Volvo S90 makes North American debut in Detroit

Volvo Cars has marked its presence at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) by launching its new Volvo S90 sedan there. With its US sales showing a positive 24.3% increase in 2015, the Swedish car maker is confident that its S90 will follow in the successful footsteps of the hot-selling XC60 and new XC90.

Lex Kerssemakers, senior vice president of the Americas at Volvo Car Group, said, “there are strong indications that Volvo is back on track in the US. We expect this strong sales momentum to continue in 2016, helped by the new S90.”

Inspired by the the look of the classic Volvo P1800, the new S90 has been heralded as one of the prettiest premium sedans in the market today. Its sleek styling is complemented by the brand’s signature “Thor’s Hammer” headlamps and Iron Mark front grille – two styling traits among the many first seen on the second-gen XC90.

Its cabin’s design mirrors that of the XC90’s minimalist approach, featuring a large touch-screen display that houses the latest-gen Sensus user interface and infotainment system. Most of the car’s control’s are within the system, leaving the dash and centre console clutter-free. Like the XC90, the S90’s interior is Scandinavian luxury at its functional best.

The S90 also carries forward the flagship SUV’s powertrain options, with a T8 Twin Engine 2.0 litre four-pot PHEV variant standing firm as the range-topping choice. With a total system output of 407 hp and 640 Nm of torque, the S90 sedan is properly equipped to take on anything in its segment, which includes the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Of course, the new S90 isn’t all about power. Just days ago, Volvo announced that its S90 sedan would feature semi-autonomous driving tech as standard, at no extra cost to buyers in the US. Kerssemakers said the initiative “symbolises Volvo’s commitment to autonomous driving and our Vision 2020.”

Combine the above with Volvo’s leading developments in safety technology, and it isn’t hard to see where its newfound confidence comes from. Dr Peter Mertens, senior vice president, Research & Development, said, ‘the S90 has taken a big stride forwards in terms of driving dynamics, performance and ride. We have completely redesigned the Volvo driving experience from the ground up to deliver a sense of precision, engaging control and comfort.”

The with XC90 receiving around 88,000 pre-orders in the US last year and exceeding the company’s expectations of 50,000 pre-orders, Volvo is hopeful that a similar outcome will take shape for its S90.

The company has also recently made a USD$11 billion investment in developing its first North American production facility in Charleston, South Carolina, employing around 2,000 workers.

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