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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday November 19, 2008 - 27 CRYSTAL CLEAR: Volvo has worked with world-famous Swedish glassworks Orrefors to produce a crystal-clear centre stack on the Volvo concept car that will be shown at this year's Detroit Auto Show in January. Ph Phone: (905) 825 8088 825-8088 www.volvoofoakville.com Volvo working on crystal clear concept Volvo Cars has teamed up with world-famous Swedish glassworks Orrefors to work on the company's next concept car, which will be a first taste of the next-generation Volvo S60. The joint creation, a floating centre stack of hand-made Orrefors crystal, will be shown for the first time at the Detroit international motor show in January 2009. In the concept car, the graceful, crystal-clear centre stack forms a gentle, calm wave from the instrument panel all the way to the rear seat backrest. The crystal panel appears to float above the centre console's functions and controls. It rests softly on rubber pads and with the help of invisible light sources the crystal's shimmering glow can be tailored to match the driver's mood. The experts at Orrefors were keen to take on the challenge and the result is one of the most unusual and labourintensive objects in the company's 110-year history. Producing the stack was a challenge even for the experienced experts at Orrefors. Traditionally, the moulds for the crystal are first chiselled by hand from thick planks of alder wood. After casting, the glass is carefully polished to produce its final, crystalclear lustre. In order to meet the relevant strength standards, the finished piece consists of three sections joined together at the Volvo Cars concept car workshops. Although the material in the centre stack radiates uninhibited artistic freedom, the functions that are integrated have been thought through in detail. Chrysler minivan marks 25th year Continued from page 25 have to yank out the seats when there is a need for hauling cargo. On my own, older, minivan, I dread the thought of hoofing out the seats because they are just about as heavy a load as I can lift. And it's harder because you have to reach in, pull up and lift out with all the strain on the back. Ride is great. If you know Windsor, Riverside Drive, running along the Detroit River, has been one of the main access routes for more than a century. It seems to be constantly under repair with a myriad of potholes, cold patches and bumps. Along this stretch, the 25th Anniversary soaked up these irregularities with aplomb that is testimony to a quarter century of refining the same basic design. Part of this is definitely the ride quality. These are tough times for all the automakers, not just the domestics. The Chrysler minivan has been one of the great Canadian success stories. In fact, Chrysler currently enjoys 45 per cent of all minivan sales in Canada.