Autoblog

Click above for new high-res gallery of the 2009 Volvo XC60

After a series of leaks that has already revealed the look of Volvo's new XC60 CUV, the Swedish automaker has released the real deal, including some official specs for its smallest soft-roader. Volvo believes the design of the XC60 is the best interpretation yet of the brand's essence, saying that its clean lines and clear identity "radiate a clear Volvo presence" from at least twice the distance of any current model. In the U.S., power will be ample thanks to the company's turbocharged T6 motor producing 281 horsepower and all-wheel-drive is also standard. Like all cars from Volvo, safety is a top priority, so in addition to the normal smattering of active and passive safety systems, the XC60 is fitted with City Safety, a new system that will automatically apply the brakes if a low-speed impact is imminent.

Volvo also wants the XC60 to be an aspirational vehicle for those who've already bought into the brand with an S40 or C30. It plans to sell 50,000 units globally per year, with 15,000 to 20,000 earmarked for the U.S. Though the car will make its public debut in early March at the Geneva Motor Show, Europeans won't be able to pick one up until the end of the year, while those in the States will have to wait until the first quarter of 2009.

We have to agree with Volvo's PR machine that the XC60 is the best-looking vehicle in the brand's lineup, taking the look that the automaker has been evolving for some 15 years now and shaving off all the rough edges. Pricing was not released, however, which will be the ultimate determining factor in how much we really like the new XC60.


[Source: Volvo]

Click the image above for a high-res gallery of live and studio shots of the Volvo XC60 concept.

Volvo's presence at the Detroit auto show was mysteriously minimal, with only a sparsely populated booth and no scheduled press conference. Instead, the Swedes are turning their attention to Geneva, where Volvo will be showing off the 2009 XC60, a compact CUV aimed at the Acura RDX, BMW X3 and a number of other soft-roaders currently populating the marketplace.

The first round of speculation pegged the XC60's powerplant as the 3.2-liter inline-six pulled from the S80, but according to Inside Line, there is still some debate within Volvo about what will motivate the cute 'ute. A transversely mounted inline-five is one option, but regardless, buyers can opt for either front- or all-wheel-drive.

Sales are expected to begin in late 2008 in Europe, with U.S. buyers getting their hands on the XC60 sometime in early 2009.

[Source: Inside Line]