BBS LM wheels were re-drilled...
BBS LM wheels were re-drilled to fit the Volvo bolt pattern
Next, Richard inquired about a body kit. That's when he met Don Nicholson from Evolve. "I was talking to Don and he had an overstock of S40 body kits, so gave me a deal I couldn't ignore," Richard admitted.
Modeled on Evolve's '05 SEMA concept car, the kit included its large-mouth front bumper, side skirts and rear valance. Richard took the kit to A-1 Autobody in Orange County, CA to be painted and fitted.
Richard finished the exterior by modifying his tail lights and turn signals. They were shipped to Jon's Tinted Tails in New York to be sprayed with clear coat to make it look as if they came from the factory.
Engine performance couldn't be overooked and Richard knew he could squeeze more horsepower from the turbo.
The 2.5 liter five-cylinder twin-cam came with 218hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, and when Evolve needed a car to develop new software, they tested Richard's S40 and worked out some bugs in its program. So instead of peaking at 8psi, the turbo now spools up to 12psi. And according to Evolve, the software has been dyno tested to give an additional 34hp and 37 lb-ft. of torque.
An exhaust fitted by the car's previous owner was already enhancing the distinctive sound of the five-cylinder motor, but Richard decided to fabricate an intake himself. "My buddy and I took apart the airbox one afternoon," he explained. "We noticed the ECU was lying there helplessly, so we made an intake using a cone filter and built a bracket for the ECU to keep everything secure."
Since there are so few S40s in the scene, and relatively few modifications available for them, Richard's accomplishment for the Volvo community is impressive. And as the price of used S40s continues to drop, we expect more Euro enthusiasts to face the challenge and consider a Volvo project.
Tech Spec
2005 Volvo S40 T5 AWD
Owner: Richard Mann
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Occupation: CAD engineer
Engine: 2.5 liter five cylinder turbo with Evolve software, Flowmaster exhaust, custom intake using AEM filter, Otto intake bracket
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission
Brakes: custom drilled OE rotors, Porterfield carbon/kevlar pads, Evolve stainless lines
Suspension: KW V1 coilovers
Wheels & Tires: 19x8.5" BBS LM wheels painted black with red pinstripes, 225/35-19 Falken FK-452 tires
Exterior: Evolve front bumper, side skirts, and rear valance, carbon door sills, OE BMW M3 lip spoiler, 5000K HID foglights, tinted tail lights and turn signals by Jon's Tinted Tails, OE Euro mirrors
Interior: Heico leather shift knob
Thanks: My beautiful wife Melissa, Eric Nareshini at Supreme Power Parts (www.supremepowerparts.com), DJ Tony B, Don at Evolve (www.evolvecars.com), Jon at jonstintedtails.com, Wayne at A-1 Autobody