Mercedes 240 1980 User Manual

A unique car.

A Volvo car has the longest life expectancy of all car
makes and a unique record for safety. That is what this

booklet is all about.

I

hope you will find it interesting to read and that it

will help you to really get to know more about Volvo cars.

P.G. Gyllenhammar
President

AB VOLVO

An extensive test programme makes
every Volvo safer to drive.

Operational safety depends on a car reacting
i

n the same way in a crisis as it does in normal

driving. And not developing unexpected

characteristics that take the driver by surprise.

Many of todays cars, especially those with

extreme cornering powers or too much over­steer that reacts too quickly, are liable to do

just that.

These are the views of Friedrich Jaksch,
head of Volvo's Vehicle Dynamics Depart­ment. Jaksch and his colleagues are the people

behind Volvo's extensive driving safety
research programme.

Most drivers only know how their cars
behave in normal everyday traffic. Very few

drivers are trained to deal with panic situa­tions. Therefore, most drivers will use their

everyday driving routine even in unusual

situations.

The Jaksch research programme has played

an important part in developing a design that

makes a Volvo retain its normal way of re-

sponding even in the most difficult situations.

The result is a car that is a true pleasure to drive:
a car that you can trust.

This is of course a running research programme. Jaksch and
his team are constantly trying to refine the complex interaction

necessary between the different features of the car: Roadholding,
steering characteristics, engine performance and brake perfor­mance , to name a few.

At

Hällered

can use all sorts of testing circuits.

In some of the test cars, electronic recording gear records the
performance of both car and driver throughout certain specified
manoeuvres. The tape are later interpreted by a computer at Volvo's

l

arge technical center which also houses a wide variety of equip-

ment for laboratory tests.

for example, Volvo's 1800-acre test area, the team

Watching the test cars
at

Hällered

is a very

convincing experience.

High-speed lane changing,
slalom-driving, brake testing

on a slippery surface ...

You can even see a tyre
being ripped open at 80 mph
by a special knife - with little
effect on the Volvo's stability.

- Volvo's are legendary

for their unique crash-safety

design.It's perhaps not so

well known what safe cars
they are to drive. Not only

for the very skilled driver
but for all normal drivers,

who get their experience
from normal traffic, says

Friedrich Jaksch.