Volvo to export Chinese-built sedan to US this year

According to a Reuters report, Volvo has a brace of plans that are making us go, "Hmmm." The first is that it plans to export 1,500 units of its S60L, which is built in the company's factory in Chengdu, China, to the US. The stretched midsize sedan was another one of those rear-legroom specials built for the chauffeured classes in China, but Volvo says US buyers have likewise been clamoring for more legroom out back. The plan could make Swedish-born, Chinese-owned Volvo the first company to begin regular importation of Chinese-built vehicles, and over the long term could lead to parent company Geely rolling in on its coattails.

The elongated S60 might not be the only car to come this way from The People's Republic: Volvo is planning an S90 flagship that would be built on the SPA architecture at its Daqing factory, and the Reuters story says it might be exported here, too.

The final nugget is that Volvo is said to be considering a factory in the US. In 2012, former CEO Stefan Jacoby said the company would spend "two or three years" looking into a US or Mexico factory. Much has changed at the company since then, so it looks like the reset button got hit – Reuters characterizes it as Volvo "starting to weigh the possibility" of a plant – but with all of its competitors setting up shop in North America, we probably won't have to wait three years for another update.