[Lil bastard]

Coolant temp may suffice as a euphemism for engine temp in some quarters, but it's an inaccurate one.

And, some gauges may show the symbol of the engine, but to my experience, most relate to coolant or water such as a water droplet with the symbol for degree (°), or a set of wavy lines simulating water waves with a thermometer sticking in it (such as the Boxster), I've even seen H²O on a gauge of one car I owned.

Neither German or European cars were designed for the Autobahn as your german friend stated, and you need to make a distiction between German and other European manufacturers because the genisis of their way of designing cars is very different.

All European cars are 'better built' in part because of their early history. Europe was slow to adopt Henry Ford's model for mass-producing cars - initially, they took a more craftsman like approach and to some extent this lingers today. But it's a mistake to try and lump them all together.

German cars were NOT designed for the Autobahn as this didn't even exist until shortly before the 2nd World War. They were built to meet the specs of both DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung), formerly NADI (Normenausschuss der deutschen Industrie), a bureau of Industry Standardization such as our ASE, and later TÜV (Technischer Überwachungs-Verein) standards.

Virtually everything that moves on a German road must have a TÜV certification, including most of the parts, such as tires, wheels, even down to the metal alloy from which the Nuts and Bolts are to be made. In most cases the certificate has to be renewed after two years. A pass of the mandatory roadworthiness and smog test is indicated by tamper-proof decals on the license plate. Most modifications (ie aftermarket parts) also need to be approved. The TÜV safety guidelines are among the strictest in the world, and have largely (though not wholly) been adopted by the EU. Now operating at Autobahn speeds may well be factored into the TÜV standards, but it's meeting the standard and receiving certification, not autobahn driving, that manufacturers design and build to.

But, the basis for design of the Volvo was very different and not to market the cars in germany. It was to survive a long-standing cause of major highway crashes and deaths in Sweden, namely Reindeer ! Collisions with Reindeer was a serious problem causing many deaths. Volvos were built with high, flat, reinforced, front ends to prevent merely knocking the animal off it's long legs which resulted in the carcass sliding over the hood and into the windshield, and subsequently, the driver's/passenger's laps. They were designed to throw the animal over the windshield onto the roof (which is also heavily reinforced) and save the occupants lives. In the late 50's and early 60's, when Mercedes started marketing their cars as 'crashworthy' and safe, Volvo jumped on the bandwagon with a 'safety conscious' car they'd actually been producing from the start.

Other country's cars had similar beginnings, but again, not specifically for operating on the Autobahn.