Volvo Built a Prowler Knockoff. It Was Way Cooler Than the Original

Tufvesson created most of the body himself out of 0.6-inch light weight aluminum panels, taking ideas for their forms from different Volvos in an attempt to make a classic-looking roadster that stuck out. The Volvo PV444, xc70, and p1800 influenced the rear hood (which open up to cool the engine once the compartment gets to a certain temperature), the rear lights, and the grille, while he made use of the S60, C70, and S80 to aid define the sides.

Volvo would certainly give Tufvesson with a donor car for components, however he began by developing the T6’s tubular framework around the engine and transmission– a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter inline-six obtained from an S80, and a five-speed Geartronic transmission that powered the back wheels. He modified the engine, situated behind the back seats, upping the output from 268 horse power to “around 300.”

The T6 would win the Racer Publication’s “Hot Rod of the Year” award in 2004 before making its means onto Volvo’s SEMA Show stand alongside the XC70 AT. Tufvesson would just invest 6 years at Koenigsegg before focusing on his style firm Caresto.

Inside, Tufvesson obtained a lot more from the S80 to complete the T6. The seats, shifter take care of, pedal assembly, and instruments– located in the center of the dash– all came from the sedan, which he rounded off with a special S60 steering wheel that likely would not prove acceptable with today’s business attorneys or safety and security supporters.

Twenty years ago, a very distinct Volvo concept debuted at the 2005 SEMA Program: The T6 Roadster. Although it was on the automaker’s main stand, the company had no hand in its conception. It was developed and hand-built by former Volvo worker Leif Tufvesson in his garage, who began the task in 1998 by piecing together parts from different Volvo designs and his very own homemade equipment. It was his vision for a Swedish racer.

Tufvesson’s time with Volvo was quick when he began in 1995, only spending six months as a service technician in the business’s research and development department before Christian von Koenigsegg hired him away. During his time at the Swedish supercar maker, where Tufvesson functioned his means up from being a mechanic to being in charge of the company’s advancement department, he started building the T6.

He ‘d obtain Volvo’s attention with some pictures of his project, which excited the automaker. Anne Belec, Head Of State and CEO of Volvo Cars of The United States and Canada in late 2005, said that when the firm saw “the degree of information and top quality that Leif took into this lorry, we knew it had a place on the stand at SEMA.”

Tufvesson produced the A-arms for the fully independent front and back suspension, which included personalized carbon-fiber fallen leave springtimes and a reduced S80 steering rack. He borrowed pins from the C70 for the front and front S80 pins for the rear, which had reduced routing arms with Ohlins shock absorbers. It rode on staggered, 20- and 22-inch wheels, which concealed the six-piston front calipers, the 13.0-inch front discs, and the S80’s rear braking system.

Twenty years ago, an extremely distinct Volvo idea debuted at the 2005 SEMA Show: The T6 Roadster. It was made and hand-built by former Volvo worker Leif Tufvesson in his garage, that started the project in 1998 by assembling with each other parts from various Volvo models and his own homemade hardware. Tufvesson made the A-arms for the fully independent front and back suspension, which included custom carbon-fiber leaf springtimes and a reduced S80 steering shelf.