Volvo Shows Four Possible Design Directions for Next-Gen XC90

While Volvo’s stand at the 2011 Los Angeles auto show didn’t house anything we haven’t seen before (save a sassy version of the doomed C70 convertible), we did see some interesting stuff at the company’s slick Camarillo, California, design studio just prior to the show. There we got a peek at these four sketches, which show possible design directions for next-generation XC90 crossover. On first glance, they all look roughly the same, but closer inspection reveals variations in everything from the size and shape of the signature taillamps to the C-pillar treatment to the varying degrees of angularity in the overall shapes. All, however, look far more modern than today’s XC90, which has been on the market since 2002.

Volvo didn’t so much as hint about which of the four is most likely to get the green light, but it did say that the XC90 will be the first vehicle built on Volvo’s upcoming Scalable Platform Architecture. Also, in accordance with its previously announced future powertrain strategy, the next XC90 will feature only four-cylinder engines. Given the XC90’s size, you can expect direct injection and copious amounts of turbocharging, and possibly even some version of the kinetic energy recovery system that the firm is currently testing. Volvo wouldn’t comment on a hybrid version, but since the SPA platform is designed to handle all extents of electrification, you can bet your last Swedish fish there will be one. We were told that the next-gen XC90 will bow sometime in 2014.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/volvo-shows-four-possible-design-directions-for-next-gen-xc90/

Limited-Edition 2012 Volvo C70 Inscription to Debut at L.A.; 500 Examples Coming to U.S.

Volvo’s C70 folding hardtop convertible may soon go the way of the dodo, but at least it’s going out in style: This limited-edition 2012 C70 Inscription will debut at the upcoming L.A. auto show before going on sale next year. Volvo describes the Inscription as “perhaps the ultimate expression of [our] iconic hardtop convertible.” Iconic? Probably not. Ultimate expression? We’ll play along: The car bundles not only the typical special-model styling upgrades, but a healthy power boost as well.

Cosmetically, the Inscription gets a gloss-black grille, black 18-inch wheels, and a rear spoiler, and is available only in Ice White or Black Sapphire Metallic. LED daytime running lights and xenon active headlamps are standard. It’s the interior, however, that really sets the C70 Inscription apart. The seats are upholstered in “Sovereign Hide,” and the dash is wrapped in leather and features contrasting stitching. In case the fancy interior trappings fail to remind of the Inscription’s specialness, Volvo embroidered “Inscription” onto the headrests and also throws in special floor mats and a unique handbrake lever.

The Volvo C70 may be a looker—even more so after its recent refresh for 2011—but the folding hard top and structural bracing mean it’s not exactly light or lithe. Reinforcing the standard car’s relaxed attitude is its 227-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a five-speed automatic. For the Inscription, Volvo squeezed out an additional 23 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque from the turbo five (for new sums of 250 hp and 273 lb-ft). The power bump comes courtesy of some ECU tuning by Volvo’s racing partner, Polestar.

Volvo has yet to announce pricing for the C70 Inscription, but it will undoubtedly carry a nice premium over the C70’s $40,825 base price. The company is planning a 2000-car global production run, with 500 of those units slated for the U.S. The limited production numbers and unique features ensure exclusivity, and make the Inscription an enticing swan song for Volvo’s attractive boulevardier.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/limited-edition-2012-volvo-c70-inscription-to-debut-at-l-a-500-examples-coming-to-u-s/

REVIEWS: 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD - Four Seasons Update - October 2011

Months in Fleet: 6
Miles to date: 14,960

The Volvo S60 has now spent half a year with Automobile Magazine and has settled comfortably into its role in the Four Seasons fleet. Neither a sports car nor a utility vehicle, the S60 is the car of choice when a comfortable all-around cruiser that seats four and can provide some entertainment is what's needed.

The S60 has proved so capable and comfortable that it has even enticed some editors to go on jaunts that they weren't intending. Such was the case with web editor Ben Timmins, who recently had the S60 in his possession on a weekday evening: "Yesterday I found out that a movie I want to see was only showing at a theatre in Lansing, about an hour away. Most of the time I wouldn't think of driving there at the last minute, but it was a no-brainer with the S60. The car is capable and comfortable, powerful and confident. The miles rack up in that vehicle at a staggering pace."

And the S60 is also a car whose performance potential can sneak up on you, as copy editor Rusty Blackwell reported after having the S60 in his care one recent weekend: "My wife drove the Volvo to church on Sunday. When she got home, she asked, 'Uh, what kind of engine is in this?!' 'A turbo six-cylinder.' 'Oh, well I looked down at one point on Pleasant Lake Road [which has a 55-mph speed limit] and caught myself going 80!' She rarely goes faster than 60 mph on roads like that. This car is definitely a silky-smooth cruiser."

There are still some lingering complaints with the S60's various interfaces: you can't power-adjust the seat cushion and seatback at the same time, which makes installing child seats a slightly more time-consuming task (because we never want to take 10 more seconds to do a job than we have to!). One driver couldn't get the auto up/down button on the driver's window to work properly. The steering column doesn't telescope away far enough for some drivers. The power button on the radio mutes the sound, but doesn't actually turn the radio on and off.

Most of those complaints have been more than offset by the general praise for the handling characteristics and interior of the car. There have been, however, a few staffers who long for an S60 with a manual transmission. A manual is not likely ever to be an option in this car -- there would likely be little demand and it would not be economically feasible for the automaker. Still, a set of paddleshifters for the automatic transmission would be a nice compromise for enthusiast drivers.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1110_2012_volvo_s60_t6_awd_october_update/index.html#ixzz1ckew9Jsz

Plan On Crashing Your Plug-In Car? Volvo Will Keep You Safe

Cars of today are immeasurably safer than those even a decade ago, and manufacturers have been working very carefully to ensure that the different requirements of electric car construction don't mean taking a step back in safety.

Volvo has always been known for safety and its plug-in cars are no different. They've already proven the safety of the C30 electric car and now it's the turn of the V60 plug-in hybrid to hit the wall.

In fact, it's the wall that hits the car in this latest test.

As with many electric vehicles, the battery pack is mounted below the trunk floor. This is great for practicality as it ensures space is retained in the cabin, but it does make the pack vulnerable in a rear impact.

As a result, Volvo has been carefully working for years now on making sure the batteries aren't compromised in a rear impact. And as you can see in the video below, the pack manages to keep its structure despite being hit hard at 50mph by a non-deformable sled. Controlled deformation protects the pack and other areas are reinforced. Sensors monitor the impact's severity and immediately shut off power supply, and even if the battery is breached and gas escapes, it's directed away from the occupants inside the car.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1067723_plan-on-crashing-your-plug-in-car-volvo-will-keep-you-safe

GreenCarReports: 2012 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid Confirmed For Europe, U.S. Will Have To Wait

By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Volvo has just confirmed that its first ever plug-in hybrid electric car -- and the world’s first plug-in hybrid station wagon -- will go on sale in early 2012. 

But the Swedish automaker has reiterated that while Europeans will get the Diesel-electric through-the-road plug-in hybrid, there are no plans to introduce it to the U.S. market in its current form.

We were among the first to get a sneak peak of Volvo’s compact plug-in station wagon at an exclusive pre-Geneva Motor Show preview event, and you told us that you wanted to know more about its high fuel economy figures, towing capability and electronic all-wheel-drive capabilities.

But the news from Volvo wasn’t good. It didn’t think the U.S. was ready for a diesel plug-in hybrid, executives said.

You told us otherwise, so the next time we saw the Volvo executives responsible for the V60 Plug-in hybrid -- this time for an exclusive fist-ride report of one of its pre-production prototypes  -- we asked them to reconsider the U.S. market.

Then in June Volvo CEO hinted that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid would be getting a gasoline make-over for the U.S. market, with the first cars due some time in 2013, making us think that Volvo had listened to its fans.

Now we’re not so sure. In a conversation with Volvo representatives in Europe, we were told that there’s no firm plans yet to bring the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid to the U.S.

“It was speculated a few months ago when the CEO was in the U.S. on a trip,” said a Volvo spokesperson. “But never confirmed.”

With Volvo representatives remaining tight-lipped about the future for the V60 Plug-in Hybrid outside of Europe, we’re afraid you may be in for a wait if you want a station wagon that can tow, gets good gas mileage and plugs in too.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1067401_2012-volvo-v60-plug-in-hybrid-confirmed-for-europe-u-s-will-have-to-wait

Current Volvo C70 Convertible Likely Dead in 2013, Status of Replacement Uncertain

Volvo’s compact S40 and V50 have already been canceled, and the long-term future of the C70 convertible—which shares a platform with those two cars—was put into jeopardy today: The company announced that the factory producing it will close at the end of 2013. The Uddavella factory is owned jointly by Pininfarina and Volvo, but Volvo takes sole ownership when the cooperative agreement expires in two years. In a statement released today, CEO Stefan Jacoby said “The low volumes in the Uddevalla plant do not justify continued production.”

Company sources have told us that it is possible for Volvo to continue building the C70 at another facility, but a decision about its survival hasn’t yet been made. But Jacoby’s own remark in today’s press release seems to seal the current car’s fate. “We will now look into when a next-generation Volvo convertible can be on the market and where it should be manufactured,” he said, leading us to believe that production of the current car will end when the factory is shuttered.

When the cancellation of the S40 was announced in June, a spokesperson told us that the C70 and the compact C30 hatchback had never been intended to be much more than niche products. But the C70′s sales weren’t sufficient to justify an entire factory, and indeed the sales numbers may be too slim to justify even “niche” status for Volvo and its Chinese parent Geely.

While it will probably be many years until a new Volvo convertible arrives—if one does at all—we expect that it would use the automaker’s upcoming Scalable Platform Architecture. This new platform underpinned Volvo’s Concept You, which debuted at this year’s Frankfurt auto show.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/current-volvo-c70-convertible-likely-dead-in-2013-status-of-replacement-uncertain/

2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD - Long-Term Road Test Intro

Date: September 2011
Months in Fleet: 3 months
Current Mileage: 6306 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 23 mpg
Average Range: 410 miles
Service: $0
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0

Last year’s purchase of Volvo by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited can be summed up in two words, which also happen to be one translation of Geely’s Mandarin name: good luck. The double whammy of a global recession and anxiety over the transaction prompted a near-death experience for the venerable Swedish brand. Only 21,423 Volvos were delivered in the U.S. in 2010, down by more than 100,000 units from the decade’s highest mark.

Now that customers have begun returning to the fold, bumping up sales by a factor of three, we deemed it safe to spend some quality time with the newest and possibly best Volvo on the market. The S60 is as close as Volvo has ever dared venture in the BMW direction. It’s conveniently sized, nicely designed, and endowed with ample power and traction. So we added an Ice White 2012 model to our long-term fleet, conducted the usual welcome-aboard performance assessment, and started scribbling insightful observations into its logbook. We have our fingers crossed in hopes of a pleasant long-term relationship.

Passing on the Five, but Not Much Else

For 2012, the S60’s engine choices grew from one to two. A turbocharged five-cylinder now sits at the bottom of the lineup, but we opted for the T6, powered by a 300-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged-and-intercooled inline-six. The R-Design, a late arrival for the 2012 model year, adds another 25 hp to the six’s chart. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered. It and the inline-six are bolted end to end and crammed sideways under the S60’s hood. Two ill effects resulting from this arrangement are an unwieldy 39-foot turning circle and front wheels that are burdened with nearly two-thirds of the total curb weight. To help avoid the crippling understeer that’s inevitable with 325 lb-ft of torque routed through the front axle, all T6 S60s are all-wheel drive.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q3/2012_volvo_s60_t6_awd-long-term_road_test_intro

Chicago Volvo S60 Dealers