they also carefully studied therelationships between automobilesand drivers in terms of humanreaction time, perception andbehavior during "normal" and"crisis" situations. This informationhas proven invaluable in designingreliable, predictable cars.

For example, Volvo conducts driv-ing tests with average drivers andprofessional rally drivers. Findingsindicate that professional driversare able to control many differenttypes of cars during "normal" and"crisis" situations.

But that average drivers cannotcontrol cars which change theirhandling characteristics during crisissituations. That's why Volvosdon't panic-even if you do. Theyare designed to behave predictably.

Every detail has been carefullyconsidered by Volvo. In a timewhen most other manufacturersare interested in their economics,isn't it comforting to know thatVolvo spends its worrying overyour ergonomics?

An active, fully alert intelligencemakes a car perform each function:stop, go, accelerate, decelerate,turn. Only the automobile's drivercan make those critical decisionswhich insure the car and its passen-gers reach their destination safely.Which is why Volvo has a well-established tradition of payingspecial attention to the needs of theriver.That tradition is carried out

by the painstaking application of thescience of ergonomics to eachfeature of a Volvo. Ergonomics, putsimply, means making man'suse of machinery more efficient andmore comfortable.

That's why Volvo chose a 23°angle steering wheel: because studiesindicate that at that angle you willhave both maximum knee room anda comfortable controllable grip onthe wheel.

To reduce muscle tension andproduce a more stable drivingposition, all Volvo models have aleft foot rest so the driver's feet areon the same plane. And since thevery act of sitting down puts morepressure on lower-back spinaldiscs, Volvos have orthopedically-designed front seats with adjust-able lumbar supports.

To drive safely, you have to beable to see what's going on aroundyou. That's why all Volvo sedansand wagons have better than 90%all-around visibility. The front roofpillars, for instance, are designedto be no wider than the distancebetween your eyes. So that you lookaround them-not through them.

It boils down to this: Volvodesigns and builds its cars to fit you,rather than expecting you to fitdesigns selected for sheer styling atthe expense of usefulness.

To achieve this utility of design,Volvo consulted many specialists.Their research went beyond the con-figuration of the seats and cockpit:

EXHAUSTIVE TESTING IS CONDUCTEDBOTH WITH PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS ANDCOMPUTER CONTROLLED CARS.

VOLVOS HAVE APPROXIMATELY90% ALL-AROUND VISIBILITY FROM THEDRIVER'S SEAT.

Active safety is at its peak whenthe relationship between what thedriver does and how the car reactsis uncomplicated, natural andpredictable-under all drivingconditions. To achieve this consis-tent working relationship, Volvo hascarefully studied and researchedhow to give drivers as much "roadfeel" and as much control overthe car as possible.

To begin with, Volvo equips all itsmodels with steel-belted radial tiresto ensure good road holding anddurability. They are mounted onwide-based rims to increase theirefficiency, and the wheels them-selves are centered on lathe-turnedhubs. Most manufacturers rely ontapered nut or wheel bolts to centera wheel, a far less precise method.

All Volvos have a rack-and-pinion steering system: recognizedby many automotive authorities asthe most precise system available. Ithas fewer moving parts, fewerjoints and much greater accuracyand steering response than othersteering mechanisms. And in con-junction with Volvo's overall design,it provides Volvo cars with a tight,32-foot, 2-inch turning circle.Most models feature a power-assistunit chosen by Volvo engineersbecause it reduces steering wheeleffort without diluting the precisionof the rack and pinion design.

Volvo's suspension is engineeredto optimize both ride and handling.In front, each wheel is indepen-dently suspended by McPhersonstruts incorporating coil springs and

shock absorbers. The shocks areencased within the strut housing toreduce wear from road grit andgrime. The McPherson strut is aparticularly ingenious design capableof good performance and a widerange of flexibility. This helpsreduce the transmission of roadshock to the body-unit mounting

points. It also maintains excellentcontrol of the wheels for more pre-dictable handling and precisesteering control. All models are alsoequipped with a front stabilizer bardesigned to minimize body roll incornering.

At the rear, Volvo's "live" axlehelps maintain constant wheel-to-wheel track as well as constant toe-in, caster and camber angles. Theaxle is precisely located by fivecontrol arms and rods for exactlydelineating wheel travel. Hefty coilsprings and independent shockabsorbers complement the controlarms, and carefully selected rubberbushings make for a strong, good-riding rear suspension. All Volvos,except the GLE wagon, have a rearstabilizer bar for flat cornering.(The GLE wagon has an automaticleveling system in the rear insteadof a stabilizer bar.) The GT hasgas-filled shocks front and rearand heavier stabilizers which pro-vide approximately 35 % higher rollstiffness than the standard models.

Volvo designed its suspension asan integral part of the automobile.It functions well in adverse weatherconditions, at speed, or in accidentavoidance maneuvers-whichmeans Volvo's well-controlledchassis performs without surprises.

Because braking power and howa car behaves during braking areimportant handling features, Volvoputs disc brakes on all four wheels-not just in front. Disc brakesdissipate heat efficiently, makingstopping power reliable and pre-

dictable even after long or repeatedbraking. Ventilated front discs onthe GT and GLE models have evengreater cooling efficiency. Thestandard power-assist unit multi-plies pedal effort four times so thatyou can brake easily. Relief valvesmaintain proper front-to-rearbraking pressure to help avoid gear-wheel lock-up during emergencybraking conditions.

In Volvo's unique dual triang-ular split brake circuit system, eachcircuit controls two front brakesand one rear brake. Should onecircuit fail, braking action on theremaining circuit maintains approx-imately 80% of normal brakingeffectiveness. Most secondarycircuits protect only two wheels.

Volvo's brake system includesanother unique feature which assiststhe driver in the event that a brakecircuit failure occurs. It is called a"stepped-bore" master cylinder. In

this design, if one chamber isemptied of fluid, the other circuitmaintains system pressure. Thismeans the driver would use approx-imately the same brake pedal effortto stop the car as would be neededunder normal conditions.

On a Volvo, the relationship be-tween each system and the compon-ents within each system is carefullyengineered. For example, Volvo'sstable steering characteristics areproduced by the car's weight distri-bution (somewhat heavier in front,hence a slight constant under-steer) and suspension-as well asthe precise rack and pinion steeringsystem. During a panic stop whiletaking a turn, Volvo's steering,braking and suspension worktogether to ensure a controlledstop/turn without severe rear endbreak-out or brake lock-up.

All of our testing and researchhas one purpose: to design an auto-mobile that goes where you want itto go, when you want it to. To stopwhere you want it to, when youwant it to. In other words, Volvohas engineered a car that doesn'tdrive you: you drive it, And wethink that's the way it ought to be.

I N VOLVO'S UNIQUE "STEPPED BORE"MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER DESIGN, ONECHAMBER COULD BE EMPTIED OF BRAKEFLUID, BUT THE SYSTEM PRESSURE WOULDBE MAINTAINED.

VOLVO'S "LIVE" REAR AXLE INSURES CON-STANT WHEEL-TO-WHEEL TRACK.

RACK AND PINION STEERING HAS FEWERMOVING PARTS AND GREATER ACCURACYAND STEERING RESPONSE THAN OTHERSTEERING MECHANISMS.THE FRONT SUSPENSION INCLUDESMCPHERSON STRUTS WHICH INCORPORATECOIL. SPRINGS AND SHOCKS.

VENTILATED DISC BRAKES HAVE GREATERCOOLING CAPACITY.

When we started crashing Volvosinto walls, we wanted to knowexactly what happened to the carand its occupants so that we couldmake design improvements. For along time we were virtually alone inthis pursuit; until the United StatesGovernment stepped in. That'swhen the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administrationstarted crashing Volvos into walls.The NHTSA declared the Volvo244 sedan the car with the bestpotential for occupant protectionof any car in its size and weightclass-and then chose Volvo as theprototype for the U.S. Govern-ment's upcoming industry safetystandards.

And that's just about the timedomestic manufacturers startedbuying Volvos. We can only assumethat they're crashing Volvos intowalls now, too.

None of this is by accident. Volvobelieves that people are the mostimportant things that go into aVolvo. We've pioneered severalimportant safety features; some ofwhich have yet to appear on othercars:•

Volvo's "high-impact" laminatedwindshield, which because of itsflexible construction, minimizesdamage from flying stones andother road hazards. Impact testswith dummy passengers have provedthe safety value of the laminatedwindshield. Volvo models had thisas a standard feature in 1944.•

Three-point, inertia reel safetybelts with Volvo's patented "slip-joint" coupling distributes forceloads evenly between the upper andlower parts of the belt. In 1959,Volvo was the first manufacturer in

• Firmly anchored seats which lockonto adjustment rails on both sides.They exceed all safety regulations.And remember, a seat belt's abilityto restrain can only be as good asthe seat's ability to stay put duringa collision!•

Volvo's triangular-split dual brakecircuit system was introduced in1966. No other mass produced carhas it. Each circuit controls bothfront and one opposing rear wheel.•

Volvo's stepped-bore master brakecylinder which was introduced in1974 is still unique in the industry.

the world to introduce three-pointbelts as standard equipment.•

High survivability of properlyrestrained occupants at higherspeeds than is required by law. Thecurrent U.S. standard at whichmost tests are conducted is 30mph,but U.S. studies show that Volvoshave a high degree of passengersurvivability at 40mph barrierimpacts-and that 10mph increasemeans that 79% more energy mustbe absorbed!•

Special, patented Volvo designside-door reinforcements.

• Four-wheel disc brakes have beenstandard on Volvo models for along time-yet they are still rare onmost cars.

However, unlike many other man-ufacturers, Volvo doesn't simplymeet regulations through passivesafety features. Volvo believes thatyou should have an automobile thatgives you every chance to avoid anaccident in the first place. We callit dynamic, or active safety. Andthen, we give you the best possiblecrash protection should it becomenecessary.

Volvos are designed to last a longtime, and to age gracefully. Thisrequires quality, and quality isn't aneasily acquired characteristic. Youcannot simply bolt quality onto acar; it must be built in at every stepof the manufacturing process.

When body joints rub againstone another they tend to rust moreeasily. On a Volvo, thousands ofspot welds aid in reducing thispossibility by cutting down on thenumber of joints formed by bolts.Each spot weld is strong enough tosupport the weight of the entirebody.

Another vital part of makingan automobile last is the attentionpaid to the coating of its metalsurfaces. After assembly, the bodyis sprayed with a zinc-phosphatesolution. This forms a fine crystal-line coating that cleans and etchesthe metal to ensure that the paintwill adhere to the body properly.

Each Volvo is then dipped into aprimer bath that covers the entirebody, including the smallestinternal cavities-places you neversee. Oven baking, sanding and athorough inspection follow.Insulating materials are applied tothe floor, firewall, and other partswhile joints are sealed by adhesivesand special fillers. Then sheetmetal below the belt line, the lowerhalf of the doors and rocker panelsare coated with a special stone-chipresistant paint, which consists ofwet-on-wet layers of polyester.

A final layer goes over this pre-pared surface. The body is bakedin a high-temperature oven again.

Naturally, primer, sealer andpaint cannot insure durability bythemselves. So Volvo goes belowthe surface. Various types of zinccoatings are used on importantbody parts and structural membersbecause of their "self-healing"properties. A small scratch in azinc coating is quickly filled in bymigrating zinc molecules-therebyhelping to stop rust formation.Volvo's method of hot-dippedgalvanizing (a process which adds azinc coating to both sides of steel)produces a zinc coat three timesthicker than that achieved by the

The entire surface of the car is wet-sanded for greater smoothness;another sealer coat is applied andoven-baked. And then the car isfinally ready to be painted: ineither thick, wet-on-wet enamelcoats or enamel with aluminumflakes for metallic finishes. Anadditional clear finish coat seals inthe metallic paint.

more conventional electro-galvanizing method. Other vitalparts receive zinc coatings andbefore assembly all critical jointsare coated with a zinc primer.After assembly, rust preventivefluids are injected into nearly fiftybody sections.

A Volvo's underside is as wellprotected. A plastic splash guardunderneath the engine com-partment and plastic liners in thefront wheel housings are designedto keep out road dirt and salt. Theexhaust system is partiallyaluminized; and brake lines aremade of a special alloy which ismore corrosion resistant than purecopper. Factory undercoating, athick asphalt compound, is sprayedover the underside. The floor alsogets a special abrasive-resistantpaint, and rear wheel arches arecovered with an "armed" bitumencoating on the wear surfaces.

Many of these measures havefound their way into the assemblyof a Volvo because Volvos are madein Sweden-which has a climatewith particularly adverse weatherconditions much of the year.Despite those conditions, Volvo'sprotective measures have paid off,year after year. The SwedishMotor Vehicle Inspection Companyhas proven that Volvos last longerthan any other car on the road inSweden. Since 1966, Volvo has had asteadily higher life expectancythere, reaching an average longevityof over 17.5 years in 1978-wellahead of Mercedes-Benz, BMW,Volkswagen, Peugeot and Audi.

Many automakers offer a hugevariety of engines for each modelthey make, and at first that mightseem like a good thing. But thecloser you look at the problem ofpowering an automobile, the moreyou can see that, with a rational car,a rational engine makes the mostsense. That's why Volvo doesn'toffer you a bewildering selection offinal-drive ratios, transmissions,or carburation systems. Just twoeconomical, efficient engines: one isa new V-6 with increased capacity;the other is a four-cylinderthat gets a little bit better withevery passing year.

The B21 F is a tough 2.1 litreengine-standard on Volvo's DL,GL and GT models-with anoutput of 107 horsepower. (S.A.E.)It has an in-line four configurationwith a belt-driven overhead cam-shaft-a design which eliminatespushrods and rocker arms for quiet-er operation and fewer adjustments.The B21 F also has Continuous Flowfuel injection and cross-flow intakeand exhaust ports that allow goodengine "breathing" . The ignitionsystem is breakerless and solid statefor reliable, safe operation underany conditions. And this yearVolvo's exclusive Lambda Sond°emission control system is standardon all models, in every market.This system senses the amount ofunburned oxygen in the exhaust andregulates the fuel injected accord-ingly-which means the engine runsmore cleanly and more efficiently.

GLE sedans and wagons and theBertone Coupe are powered byVolvo's new 2.8 liter B28F engine.Its increased cylinder capacitypumps out 130 horsepower (S.A.E.).The B28F is a light-alloy overheadcamshaft V-6 with ContinuousFlow fuel injection and LambdaSond° emission control. As in thecase of the B21 F, it's designed forexcellent low-speed torque, orpulling power.

Volvo's engines have been sub-jected to exhaustive road research,with millions of miles of test drivingin the hot, arid wastes of Asia andDeath Valley and in the cold climateof Canada. They are built to last.

Of course, power and reliabilityaren't all that Volvo puts into itsengines. Each is scrupulously assem-bled to meet the strictest environ-mental demands. Volvo did its workso well that its emission controlsystem has won widespread acclaim-including the "Award of Excel-lence in Air Pollution Control"by the National EnvironmentalIndustries Council.

Test drive a new Volvo. We thinkyou'll agree that Volvo has done anoutstanding job of balancing allthe diverse requirements demandedof engines in today's world: per-formance, reliability, economy andclean emissions. We know youexpect nothing less than Volvo'straditional excellence.

VOLVO'S THREE-SPEED AUTOMATICTRANSMISSION IS FLOOR MOUNTED. SHIFT-ING CAN BE DONE AUTOMATICALLY ORMANUALLY.

FOUR-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION ISAVAILABLE WITH AN ELECTRICALLY-ACTIVATED OVERDRIVE WHICH REDUCESFOURTH-GEAR ENGINE SPEEDS BY 20%.

THE B21 F IS A 2.1 LITER IN-LINE FOUR WITHAN OVERHEAD CAM AND FUEL INJECTION.

THE NEW 2.8 LITER B28F IS A FUEL-INJECTED, OVERHEAD CAM V6.

THE DISTRIBUTOR TRANSMITS HIGH VOLT-AGE TO THE CORRECT SPARK PLUG.

EXCELLENT ACCESSIBILITY: VOLVO'S TAIL,WIDE-ANGLE OPENING DOORS.

THE FAMOUS VOLVO SEAT ADJUSTS NINEWAYS.

THE 12-OUTLET VENTILATION SYSTEM HASSIDE WINDOW DEMISTERS, EXHAUST VENTSUNDER THE REAR WINDOW AND SEPARATEREAR AIR CHANNELS.

Many automobile manufacturersspend the bulk of their designtime on a car's exterior. And toooften, when the buyers becomedrivers, they discover shortcomingsall through the car's interior.

Volvos are different. The interior,that part of the car that the ownersees most often, has received thesame if not more attention.

Volvo's engineers thoroughlyresearched their task. They beganwith the human eye, analyzing itsmovements while a car was underway. They then substantiallyreduced fatigue by locating keyinstruments at convenient places inthe instrument panel and givingthem easily legible faces.

The designers chose a resilient,non-glare material that aids occu-pant safety and resists crackingand discoloration. All the controlsare right where the biotechnicianssaid they should be for optimumuse; easy to find, easy to use. Thisthoughtful design extends even tothe door handles, window windersand seat-belt fasteners.

Tall, wide-angle opening doorsand exceptional shoulder andlegroom help make Volvo's interiora comfortable, hospitable place.Even the seats are orthopedicallydesigned to ensure that you will becomfortable-mile after mile.

The backrests are dished for ex-cellent lateral support of your upperbody, so that you don't have topush against the seat in cornering tostay in place. The lower seat cush-ions are designed to insure properthigh support without putting pres-sure on the wrong places and caus-ing restricted blood flow. And, of

course, the adjustable lumbarsupport in the backrest-anotherpioneering Volvo design, helps keepyour spine properly cushioned.

Two mounting rails are welded tothe floor platform for a firm anchor-age. The seat frame is bolted to twoglide rails that fit securely into themounting rails. At the front of theseat cushion, a moveable bar isconnected to both glide rails so thatby raising the glide bar, you caneasily slide the seat back and forth.

Underneath the driver's seatcushion (and the passenger seat onthe Bertone Coupe), two levers (onein front and one at the rear) allowyou to adjust the height levels. Onall Volvo models, the passenger seatcan be similarly adjusted, exceptthat you'll have to reset a few bolts.

A set of strong, flexible wires,called pullmaflex insures thatthe cold-formed polyurethane foamcushions will retain their shape formany years.

All of these appointments com-bine with Volvo's finely engineeredchassis and suspension to offer asuperb, quiet ride- making Volvo acar you will enjoy even more whenyou are seated inside its "livingroom" than when you are outsideadmiring its classic lines.

GOOD VISIBILITY IS ENSURED BY VOLVO'SREAR WASHER/WIPER ON WAGONS.

CARGO CAPACITY: 76 CU. FT. (S.A.E.);A SIX-FOOT SOFA FITS WITH EASE.

A curious thing happens to manynew Volvo owners after they'vedriven a Volvo for awhile. Theyfind themselves appreciating littledetails about the car that theyhadn't noticed before. There aremany examples.

To improve all-around visibility,Volvo models have been designedto cut down the glare on your eyeswith tinted glass, a darker tintband on the top of the windshield, aday/night rear view mirror and dualanti-dazzle outside mirrors thatfilter out headlights at night. For anunobstructed view of the rear, aspecial rear window defroster clearsice or mist quickly. Even theheadrests are "see-through."

For your convenience, there arestorage compartments in the frontdoors for maps and such; a glove-box with depressions in the door forholding coffee cups-and a vanitymirror. Our new outside mirrors areremotely controlled from inside and,of course, they're electrically con-trolled on GLE's and the BertoneCoupe. There's also a comfortablerear armrest; grab handles over thedoors; intermittent windshieldwipers; a trunk light and a tripodometer. A new central lockingsystem is now standard on allmodels except the two-door DLand the GT. But if you buy atwo-door model, your rear passen-gers won't get hung up on the frontseat belts when they get in and out-because we've tucked them out ofthe way.

If you choose a Volvo wagon, youwill discover many other functionalfeatures: the gas-filled cylinderswhich make the lifting and lowering

inside to wrestle the tire out. Thehighbeam headlight control is on thesteering wheel-no fumbling aroundon the floor to find a button.Volvos also have .. .

The list could go on and on. AndVolvo GLE models and the BertoneCoupe have even more features.But we think that you can discoverthe true value of a Volvo best bytaking one home. We're sure thatyou'll find your Volvo easy to livewith.

NEW DUAL REMOTE-CONTROLLEDMIRRORS FILTER OUT HEADLIGHTS ATNIGHT. ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED MIR-RORS ARE STANDARD ON GLE MODELS ANDTHE BERTONE COUPE.

of the tailgate almost effortless; thehidden storage area underneaththe cargo floor; the tie-down pointsfor securing large loads; and therear washer/wiper-with controlsmounted on the steering wheel.You'll find that you can lower thenewly designed rear seat by yourself-without mumbling! And perhapsbest of all that your wagon handleslike a Volvo sedan.

Most Volvo models also have aspare which is mounted upright inthe trunk (or cargo area)-so youwon't have to remove everything

A TRUNK LIGHT IS STANDARD.

FRONT WIPERS ARE CONTROLLED BY ASTEERING-WHEEL MOUNTED STALK. REARWIPERS ON THE WAGONS ARE CONTROLLEDBY THE SAME STALK.

DEEP, BOX-LIKE TRUNK ALLOWS SUITCASESTO BE STORED UPRIGHT.

ALL-AROUND TINTED GLASS WITH A DARKTINT BAND ON THE WINDSHIELD.

REAR CENTER ARMREST IS NOW STANDARDON ALL MODELS.

SPECIAL DEMISTING HEATING ELEMENTSARE BURNED INTO THE REAR-WINDOWGLASS.

THE LIGHTED GLOVE BOX HAS A VANITYMIRROR AND DEPRESSIONS IN THE DOORFOR BEVERAGES.