Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Volvo XC60.

Volvo's entrance into the ever-expanding crossover segment was finally revealed here in Geneva when the wraps were pulled off the new XC60. The swoopy, Swedish cute 'ute will make its way Stateside later this year powered by the turbocharged T6, producing 281 hp and coming standard with all-wheel-drive and Volvo's extensive safety features. Aside from the Instant Traction control, a new system, dubbed City Safety, applies the brakes if a low-speed impact is imminent. Volvo expects to unload around 50,000 XC60s a year, with 15,000-20,000 units sold here in the U.S.

Volvo's exhaustive press release is posted after the jump.

Click above for more shots of the Volvo XC60.

The Geneva Motor Show is right around the bend and the "leaks" are beginning to pop up left and right. The first major production model to surface is Volvo's new XC60, a cute 'ute that's instrumental to Volvo's future plans in the U.S. market.

The XC60 originally appeared on (lemme get this right) automenedzser.hu and the design stays faithful to the concept that bowed in Detroit back in 2007. While the front end doesn't carry over some of the concept's metallic adornments, the fascia, with its drawn headlamps, dual air dams and sweeping fenders, are present and accounted for. The rear end also closely resembles the concept's, complete with the shapely rear LED taillamps and curved hatch.

When the XC60 goes on sale, it's expected to be packing a combination of gasoline and diesel powerplants, including a 1.8-liter, 2.5-liter turbo and 3.2-liter six.




[Source: automenedzser.hu]

Volvo is working hard to finish development on the production version of its XC60 CUV before it goes on sale later in 2008. We'll see the official unveiling in Geneva most likley, and the concept has certainly whetted our appetite. Aimed at the smaller end of the premium CUV market, the XC60 will take on comers like the BMW X3 and the upcoming Mercedes Freeside, as well as the Land Rover LR2, with which the XC60 shares pieces and corporate parents.

AutoExpress has posted spy shots of an XC60 dressed for modesty cavorting in the snow. Comparing the mule to shots of the concept shows that the major points of the design are headed for the showroom after some tweaking. The changes are pretty minor, the door handles change, the roofline appears to be a little higher, though still with the same profile, so you might actually be able to load things in the production car. It does look like the curvaceous taillights are headed for reality, only slightly changed, too. The pictures don't offer any insight as to whether the trick two-piece hatch from the concept will make it to the public, and we're going to bet that the all-white interior will be ditched for something less cleaning-intensive, too. For the most part, what we saw in the concept is what we'll be able to buy in early 2009.

[Source: Auto Express]

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]

Automotive News is dishing on Volvo's product lineup plans between now and 2010. The newly released second-generation S80 won't see any major changes, nor will the new 70-series wagons, the C70, or the C30. The S40's going to bid us adieu, as there's price overlap with the S60, and the S60's not much larger than the S40. The C30's going to serve as the entry-level Volvo, while also angling at MINI's territory of cutieified premium small cars. The S60, while handsomely drawn, is becoming long in the tooth. A redesigned S60 will bow in 2010, and it will be smaller than the current model in an effort to differentiate it from the S80, as well as still serve those customers who would have gone for the S40.

While Gothenburg's losing a sedan offering, it'll be adding a CUV in early 2009 when the XC60 hits the streets. With the CUV market currently on fire, a smaller Volvo 'ute to go after X3 shoppers is a shrewd move. The basic hardware's already been piled together as the Land Rover LR2, which we suspect offers a decent preview of the XC60 experience. Basically, what we see happening is the phasing out of the P2 platform that Volvo developed in the '90s for the original S80, and a migration of all vehicles to some flavor of the EUCD platform.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub Req'd]

click above image for more pics of the Volvo XC60 Concept

Volvo is keen to expand its range with several radically styled all-new models, the first of which is likely to be a production version of the XC60 crossover. Displayed in concept form at the Detroit Auto Show back in January, the XC60 is a departure from Volvo's traditional boxy approach and there's a good chance that these same lines will carry over to the production car. One thing we're pretty sure of though is that the production car's interior won't be anywhere near as cool as the one in concept's cockpit.

We won't be seeing the car launch at any of the major car shows this year, as Volvo is said to be focusing on its environmental concepts, such as a rumored diesel-hybrid, so next year's Detroit show is probably the best bet.

Next in line will be the S60 sedan, but according to a Volvo spokesman, the primary attention of developers was centered on getting the XC60 out. This is because the Swede brand has no genuine rival for cars like the BMW X3 or upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan, and this is said to have delayed development work for the next S60 sedan, which now won't be hitting the market until the end of next year.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Click the image above for a full sized galllery.

Volvo introduced the XC60 concept last night here at the Detroit Auto Show as a way to appeal to the thirtysomething loft-dwelling crowd (drawing on the momentum of the C30, no doubt), and the Swedes also want to make a design statement in the process. "If today you can see that it's a Volvo from 50 meters, I want to make that figure twice as big" says Volvo chief designer Steve Mattin, the XC60 accomplishes this via a strongly-stated grille and slanted headlamps that will make their way onto other future Volvos. Other notable exterior features include a rear tailgate that can be lifted independently of the rear hatch (allowing the loading of small cargo with minimum hassle) and a transparent roof panel.

More impressions and a press release can be found after the jump.



For our comprehensive listing of everything from Detroit, click here.

Check this video out - it's great. You get to take a walk-around of the XC60 concept with Volvo design chief Steve Mattin. We're not so sure about the enlarged Iron symbol. The old Alchemists' shorthand for iron has been on Volvos in a more proportionate and tasteful way since the dawn of the brand. It looks a little overly emphasized here, kinda like that monstrous Cadillac crest on the 'Slade, or the really big Blue Oval on the teeny tailgate of the Ranger.

We really like the trick tailgate, though, and the interior is beautiful. We're not sure how that much white leather would hold up in regular use, but it looks great teamed with the center stack that glows from within. They must've been watching Tron when they designed this thing.

It's great hearing that the lines of the XC60 are a hint of where the styling of the Volvo brand is headed, and that they're working hard to add more bombast to Volvo vehicles. Let's hope they can find the balance between the traditional Scandinavian design strong points and butching it up a bit. Volvo design has sure come a long way from the boxy days of not too long ago, and their progress has been remarkably quick. There's nary a squared-off edge in sight on any of their models, and they still retain familial cues after having gone all swoopy on us.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

Volvo's giving us a little treat in releasing these pictures of the XC60 concept SUV, which they'll be showing in a few weeks at the Detroit show. While strictly dubbed a concept show car, the kid brother to the XC90 is expected to go into production in 2009. How closely it mirrors this shapely showcar is the question.

The exterior styling clearly takes on Ford Europe's latest "kinetic" design language, following along the lines (so to speak) of the Ford Iosis concepts, among others. And those lines mark a radical departure from the comparatively conservative styling production Volvos employ, and what was previously expected to continue with the XC60 as well. To compete with the increasingly crowded premium compact SUV segment, that could be just what Volvo needs to cut ahead of the pack. The interior, meanwhile, is very i, Robot ...tres slick, but don't expect much to carry over to production aside from the modern trademark Volvo floating console-dash panel.

Not much is known about the mechanicals on this concept, but we do know it's based on the platform of the Land Rover LR2 (a.k.a. Freelander 2, as opposed to the LR3/Discovery).

Follow the jump for more images.

[Source: Volvo via Carscoop]

As we've heard from Wheels24 before, Volvo plans to offer a smaller XC in their lineup in the not-too-distant future. The Volvo XC60 mid-size SUV, should be available to the public in late 2008. The news here comes from the folks at World Car Fans who say it will be dubbed XC60, rather than XC50 and that it will share a platform with the V70. Based on the Ford C1 EUCD platform, the XC60 should sport familiar gas and diesel engines from the S40 and V50. It is also expected to share much with the next-generation Land Rover Freelander/LR3, including its trick AWD system.

Although only labeled a concept at this point, the car should be unveiled at the NAIAS in Detroit in January and go on sale as early as Spring 2008. Expected to be approximately the same size as the Toyota RAV4, it will compete a bit further upscale with the likes of the Lexus RX, BMW X3 and new Acura RDX. Styling is conservative and the family resemblance is unmistakable if this rendering is accurate.

[Source: WorldCarFans]