Along with the V40 and the V50 estates, the Volvo S40 sedan is sold by Volvo Cars as a compact car. It first was launched in 1995 and has two distinctly different models. This vehicle has a common platform as with the Mitsubishi Carisma. Despite sharing the same platform, Volvo boasts that its S40 has 4000 unique parts from that Mitsubishi Carisma and that of the remaining thousand parts, 650 of these were manufactured and crafted by Volvo itself. Five years after it was launched, the Volvo S40 underwent a facelift and there were also technical improvements done to it. There was an increase in the size of its brake disks, along with some upgrade done to some suspension components. The track width of the Volvo S40 was also widened slightly. With these changes done to the original Volvo S40, the finished product was then dubbed and referred to as “Phase II” models. These vehicles were equipped with a 1.9 liter diesel or 1.6 liter, 1.8 liter, or 2.0 liter uncharged fuel injection petrol engines. In the middle of 2004, however, a new Volvo S40 was introduced, this time using the Volvo P1 platform as its base. During the same year, the Volvo S40 was nominated for the World Car of the Year award for 2005. It also bagged the prize for the Canadian Car of the Year Best new Sport Compact award that same year. Also, it has been elected as the South African Car of the Year for 2005 by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists. At present, the Volvo S40’s has a wheelbase of 104 inches, an overall length of 176 inches, a width of 70 inches, a height of 57 inches, and 3,400 pounds in weight. One of the models of the S40 carries with it a 2.5 liter five-cylinder fuel injected engine that has a light-pressure turbocharger. Its valve train has four valves per cylinder and is crafted with a DOHC design. The engine of the Volvo S40 is diagonally located at the front of the vehicle and this drives the front wheels. As per the 2005 Volvo S40 looks and feels like a softened Volvo. It has a sleeker front with more curves that carries the important function of saving lives if a pedestrian should be hit. Comparing this new one with the models before it, this one has is taller, wider yet shorter. This is a handsome vehicle with four doors and proper bar door handles on the outside. The doors provide an easy access to entrance and exit. The interior sports attractive and not ostentatious seats. The Volvo S40 has the comfort of a quality vehicle, and sports the look of a vehicle that has safety in mind. To continue Volvo’s tradition of offering safe and quality vehicles, auto parts companies like Volvo Parts - Volvo Auto Parts offers to of the line Volvo parts. The customer has a choice from a vast array of Volvo auto parts and replacement parts.