European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday december-13, 1990 of is s i. 1 a i Lei 1 a. J,�4 rat Etc. Tiv it it a a or. A,1 Frau a a it i s. It Jim the stars and stripes. J a Page 13 new family Sedan offers of room i i the new Volvo 941 so ii Intro Ducco on world markets Only three months ago embodies All of the traditions that the swedish car maker is noted for a among them safety Quality and Good Overall performance. Powered by the buyers Choice of either Turbo or normally aspirated 4-Cylinder engines the 940 Sedan joins its flagship 960 counterpart in the new Volvo lineup for 1991, both the 960 and 940 cars Are identical in appearance the Only difference being the Power Plant. The 960, which uses the newly developed 3-Liicr, 24-valve, in line engine of 204 horsepower is being sold on the european Market now but it will not be offered in the United states until sometime next year. But the 940 4-door Sedan which Volvo describes As its a volume car on the upscale family car segment a is available now on both the . And military markets. We had the Turbo powered fully equipped 940 be on test recently from Volvo a German division Headquarters in dietzenbach these being top of the one in the 940 Range. In appearance the new 940 luxury sedans resemble the Volvo 70q series models in front but the the roof and the rear have been completely redesigned to provide a much smoother rounded and More elegant look. / this also results in a 10 percent improvement in aerodynamics a a drag coefficient of 0.35. There a also a higher trunk line which blends in Well with the Overall design. The trunk Sill is also lower to make loading and unloading easier. Although the styling of the new 900 series cars remains Ori the conservative Side this is obviously Volvo a aim. Like past Volvo designs a that of the 240, for instance a to is one that will remain in Vogue for Many years a. Now lets look at the new 940 be which is powered by the same tried and True 4- Cylinder 2.3-Litcr Turbo engine that is used on the 740 Turbo Model its a Strong engine especially in the lower ranges where the extremely smooth Turbo Power and consequent Strong pickup is appreciated a bit More Power in the higher ranges however would be welcomed for Long hauls on the autobahn this is where the 140-Mph, 6-Cylindcf 960 Model which we drove during the press introduction really shines the fuel injected Turbo engine with in Ter cooler develops 162 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 195 it. Lbs of torque at -3,450, its coupled to a 4-Speed automatic Gearbox that works nicely and if you want More punch and traction you can have it by engaging a Button on the Side of the gear selector lever. Once engaged you have a 3-Speed transmission for driving on twisting mountainous roads or for pulling a trailer. An Orange Arrow on the dash lets you know that the car is in the third gear Mode. Although a big and relatively heavy car the 940 be is still no Slouch getting from Zero to 60 Mph in 8.2 seconds and Topping out at 120 Miles an hour. One can cruise Between 90 and 110 Mph with ease when traffic conditions permit and when pass my the kick Down to Strong. Like its 960 counterpart the Volvo 940 has the a Multi links rear suspension system for improved Road holding. This sys tent which offers Coil Springs and Load leveling Shock absorbers among its Fca lures is paired with a Macpherson Stout Spring design at front the tires Michelin 195/65 radials Are mounted on attractive 15-Inch Alloy wheels. A solid automobile All around that pro aides an equally solid yet extremely comfortable ride the 940 be proved stable invest conditions and on Semi icy roads As it St a. A i Quot so lines on 940 series Are Dean and slightly rounded. Sloping rear window is accompanied by High trunk line. Ass Sas steering wheel houses airbag. Phone is non Standard. 2.3-liter Turbo engine of 162 he Powers 940 be 5x3 Well. The Standard Abs disc braking system also proved first rate with Little pitch or slide even under heavy pedal application. Our Only complaint concerned the rack and Pinion steering which had too much  in for our taste the car was almost too easy to steer and Road feel was a bit lacking. The 940, which seats five adults in Comfort is quite agile for a ear of its size. It also features a surprisingly tight turning Circle a 32.6 feet to be exact. Volvo says a the new 940 has a feeling of space and Freedom in front and rear seats alike a and we would say that is an accurate description of the Anterior aspects where the emphasis is on Comfort. There a plenty of room All around and the effective use of Glass plus the Standard. Ill it it Tan All leather seats on the test car created a feeling of luxury and spaciousness. The Driver and passenger seats Are electrically adjustable and heated and the Driver has  visibility. A there was Little if anything lacking on these Model. A few Standard items for instance included cruise control Central Locking Power windows Power outside mirrors heated As Well electronic climate control air conditioning Power Sun roof child p roof re a a door i atches fro n t and rear fog lights stereo radio adjustable St e e ring co i u m n a n d d r Ive r Side a i r bag. There a More but that gives you a general idea. A a non Standard item in the test car was the compact disc exchanger the first one we be encountered. Volvo Calls it a the smallest in the world a and its fitted in the trunk for space and safety reasons. Controlled by a unit inside the car you can use manual scan which plays samples of each song and random which gives a a Gnu Dom selection. Its a neat system but the fitted Price stands at Well Over $1,000. 1 a. A a a a. A. Reading lights Are provided for the rear seat passengers and a general Oyer head Light plus two map lights for Driver and passenger Are also included. It More than adequate storage is provided with a huge trunk of 17.2 cubic foot capacity a Good sized Quot Gloye Box storage panels at the Bottoms of both front doors and storage pockets on the backs of the two front seats. The Volvo 940 be returned 19.4 Miles to the gallon including some High Speed runs. The tank holds 21.gallons 80 liners so the Range would be Iti the 400-mile Mark. A summing up the Volvo 940 be is an elegant yet sturdy family car that represents Good value for Motley Over the Long term even though the initial outlay is fairly stiff special tax free military prices for the 940 4-door sedans have been set at $23,525 for the Gle $25,045 for the 940 Turbo and $28,945 Lor the 941 be Turbo discussed in this report the 940 series also includes station wagons with these prices As follows 940 Gle $24,195 940 Turbo $25,645 and 940 be $29,545. The 940 series ears Are manufactured Only with 4-Speed automatic transmissions a \. A Volvo includes a Home shipment program warranty plus other benefits in its prices a a. T,._. J. A Randy Barnetts amps Auto columnist