Volvo Cars recently revealed the long-awaited new XC60 premium SUV at the Geneva Motor Show.
The new car replaces Volvo’s highly successful original XC60, which, in the nine years since its launch, became the best-selling premium mid-sized SUV in Europe, with nearly a million units sold globally. The XC60 today represents around 30 per cent of Volvo’s total global sale
“We have a strong heritage in designing stylish and dynamic SUVs that offer the latest in technology," says Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive, Volvo Car Group. "The new XC60 will be no exception. It’s the perfect car for an active lifestyle, and it represents the next step in our transformation plan.”
Volvo boasts the new XC60, one of the safest cars ever made, is fully loaded with new technology. Steer assist has been added to the ground-breaking city safety system. A new safety system called oncoming lane mitigation uses steer assist to help reduce head-on collisions, while Volvo’s blind spot indication system (BLIS ) now uses steer assist functionality to reduce the risk of lane-changing collisions.
“We have focused on building a car that can deliver pleasure to all of your senses, from a commanding view of the road ahead in a beautifully appointed and calm cabin to a safe, inspired and confident ride,” says Henrik Green, senior vice president product and quality at Volvo Car Group. “We’ve paid particular attention to making life easier for our customers by providing them with the creature comforts and services that take the hassle out of everyday life.”
Pilot assist, Volvo’s advanced semi-autonomous driver-assistance system, which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h, is available in the new XC60 as an option.
The new XC60 offers Volvo’s award-winning T8 twin engine petrol plug-in hybrid at the top of the powertrain range, delivering 407hp and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds.
“We have a wide range of powertrains. The new XC60 will be launched with the diesel D4 engine at 190hp and the D5 with PowerPulse technology delivering 235hp. We also have the petrol-powered T5 delivering 254hp, and the T6 which, with both turbo and superchargers attached, delivers 320hp and 400Nm of torque,” Green adds.
But it is not just under the bonnet that the new XC60 delivers healthy performance. The new CleanZone four-zone climate control system removes harmful pollutants and particles from outside the cabin to deliver Scandinavian-fresh air on the inside.
Volvo Cars’ driver infotainment and connected services offer, Sensus, and the Volvo on call app both receive a graphical update with improved usability. As in the 90 series cars, smartphone integration with Apple carplay and android auto is also available.
“The XC60 is an SUV not designed to look down on others but to drive," says Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president design at Volvo Car Group. "The exterior has an athletic sculpture with a subtle, timeless quality. The interior is a masterful composition of well-resolved architecture, beautiful materials and the very latest technology – all perfectly blended together. The XC60 provides a true Scandinavian experience, which will make our customers feel special.”
Volvo Cars’ new XC60 is set to go into production in mid-April in Sweden.
