have exhausted their current (and long standing) system. I mean, surely you cant have a 3010 or a 4011?
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I mean, surely you cant have a 3010 or a 4011?
Too right. You're roaming into mobile phone territory there. Just think, Porsche are already making mobiles. The whole thing could get very confusing.
(And while "309" - thanks for the reminder - is similar to "504" it's not quite so offensive.)
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Why not 310? Anyway, they already sell a 4007...
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All this talk of vehicular nomenclature is truly fascinating and has got me wondering what will Peugeot call the replacement for the 308 as the 309 has already been and gone? I really would be able to sleep easier if I knew what Peugeot plan to do once they have exhausted their current (and long standing) system. I mean surely you cant have a 3010 or a 4011?
I think they will add a zero - or in fact they have done so!
look at their site, there is a 407 AND 4007, and wasnt there a 1007?
BTW thats where the 504 came into it - 1st number is the size of vehicle, then a zero, followed by the series number....
104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604
followed by;
205, 305, 405, 505, 605,
then followed by;
206, 306, 406.....
the 309 was out of synch as 305 had been used, but it was based on the 205, so WAS a #05 model, not a #06, which would have been on the drawing board.......
BTW Who knew that 205 and 309 doors were EXACTLY the same?
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just remembered....... Porsche used their internal design codes as their model numbers...and they dont just design cars...so model numbers dont follow directly on... after the 356 was car design 901, but Peugeot had registered ALL #0# numbers, so that design was launched as....... 911!
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So how many mainstream manufacturers are there that all their models have names, and no numbers? ( And I don't mean the engine size derivative)
Renault
Ford
who else
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I think they will add a zero - or in fact they have done so! look at their site there is a 407 AND 4007 and wasnt there a 1007?
The four-digit model numbers are supposed to be for for "niche" models that fit between the mainstream lineup. So far they have a 1007, (weird sliding-door city car) 3008 (MPV) and 4007 (SUV).
the 309 was out of synch as 305 had been used but it was based on the 205 so WAS a #05 model not a #06 which would have been on the drawing board.......
The 309 started off as a Simca/Chrysler/Talbot design, intended to replace the Horizon, and the first Peugeot built at the Rootes/Chrysler factory at Ryton. PSA dropped the Talbot marque before it was launched, so they had to call it a Peugeot of some sort instead.
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BTW Who knew that 205 and 309 doors were EXACTLY the same?
I did!
Back to Volvos. I was quite keen on an XC70 recently, but my wife, for once, expressed very strong (negative) feelings towards a car. i.e. Don't you dare buy one. All this 'Modern Volvo' marketing would seem to be a complete waste of money to some people. Shame, because it had lovely seats.
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Can anyone think of any truly awful or inappropriate names currently in use. I happen not to like insignia, far too many syllables, so I shall refer to them as vectra's. That is, of course, if any are ever sold! I haven't seen one yet, what a terrible time to be releasing such a car.
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Along the same lines as Nova (no va) in Spanish means "it doesn't go", I give you Skoda, which in Slovenian means pity, waste, shame, damage, loss.
I always think it's odd that Citroen chose to name one of their cars after an explosive (or maybe they meant to?)
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For Volvo lettering it is simply loose concepts, C for Coupe, which to them just means 3 doors, S for Saloon and V for Vagen (Swedish for estate) and XC for Cross Country.
The numbers are in fact in size order, and just coincidence that the odd 5/7/9 match *current* "estates, and 4/6/8 *current* saloons."
An S70 saloon is actually longer than a V50 estate due to the long 70 series bonnet and larger boot overhang, despite the fact it's not produced any longer, it is still part of the modern range numbering. Therefore in future any number over 70 will be bigger than a 70 series, and any smaller number, well smaller! And so on. Letter = type, number = size. That's it. Then just throw in your engine options or AWD choices etc.!
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I thought that the numbers gave a size indication?
C = Coupe
V = Estate
S = Saloon
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"V for Vagen (Swedish for estate)"
Did you just make that up? The word vagen doesn't exist in swedish I'm afraid. They call an estate a kombi, and a hatchback is a halvkombi.
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Just to help me with a hunch, can you give us the swedish for
versatile
boring
pretending
thanks.
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versatile = allsidig
boring = tråkig
pretending = föreställande
Good job Volvos are none of those. Apart from versatile maybe, couldn't fit my Ikea wardrobes in the C70.
Matt
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"V for Vagen (Swedish for estate)" Did you just make that up? The word vagen doesn't exist in swedish I'm afraid. They call an estate a kombi and a hatchback is a halvkombi.
Just going on what I've been told. Vagen meaning Wagon (as in Station Wagon) and meaning estate as we know it in the UK. Perhaps Vagen is a model term /car name (ie proper noun) rather than actual word then? I dunno, but no I didn't pluck it off the top of my head. Maybe one to double check over at the volvo forums...
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Vagen = wave or way (as in Motorway) according to a online dictionary.
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"V" in the model range stood for "versatile" I thought I once read somewhere. "S" for saloon of course.
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V is for Van.
Or, seriously, it might be 'Variant' which is what VW call my Golf in German - but it doesn't sound like a word of German origin, more a sort of international term which everyone roughly understands.
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Ah Variant - a 60s throwback to the aircooled ancestor of the Golf.
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Friend of mine had a VW Variant Combi or estate version of the variant, if you see what I mean.....
He had it when he was a student in Edinburgh. It was really his father's but his parents worked in South Africa and were trusting enough to let their son use it. I don't think there can have been many of those VWs which achieved such velocities or situations of quite such debauchery quite so often....Handy for skiing trips though. Estate body and engine in the back with the weight over the driven wheels. I sometimes think I'd quite like one now but it would probably be remarkably small and unpleasant.
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Volvo, not wanting to be ones to upset the exception to the rule throw the C70 into the equation so the bigger the number does not necessarily mean a bigger car.
C70 is on the same platform as the C30, S40 and V50 which is smaller than the outgoing S60.
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Well at least I know what Kombi or Combi mean now. I thought it was something to do with DVD players and old tapes.
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"V" in the model range stood for "versatile" I thought I once read somewhere. "S" for saloon of course.
That's right, originally they wanted to call the V40 the F40 (F for Flexible) but a certain Italian manufacturer (not the one who makes tractors) objected.
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