Volvo and Art Center College of Design Present First-Ever Car Designed by Women

Volvo's 'Your Concept Car' at Art Center's South Campus Monday, September 19

   WHAT:      Volvo and Art Center College of Design will unveil to the West
              Coast "Your Concept Car" (YCC): the first car in the more than
              100 years of auto manufacturing designed and developed almost
              exclusively by women.

              Designed with the needs of everyone in mind, the sleek,
              sporty car features dozens of design elements and innovations
              not typically found in cars designed by men, including no gas
              cap, no hood, headrests for ponytails, gull wing doors,
              improved storage solutions and new sight lines for drivers.

              The historic car has been touring the world and will make
              its one-time West Coast appearance at Art Center College of
              Design in Pasadena.

   WHEN:      Public viewing of car: Monday, Sept. 19, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
              Presentations to students: Monday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. and
              1:30 p.m. (session times are tentative) Media invited to
              attend any time Monday.

   WHERE:     Art Center College of Design
              South Campus
              950 South Raymond Ave.
              Pasadena, CA 91105

   WHO:       Presented by a team of women engineers, designers, marketers
              and managers at Volvo who initiated, designed and developed
              the car -- including Anna Rosen, Exterior Designer and alumna
              of Art Center.  Members of Art Center from a variety of design
              disciplines also will be on-hand to discuss the car.

   WHY:       Women purchase about half of all new cars and influence the
              vast majority of all car sales; yet, for a century, men have
              made most of the decisions in the design, development and
              production of a car, until now.

   FEATURES:  The YCC features innovative storage solutions throughout --
              accommodating carry-ons similar to an airplane (i.e., laptop
              bags, briefcases, handbags, etc.), low maintenance features
              precipitating a no open hood, no gas cap refueling and
              theater-style rear seats allowing greater storage capacity.

              Among other of its many premium features: easy-clean
              paint; numerous exchangeable seat covers of various colors and
              materials (linen, leather, felt, etc.); gull-wing doors that
              make it easier to load and unload larger items; computerized
              assistance for parallel parking; and improved sight lines via
              Volvo's own Ergovision concept -- whereby at the point of
              purchase, retailers conduct a body scan of the driver
              measuring height and length of arms and legs.  The data is
              stored in the vehicle's key, and the car recommends a seat
              position for the driver that provides her or him an optimal
              line of vision and reach.  The car also electronically
              notifies the owner's chosen service center when maintenance is
              due, and the service technician contacts the owner to book the
              appointment.  And the YCC comes with an environmentally
              sensitive, yet powerful 215 bhp, PZEV engine.

   For photos and more information on the YCC and the designers:
   www.volvocars-pr.com.

PRNewswire -- Sept. 13