The Aisin boxes are Double-Clutch System transmissions, rather than 'slush-box' automatics; they are more fuel efficient and have the option of changing gears manually. The dry-clutch DCS units, fitted in the likes of the sportier Focus, were mechanically unreliable and were the cause of many a warranty claim. Those fitted to the C30/S40/V50 family were changed to wet-clutch units, that helped resolve the problems that seemed to be endemic to dry-clutch Aisin DCS boxes.

@@jaysteele1031Sorry, not sure what you mean. Aisin-Warner have never made a DSG to my knowledge. The only gearbox of this type ever fitted to a Volvo was the Ford Powershift. Getrag manufactured that.

​@@Jeffrey_M Pete horbury True Talent I had Volvo C3O I Loved It Great Car

Verses today's design of no button just a screen which, even when stationary and with piano playing dexterity have hard to touch virtual buttons.

The video is absolutely riddled with wrong facts.

@@Jeffrey_M That's the problem when you try to cram too many "facts" in a short amount of time.

Yes lots of light colours, the dark wood is very unusual here

My thoughts exactly. Shame, the mk1 Focus was a fine drivers car. But, the dash was a bit dismal!

@@simonhodgetts6530 It was the style at the time! The AU Falcon was given a similar swoopy dashboard, with reduced materials quality compared to the previous model. Ford Australia felt they read the market wrong as the trend, instead, was for vehicles to go more upmarket. There's a fascinating "Shannon's Design to Driveway" episode here on KZfaq about the AU Falcon and the new edge styling being applied to the Falcon. [Notwithstanding Hubnut's Fairmont that already has the premium version of the dash with wooden inlay and analog clock!]

Nah, the Rover 400 is based on a Honda -- the mighty EG/EK chassis -- so it wins by default! The MG ZS 180 is a much fruitier hot hatch than the Volvo C30 T5. The C30 T5 seems to be tuned as more of a cruiser (compared even to the Focus ST 5cyl which is already more of a cruiser than the MGs or Honda Type Rs to start with), compared to the double wishbone MG ZS.

Still,give me the Volvo any time....

Yes, european premium brands are legendary for charging extra for the steering wheel, more or less. It was especially bad in years gone by. Mercedes, BMW and in modern times Audi got quite a hilarious number of options availible as well (Not to mention the likes of Porsche etc). It is quite possible there isnt a single BMW 3 series with every option sold in some countries for example. I had to search every used car ad in europe for 9 months before I found the car with the options I wanted. To be fair, it was explicitly every option _except_ 2 which I dont like and didnt want, so even more uncommon to find one with all options except 2 specific ones.

Thanks for reminding me - Ive met her! She was picking up a design award at a show somewhere

Ovolovs! Is it intentional?

Well known but little known perhaps?

Id love a 306, and XSi or GTi6

Not even in the same league for torque, drivability and durability as a normally aspirated 5 cylinder. These engines easily do 200k with correct maintenance. The PSA is very poor for durability and are lucky to manage 100k without major issues - it’s highly stressed all the time.

"Sharing platform" means it has the same or very similar control arms (perhaps with different bushing stiffness), similar (if not identical) front subframe, rear subframe, similar fuse panels, similar HVAC ducts, the same fuel tank, same fuel pump, similar brake line routing if not the same brake calipers, and so on and so forth. "other than that they were completely different cars" If they didn't share any of that stuff, that completely defeats the point of sharing platforms to cut costs... It doesn't mean the cars drive or feel the same, but it does mean the way the door is wired might be exactly the same, the door lock might be exactly the same, the door check strap might be exactly the same, the window regulators might be very similar if not identical, the airbags might be all exactly the same part numbers etc. I.e., the whole point of platform sharing is to have a huge number of interchangeable part numbers, not to make cars that are "completely different". It seems unlikely they were "completely different", but please enlighten if you have evidence to the contrary. Just as this Volvo S40 has parts that say FoMoCo (Ford Motor Company) all over it as does the Mazda3 of the same era -- if they weren't using as many of the same parts as possible, that would defeat the point of platform sharing to cut costs! I appreciate the Volvo would have had much more steering caster than the Lancer, as I doubt Volvo would have thought 2.5 degrees of steering caster would be acceptable (doesn't feel very stable or "European" at speed), but I doubt they did all that much reengineering to change that, unless you have evidence to the contrary? :) E.g., I found a post on a Volvo forum where the S40's inner arch liners are *identical* to the Mitsubishi part numbers, which suggests (among other evidence) that the S40 and Lancer/Charisma are very closely related indeed! Same brake discs and brake pads (and calipers). Same sway bars. Rear suspension is entirely interchangeable (albeit differently tuned when new). It seems to go on and on... The front subframes appear to be different to accommodate the Volvo engines compared to Mitsubishi engines though. :)

@@TassieLorenzo You're very right on the parts shared! Making it completely different from a technical perspective would, as you say, defeat the purpose. But it is completely different in terms of the result. I was an intern at Volvo Car Netherlands at the time and driven with Carisma and S/V40 quite a few times. Even though the chassis shares many parts between the 2, they really don't drive the same way. Thank god... the Carisma is one of the least engaging cars you can possibly find, the Volvo struck a reasonable balance between comfort, tautness and feedback. I'd say they were just as different as the second generation is to a Focus in terms of resulting experience. I stand by my earlier criticism that Matt's comment is unfair.

shame, I guess Defenders are out as well then?

@@furiousdriving yeah, drove my uncle's 90 td5 once and it's OK for a short while but not for longer trips 😅

that was the word I was fumbling for

Not the T4!!!

You have to pay a literal road tax for each car you want to drive, paid either annually, split into 6 months or monthly payments, which is good if you have several cars as if you can park off road you can stop the payment for a month of the car isnt going to be used. Now the amount is based on emissions, and varies from free for EVs and ICE £30 to £2600 per year. It used to be a round paper disk in the windscreen, now its all on line (roadside and police ANPR cameras read the number plate and flag untaxed cars)

@@furiousdriving Thanks 👍

Not a popular opinion, the Charisma was pretty unloved as a base for the Mk1

How very dare you! 400s are excellent!

@@furiousdrivingI take you are comparing with the R8 based 400, not the slightly hopeless HH-R?