The Volvo S40, for one reason or another, is somewhat of a forgotten car. This is odd because it has a lot going for it. It uses a variation of the five-cylinder engine that found a home in the second-generation Ford Focus RS and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system. The S40 is especially good with some light modifications, as evidenced by this Smoking Tire one take video.
This car's owner boosted the horsepower, stiffened the suspension and installed a short shifter kit. Besides wheels that are arguably too large for the car, The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah finds that it's a nice handling car that's still comfortable enough to be a daily commuter.
The other advantage to owning a tuned S40 is its rarity: while built 3-Series and WRXs are a dime a dozen, this car's owner says he's never encountered another tuned S40 while driving. It's an excellent choice for someone who wants something different.
When we first sampled the S40 back in 2004, we found it surprisingly fun to drive. This car proves that light modification turns an S40 into a totally legitimate performance car.
A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins served as Road & Track's engineering nerd and Porsche apologist.
