BY MIKE AUSTIN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE VALENTE
Volvo chose the glamorous Geneva auto show to debut its new station wagon, but all is not irony: the totally redesigned Volvo V70 wagon looks like a spaceship compared to the boxy Volvos of the past. The taut, curved surfaces of the V70 are even a significant step forward from its predecessor, which redefined perceptions about Volvo style. The most noticeable feature of the V70 is the rear, where the taillights are partially incorporated into the tailgate. The vertical portion of the rear lights are lit with LEDs.The only engine that will be offered in the U.S. market will be the 3.2-liter inline-six, making 235 horsepower. It’s the first six-cylinder for the V70, but the engine is also found in the XC90 sport utility and S80 sedan. The V70 is based on the S80, so we expect the wagon to share a number of chassis components and underpinnings with Volvo’s flagship sedan.
The interior is larger, and boasts new interior innovations like a pair of child boosters built into the 40/20/40 three-way folding rear seat. A power tailgate and sliding rear load floor will also be offered. As for safety, the V70 has more acronyms than a NASA project: SIPS (Side Impact Protection System); WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System); Extended IC (Inflatable Curtain); HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist); OBA (Optimized Hydraulic Brakes); RAB (Ready Alert Brakes); and FBS (Fading Brake Support). If that sounds like a lot of brakes, don’t worry, the V70 has four normal discs. All of the brake-related systems combine to provide more brake pressure during emergency stops, increase brake pressure with hydraulics when vacuum pressure is low, 
shorten brake response time, and use greater brake pressure to account for brake fade. In other words, the V70 will do everything it can to bring itself to a stop in an emergency, provided the driver actually hits the brake pedal. And, if the V70 doesn’t stop, there are plenty of airbags and crash structures to protect the occupants. Just like you’d expect from a Volvo, only now even better looking.
