Volvo 480 Road Test pdf
Volvo co-build with Renault (who use it in the R11 and R21) and which also appears in Volvo’s 300 series. For the 480 though, it’s gained multi- point fuel injection and Bosch engine management electronics. Power has risen to 109bhp at 5800rpm (up from the 81bhp of the carburettor version) with torque of 103lb ft peaking at 4000rpm. This high compression ‘low friction’ engine sits transversely between the front driving wheels, mounted in unit with a five-speed transaxle on a detachable subframe. Later, sometime in 1987, Volvo proraise an automatic option for the 480 along with a more powerful 1.7 turbo version offering 125bhp - and also anti lock brakes. As tested, the 480 ran with four wheel disc braking.
At the front, suspension is conventional enough with MacPherson struts, lower wishbones and roll bar. However Volvo engineers have spent quite some time ensuring that the car doesn’t suffer from any anti-social front-drive habits such as wheel scrabbling under power and poor traction, so have modified the suspension bushing accordingly. Also present are near equal-length driveshafts, which help keep the car stable under hard acceleration. Rear suspension, consisting of a dead beam axle, coil-sprung and located by a Panhard rod and Watts linkages seems more designed for predictable, sporting handling rather than optimum ride comfort. Although non-independent, it is an effective, well-proven design, nevertheless.
Get pdf Volvo 480 Road Test pdf
