Photo: sugardesign_1 / Instagram
Volvo’s 40 series has a rather convoluted history. And the potentially controversial ideas seem equally perplexed even when automotive virtual artists take over from OEM duties.
The Swedish premium automaker envisioned the 40 series as the successor of a long lineage of compact executive cars. Back in 1995, it followed in the footsteps of the 440/460 iteration with S40/V40 saloon (sedan) and versatility (station wagon) style. The range had a couple of generations, but it turns out the estate jumped around a bit, morphing into the V50 for the second iteration from 2004.
Then, in 2012, it was time for yet another reinvention. On this occasion, the series shrunk to just one representative. And although Volvo returned to using the V40 moniker, it was neither a traditional sedan nor a family-loving grocery-getter station wagon. Instead, the 2012 to 2019 Volvo V40 became a five-door hatchback.
Now, the 40 series again has just one representative: the XC40 compact luxury crossover SUV. Well, that’s a tangled story, all right. So, it shouldn’t strike us as too surprising that even pixel masters don’t know what to make out of their projects focusing on a potential all-new revival of the V40 nameplate.
Case in point, Sugar Chow, the virtual artist behind the sugardesign_1, is traditionally adept at “Touring the world!” – which is his way of saying that he loves making just about everything a station wagon model. There are exceptions, of course, and this one might very well be one of them. If only the car and CGI expert decided to skip the drama and settle this identity crisis once and for all.
So, here’s the dilemma. While for many this wishful thinking interpretation of a new V40 may look just like any other stylish European estate (station wagon) out there, it may be something else, actually. After all, the digital creator asks if we shouldn’t interpret it as “a gran hatchback (derivative) of Polestar 2?”
Then, in 2012, it was time for yet another reinvention. On this occasion, the series shrunk to just one representative. And although Volvo returned to using the V40 moniker, it was neither a traditional sedan nor a family-loving grocery-getter station wagon. Instead, the 2012 to 2019 Volvo V40 became a five-door hatchback.
Now, the 40 series again has just one representative: the XC40 compact luxury crossover SUV. Well, that’s a tangled story, all right. So, it shouldn’t strike us as too surprising that even pixel masters don’t know what to make out of their projects focusing on a potential all-new revival of the V40 nameplate.
Case in point, Sugar Chow, the virtual artist behind the sugardesign_1, is traditionally adept at “Touring the world!” – which is his way of saying that he loves making just about everything a station wagon model. There are exceptions, of course, and this one might very well be one of them. If only the car and CGI expert decided to skip the drama and settle this identity crisis once and for all.
So, here’s the dilemma. While for many this wishful thinking interpretation of a new V40 may look just like any other stylish European estate (station wagon) out there, it may be something else, actually. After all, the digital creator asks if we shouldn’t interpret it as “a gran hatchback (derivative) of Polestar 2?”
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