Day: Jun 13, 2016

2017 Volvo S90 Review Review

The 2017 Volvo S90 has been tested by a few of the major magazines. What do they think?

Volvo's forthcoming S90 saloon. Image: turbo.fr
Volvo’s forthcoming S90 saloon. Image: turbo.fr

Car and Driver are impressed with the car despite its lack of a V6 let alone a V8. The car is up against this lot: ” the BMW 5-series and the Mercedes-Benz E-class—both of which are new for 2017. Other competitors (in order of sales for calendar year 2015) are the Hyundai Genesis, Lexus GS, Audi A6, Cadillac CTS, Jaguar XF, Infiniti Q70, and Acura RLX.” They conclude that the S90 is “solid, comfortable, beautiful, and practical and should make Volvo a player in the mid-luxury segment for the first time in a long while”. Edmunds concludes “With sharp style, hallmark Swedish ergonomics and potentially a plug-in hybrid model, the 2017 Volvo S90 promises a compelling alternative to traditional German and Japanese luxury midsize sedans”. Continue reading “2017 Volvo S90 Review Review”

Theme: Materials – Body Building

Originally carpenters made horsedrawn carriages with wooden bodies. They carried this technology over to the horseless carriage. 

Aluminium and wood and leather- Bristol's materials of choice
Aluminium and wood and leather- Bristol’s materials of choice

Then it became clear that for large scale production, a saw, hammer and some nails would not be up to the task. Design involves choosing a balance between what the material needs to do and how it can be formed. The appearance emerges from this compromise – the required look can drive material selection and vice versa. Often the balance is not even something at the forefront of the designer’s mind if they are working out of habit or tradition. Continue reading “Theme: Materials – Body Building”