Volvo Gives S40 - V50 a Facelift

In 1995, Volvo Cars released an entry level luxury sedan with a wagon version. These vehicles are aimed at the younger generation of car buyers. The Volvo S40 sedan and its wagon version, the V50 have undergone their first redesign for the 2004 model year.

The latest generation of the Volvo S40/V50 is named by Forbes as one of the best luxury car for young professionals. And for the 2008 model year, Volvo announced that they will be introducing the third generation of the S40/V50 models. The Swedish car manufacturer announced that the new version of the S40 and the V50 are even more tailored to suit the preferences of younger buyers.

The 2008 Volvo S40/V50 are designed to complement the C30 which was unveiled earlier this year. As Volvo aims to attract the attention of younger car buyers, they designed the S40 to resemble its bigger sibling, the S80. On the other hand, the wagon version of the S40 resembles the looks of the bigger V70. On the outside, the most notable redesigned piece is the nose of the sedan and the wagon.

The 2008 model year version sports a new grille and new headlight cluster. The Volvo logotype is also larger on the third generation S40 and V50. The ancient symbol for iron accentuates the redesigned nose which gives the Volvo S40 and the Volvo V50 a lowered look. That makes the vehicles look lower than they really are.

From the back, the 2008 S40/V50 looks similar to the second generation S40/V50 with several changes. A slimmer light cluster is one of the changes made in the rear of the car along with a new bumper design.

Inside the 2008 S40/V50, one of Volvo?s most widely recognized interior features was revised. The floating console which is employed by high-end Volvo vehicles was upgraded and looks even cooler. Aside from the revisions made to the floating console, Volvo also gave the 2008 S40/V50 new door panel inserts. Consumers will also be given a wide choice of upholstery designs.

Aside from the aforementioned revisions, the 2008 Volvo S40/V50 will also be equipped with swiveling bi-xenon headlights as an option. This feature comes in handy when making turns during nighttime driving. An Emergency Brake Light feature is also included. With this feature, the EBL flashes when the driver activates the brake pedal. As far as the engine lineup is concerned, Volvo has yet to announce whether the choice of engine will remain as. But word has it that Volvo will be offering a new T5 engine with increased power output.

One thing is for sure though - the abundance of safety features will always be in Volvo?s vehicles. Since these are Volvo models, it can be expected that these will be equipped with the latest safety features to complement a high performance luxury vehicle with reliable parts such as Volvo axles, steering components, and the like.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.

Is It Time For A Copy Facelift?

by Karon Thackston 2003
http://www.copywritingcourse.com

I just had to laugh! During a recent conversation about how often you should change your copy, I had one person tell me Well, if there were any *good* copywriters out there, theyd be able to write it once, and it would work forever! Oh really? Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

It is extremely rare for advertising copy to last for extended periods of time. Changing your copy is a given, the reason being that people and events change. Since we, as copywriters, are reaching our customers on an emotional level, we have to stay in tune with whats going on in their lives and their worlds. Lets look at an example.

Say you rent mailing lists. Your primary benefit might be that you have the largest lists available offering a minimum of 100,000 names per category. Things are going great, and youre renting lists like wildfire. But then right in the middle of your success the postal service increases rates substantially.

All of a sudden, your rentals begin to drop dramatically. Here you are screaming about the largest lists available anywhere, and your customer is thinking about how much his postage expense is going to skyrocket.

The businesses you rent lists to are now very concerned. What *used* to be your biggest benefit is now your biggest deterrent. Your customers no longer want to rent lists that have a minimum of 100,000 names. Instead, theyd love to be able to rent much smaller lists in the 5,000 to 10,000 quantity range. Yep! You guessed it. Its time to change your copy, USP and all!

Any number of aspects can cause a change in focus for your target customer, and therefore a need to rewrite your copy. Here are some of the more common ones for businesses:

New tax laws
New mandatory expenses (such as a postage increase)
Starting a new business
Closing a business
Stock price increase
Stock price decrease

Business to consumer sales can be affected, too. Personal circumstances that change every day include:

Buying a new home
Retiring
Getting married
Getting divorced
Having a baby
Receiving a tax refund
Receiving an inheritance

What do I recommend? Twice a year, take a good, long look at your copy. What has changed in your marketplace? What laws, regulations, or events have been implemented or have taken place? Will these things have an impact on your customers? How will you respond to them?

Take that information and compare it to what your current copy says. Is your message clear? Are there benefits you need to update or change? Is your copy still making the most positive impact on your potential customers that it can?

If not, dont hesitate to make changes. After all, your copy is your key to new customers and repeat customers. And, as I said in the beginning, hardly any copy will last forever. Eventually, everybody is due for a copy facelift.

Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too! Let Karon write targeted copy and ezine articles for you. Visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com, or learn to write your own copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.