2015 Volvo XC90

  • Volvo XC90 First Edition – 1,927 units sold out online

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    Volvo launched the all-new XC90 last month, and promptly put up a First Edition for sale. 1,927 units of the big SUV were up for grabs, exclusively online, and they sold out in 47 hours after release. Most of the units were reserved within one hour, and at its peak, seven XC90s were sold every minute. The cars will be delivered in April 2015.

    The First Edition XC90, which features uniquely numbered tread plates and a distinctive badge on the tailgate, is available in supercharged and turbocharged T6 AWD (320 hp and and 400 Nm) and D5 twin turbodiesel (225 hp and 470 Nm) forms. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

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    The special edition also comes with an Onyx Black exterior, eight-spoke, 21-inch inscription wheels, as well as an interior featuring nappa leather seats done in a shade called Amber, complete with a Charcoal leather dashboard and Linear Walnut inlays. Also on, a 19-speaker, 1,400 watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

    “The first buyers signed up for their favourite number in milliseconds. The rapid response confirms that the XC90 is a truly iconic car model. The First Edition will be a collector’s item in the future,” said Alain Visser, senior VP of marketing, sales and customer service at Volvo Car Group.

    Volvo Car Malaysia MD Keith Schafer recently told us that the second-generation XC90 is slated to debut in Malaysia in August 2015. The seven-seater SUV will be first available as a CBU import, before local assembly starts in Shah Alam. Read the full story.

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 coming to Malaysia in August 2015 – high local specs, 400 hp T8 plug-in hybrid considered

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    Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) held a special product presentation regarding the recently revealed 2015 Volvo XC90 earlier today, during which managing director Keith Schafer announced that the long-awaited second-generation seven-seater SUV is slated to arrive on Malaysian shores in August 2015.

    The company is aiming to bring in the new XC90 as a fully-imported model – production in Sweden is expected to begin in February – before starting local assembly. While VCM currently assembles the outgoing car at its Shah Alam plant, adapting the factory to build vehicles based on Volvo’s new and complex Scalable Product Architecture (on which the new XC90 is based) is expected to take some time, with the first CKD models expected only in 2016.

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    VCM is also looking to provide high levels of equipment for local models, and all three 2.0 litre four-cylinder Drive-E petrol powertrains are being considered. These are the 254 hp, 350 Nm turbocharged T5, the 320 hp, 400 Nm supercharged and turbocharged T6 as well as the range-topping “Twin Engine” T8 supercharged and turbocharged plug-in hybrid that produces a combined output of 400 hp and 640 Nm.

    The hybrid is an interesting proposition, as there are currently duty exemptions for hybrids that are locally assembled. This policy will expire at the end of 2015, however, which is some time before CKD production of the new XC90 is set to begin. Perhaps the Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) incentives indicated in the 2014 National Automotive Policy (NAP) will help VCM price a CKD T8 hybrid attractively, as Mercedes-Benz has recently done with the S 400 L Hybrid.

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 First Edition – limited run of 1,927 vehicles, only available through online sales

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    Now that the wraps have come off the 2015 Volvo XC90, the Swedish automaker has announced a limited series run to front-line the second-generation seven-seater SUV’s arrival on the scene. The First Edition, as it’s called, will be made up of 1,927 individually-numbered vehicles, the specific number being a celebratory nod to the year the company was founded.

    What’s unique about the series isn’t in how many vehicles there are, but rather the fact that the entire First Edition run will only be available for sale via digital commerce through www.volvocars.com. The online store will begin selling the first XC90s on September 3.

    The First Edition XC90s, which will feature uniquely numbered tread plates and a distinctive badge on the tailgate, will be available in supercharged and turbocharged T6 AWD (320 hp and and 400 Nm) and D5 twin turbodiesel (225 hp and 470 Nm) forms. Both engines will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

    The edition will feature black an Onyx Black exterior and eight-spoke, 21-inch inscription wheels, as well as an interior featuring nappa leather seats done in a shade called Amber, complete with a Charcoal leather dashboard and Linear Walnut inlays. Also on, a 19-speaker, 1,400 watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 – second-gen 7-seat SUV unveiled

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    It has been 12 years since Volvo pioneered the seven-seater SUV, and now there’s finally a new one – the 2015 Volvo XC90. The second-generation family hauler is a big deal for the Swedish carmaker as it is the first step in the brand’s US$11 billion (RM34.7 billion) rejuvenation.

    The first production car built on the new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), the new XC90 features the company’s new design language, with T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” headlights flanking the large grille. That grille contains Volvo’s updated iron mark badge with the little arrow finally aligned with the iconic diagonal bar running across the grille.

    The sculpted bonnet, sharp crease along the beltline and bulked-up haunches above the wheel arches give the car some added muscle, further bolstered by new wheels measuring up to 22 inches in diameter. Meanwhile, Volvo’s distinctive rear design is updated with slim “tattoo-like” tail lights.

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    Two exterior styling themes will be available for the new XC90. The Urban Luxury package features body-coloured lower trim, polished stainless steel details such as the front and rear skid plates and side scuff plates as well as 21-inch polished alloy wheels. The Rugged Luxury pack, on the other hand, has matte black trim, stainless steel skid plates, illuminated running boards and 22-inch wheels.

    We’ve seen the interior before – it was revealed a month ago – but it’s good to run through the specifics again. The cabin is said to be the most luxurious for a Volvo to date, with soft leather and wood teamed up with handcrafted details such as the crystal glass gearknob from Swedish glassmaker Orrefors and the diamond-cut start-stop button and volume control knob.

    The seats have also been designed to free up space in both the second and third rows without sacrificing comfort. The rear-most seats provide “class-leading comfort” for two passengers up to 170 cm tall.

    2015 Volvo XC90 – second-gen 7-seat SUV unveiled

    An important new feature of the interior is the portrait-oriented tablet-like touchscreen, an integral part of the new in-car control system. The display reduces dashboard clutter, controlling everything from music to navigation to even the climate control. Also included are a suite of internet-based services, “state-of-the-art” voice control as well as native integration with Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto.

    The XC90 will be offered with a range of two-litre petrol and diesel Drive-E engines – part of Volvo’s new Versatile Engine Architecture (VEA) family of powertrains – as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission. Two petrol options will be offered: a 254 hp, 350 Nm turbocharged T5 as well as a 320 hp, 400 Nm supercharged and turbocharged T6.

    Diesel models include a 190 hp, 400 Nm D4 that consumes around 5.0 litres of fuel per 100 km, as well as a 225 hp, 470 Nm twin turbo D5 that is claimed to offer class-leading fuel consumption of around 6.0 litres per 100 km.

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    At the top sits a new “Twin Engine” T8 plug-in hybrid model with a supercharged and turbocharged petrol mill powering the front wheels and a 60 kW (80 hp) electric motor driving the rear wheels. Together they churn out around 400 hp and 640 Nm, while being capable of a 40 km all-electric range as well as carbon dioxide emissions as low as 60 grams per kilometre.

    As befits a Volvo, the new XC90 will come with a raft of safety features and will be key to the company’s aim of zero accident fatalities or injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020. Two new world firsts include Safe Positioning which reduces injuries if the car runs off the road, as well as an automatic braking function at junctions if the car senses the driver is about to turn into an oncoming car.

    All of Volvo’s auto brake systems are now packaged under a single umbrella, called City Safety, and they will all be standard on every new XC90. These features now protect against vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, and are now functional both day and night.

    GALLERY: Volvo XC90 at the 2014 Paris Motor Show

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 leaked – full details to come later

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    After 12 long years since the first generation model debuted in 2002, the Volvo XC90 finally receives a second generation. It will make its world debut in its hometown of Sweden tomorrow but as usual, photos of the car have leaked onto the internet, allowing us a first look at the family SUV.

    All petrol variants of the XC90 will be powered by Volvo’s 2.0 litre Drive-E engine, which tops out as a hybrid T8 with a combined 400 horsepower. The hybrid can do 40 km in EV mode. The next rung down is the T6, which has a 320 horsepower output. For fans of oil burners, the D5 will do 225 horsepower from its twin-turbo diesel engine. All engines are mated to an eight-speed auto.

    We’ll be back with full details once the full press kit is out. For now, read our Volvo XC90 infohub and have a look after the jump for the full gallery and start dreaming!

    Read The Full Story ›

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 headlights teased – “Thor’s Hammer”

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    There’s only two weeks left before the launch of the 2015 Volvo XC90, and to whet our appetites for the new seven-seater SUV, Volvo has given us what must surely be the final teaser, this time showing the car’s headlights.

    The angular full-LED setup is reminiscent of the company’s recent concepts – the Concept Coupe, Concept XC Coupe and Concept Estate – and features distinctive T-shaped daytime running lights which the design team dubs “Thor’s Hammer”.

    Volvo also revealed a host of new details about its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) which the new XC90 is the first to sit on. The modular platform is a vital part of the company’s US$11 billion plan to revitalise the company, and will enable a wide range of vehicles, powertrains, electrical systems and technologies to be engineered onto the same architecture, increasing economies of scale.

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    With SPA, designers get much more freedom, with the wheelbase, overhangs, vehicle height and the height of the front all being flexible to suit their needs. Only the dash-to-axle length remains fixed.

    The new platform also cuts weight and improves weight distribution, which should enhance the driving experience. Interior flexibility is another area where the SPA excels – the new XC90’s seats are designed to free up interior space for second- and third-row passengers, helping to make it a proper seven-seater.

    All seats on the second row can be slid to improve legroom for the people behind them – enabling “class-leading comfort” for third-row passengers up to 170 cm tall – or to increase loading capacity with the rear seats folded.

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    Under the bonnet, the new XC90 will be powered by a range of Drive-E engines from the new modular Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family. The 2.0 litre four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines are turbocharged to different levels depending on the application, from high-output variants to fuel-efficient versions. SPA is also able to integrate electrified powertrains at all levels without sacrificing interior or load space.

    The most powerful model, the T8 “Twin Engine”, combines a 2.0 litre supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, offering around 400 hp and 640 Nm as well as a 40 km all-electric range and carbon dioxide emissions of around 60 grams per kilometre.

    Volvo’s reputation for safety is further bolstered thanks to the extensive use of high-strength boron steel, which will enable cars built on SPA to be smaller and safer at the same time. The platform also includes a new electrical architecture that makes the car significantly smarter, and is designed to make it much easier to swap out fast advancing technologies such as the microprocessors, sensors and cameras.

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    Benefits of such a system include the introduction of new safety features that prevent accidents, as well as new multimedia and connectivity options. “We have created a single nerve system with full control over all the connections in the vehicle. This is unique in the industry,” said Volvo senior vice president of research and development Peter Mertens.

    One last interesting tidbit of information of the Volvo XC90 comes when looking at the image of the rear suspension layout above, which shows what looks like a composite leaf spring setup for the multi-link rear suspension. Here, the spring is mounted transversely instead of longitudinally as on regular pickup trucks, and only serves to replace more space-consuming coil springs.

    Seen such a setup before? If you’ve looked under a Corvette, you probably have, as all seven generations of the American sports car have used transversely-mounted leaf springs to some degree. Volvo is no stranger to such a design, either, having previously used it on the 960.

     
     
  • 2015 Volvo XC90 – next-gen safety systems detailed

    The details of the 2015 Volvo XC90 are slowly being revealed, and now it’s time for the defining characteristic on which the company’s reputation is founded upon – safety.

    As characteristic for a Volvo, the new XC90 will come with a number of world-first safety features, the first being an automatic braking function at junctions if the car senses the driver is about to turn into an oncoming car. The company says such incidents are common at busy city intersections and on highways where speeds are higher, and that such a feature can avoid possible collisions or mitigate the severity of such a crash.

    Another innovation is Safe Positioning which protects the occupants in cases where the car runs off the road due to fatigue, driver distraction and poor weather conditions. The front seat belts tighten up to keep occupants in position, and energy-absorbing functionality in the seats cuts vertical forces acting on the occupants when the car lands hard onto the terrain by up to a third, reducing spinal injuries.

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    The new XC90 also adds a number of features to existing systems, including a rear pre-crash protection system. Rear radars detect is a rear collision is imminent and the seat belts are tightened, lights flash to warn the driver behind and the brakes are activated to reduce the impact on occupants. Seat belt pre-tensioners are now installed on all seven seats.

    In addition, the new seven-seater SUV is stronger than before – while high-strength boron steel (said to be the strongest type of steel used in the car body industry) was used in the construction of the original XC90, its successor ups the amount used to around 40% of the car’s body weight. This is approximately five times more than before.

    “Committing to safety is not about passing a test or getting a ranking,” says Lotta Jakobsson, senior technical specialist of safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “It is about finding out how and why accidents and injuries occur and then developing the technology to prevent them. We lead, the industry follows.”

    According to Volvo, the new XC90 moves the company closer to its goal of reducing the number of fatalities or injuries in its cars to zero by the year 2020. We’ll learn more about the new car when it is unveiled in full next month.

     
     
  • Volvo XC90 – upcoming powertrains detailed, includes T8 plug-in hybrid with 400 hp from four cylinders!

    Volvo XC90 – upcoming powertrains detailed, includes T8 plug-in hybrid with 400 hp from four cylinders!

    The slow trickle of information regarding the upcoming Volvo XC90 continues ahead of its debut next month, with the company releasing details about the seven-seater SUV’s powertrains. Headlining the engine lineup will be a plug-in hybrid that Volvo says will make the XC90 the “most powerful and cleanest SUV.”

    The hybrid will wear “T8” and “Twin Engine” badges and features a 2.0 litre supercharged and turbocharged Drive-E four-cylinder petrol engine powering the front wheels and an 60 kW (80 hp) electric motor driving the rear wheels. Together, the tag team will develop around 400 hp and 640 Nm and will be capable of an all-electric range of around 40 km as well as carbon dioxide emissions of around 80 grams per kilometre.

    “There are no compromises when you drive an all-new XC90,” said Volvo senior vice president of research and development, Peter Mertens. “In the past you could either have power or low CO2 emissions. But with the all-new XC90 you can have both.”

    Volvo XC90 Powertrain Teasers-06

    Volvo also says that its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) was built to be far more flexible than before and was designed to accommodate electrification technologies from the start, allowing the T8 hybrid to pack a large enough battery pack without compromising on passenger or luggage space.

    Elsewhere in the range, there will also be D5 twin-turbo diesel engine that promises 225 hp, 470 Nm and fuel consumption of around 6.0 litres per 100 km (the latter of which Volvo claims is best-in-class) and a D4 turbodiesel developing 190 hp and 400 Nm and consuming around 5.0 litres of fuel per 100 km. Also on offer will be a T6 supercharged petrol mill that will produce 316 hp and 400 Nm.

     
     
  • Volvo XC90 – Bowers & Wilkins sound system teased

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    The slow tease continues before the August reveal, and this is for all you audiophiles out there – Volvo has announced that it is teaming up with British audio equipment company Bowers & Wilkins on an optional sound system for the next-generation Volvo XC90.

    The top-of-the-range Premium Sound system consists of a total of 19 speakers – seven Nautilus extended range aluminium tweeters, seven Kevlar midrange speakers, four cone woofers and a subwoofer. These speakers are driven by a 12-channel Harman 1,400 W amplifier.

    In a signature move from Bowers & Wilkins, one of the tweeters is placed on top of the dashboard in the centre, facing the occupants directly. Volvo says this ensures a cleaner, more lifelike sound, as more of it reaches the listeners directly, rather than being reflected off the windscreen first.

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    Another notable feature of the system is the inclusion of an air-ventilated subwoofer integrated into the body itself, instead of simply being a freestanding box bolted into the car. Claimed to be a possible world first in the automotive industry, the subwoofer design is actually integrated into Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) and enables it to pulse more air, delivering bass notes as low as 20 Hz.

    Swedish audio company Dirac Research has also had a helping hand in shaping the next XC90’s audio system, providing an advanced sound processing software that manages the timing of the sound and co-operation between the speakers to suit different seating positions and can also recreate acoustics from certain music venues or concert halls.

    In the XC90, the software has been tuned to mimic the acoustics of Gothenburg Concert Hall, located in Volvo’s hometown and home of Sweden’s national orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. In addition to this, the sound system can also be switched to a recording studio or a concert stage setting via the car’s central touchscreen.

    The Bowers & Wilkins Premium Sound system is just one of the systems that will be offered on the next XC90 – there is also a 224 W, 12-speaker High Performance system with an optional fresh air subwoofer.

     
     
  • Volvo XC90 – next-gen in-car control system revealed

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    After showing the interior of the next-generation Volvo XC90 last week, Volvo has now released details of the in-car control system that will be used on the seven-seat SUV, which will be unveiled in full in August. The company claims the new system is easier to use than traditional controls and allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road more of the time.

    The system replaces the usual array of buttons with a large, tablet-esque portrait touchscreen on the centre console, a head-up display and steering wheel controls, and will also make use of “state-of-the-art” voice control.

    To help drivers get to grips with this new and doubtlessly unfamiliar way of controlling the car’s functions, the new user interface, part of the Sensus family of infotainment systems, incorporates the latest touchscreen hardware and software to help drivers understand the controls and use them instinctively.

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    “Using the screen is so logical that it will become part of your muscle memory very quickly,” said Volvo senior vice president of research and development Dr Peter Mertens. “Information, navigation and media are high up and easy to check. The phone controls, application icons and climate controls are located low and are comfortable to reach and touch.”

    The touchscreen layout features a stack of flexible tiles, with navigation on top, followed by media and telephone. There is a thin notification band on top, and climate controls on the bottom. When tapped, a tile expands and shows extended functionality, but the others are still visible and accessible, negating the need for a main menu or to flip through separate menus to operate different functions.

    “The adaptive digital instrument cluster and the head-up display make sure that the most relevant information is always available where the driver needs it,” said senior vice president of design Thomas Ingenlath.

    The next XC90 will offer a suite of connected services, such as an Ericsson-based cloud solution and a navigation system by the Nokia-owned mapping company HERE, which can remotely update content. Also on offer are a number of cloud-based applications which vary depending on the market, including Internet radio, music streaming and the world’s first integrated Park-and-Pay application.

    “The XC90 will not only tell you when it’s time to visit the garage but also suggest an appointment for you at your Volvo dealership,” said vice president of electrics/electronics & e-propulsion engineering Dr Thomas M. Müller. “The Connected Service Booking application is the first step in making the dealer workshop fully integrated into the connected eco-system.”

    Also included for the first time on a Volvo is Apple CarPlay, a separate user interface that gives drivers direct access to their iPhone’s calls, messages, music and navigation.

    View more videos and a full gallery after the jump.

     
     
  • Volvo XC90 – next-generation interior photos released

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    First interior images of the next-generation Volvo XC90 have been revealed ahead of the new car’s official unveiling in August. About time, too, considering the ageing original has been on sale since 2002.

    Through these images, it is clear that the new XC90 will feature a cabin that looks friendlier than those seen in Volvo’s latest series of concept cars – the Concept Coupe, Concept XC Coupe and Concept Estate – with softer surfacing and a less adventurous use of materials.

    What it does share, however, is the large tablet-like portrait touchscreen, an integral part of a new in-car control system with a range of Internet-based products and services. It has virtually no buttons and is said to help create a space that is “modern, spacious and uncluttered”.

    Also contributing that effect are the materials used, combining traditional trimmings like wood and leather with handcrafted details, including gear lever made by crystal glass from Swedish glass maker Orrefors as well as a diamond-cut start button and volume control knob.

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    The seats, inspired by Scandinavian chairs, have been designed to be comfortable without requiring very thick padding, with cores shaped like a human spine. The standard Comfort seats feature power operation including for the side bolsters, seat cushion extension, lumbar support and vertical headrest adjustment. Ventilation and massage functions are optional, as are Contour seats with additional side support.

    Like the car it replaces, the new XC90 is also expected to feature a very family-friendly seven-seat interior. The second row consists of three separate seats that can slide, recline and fold independently, and an optional booster seat is integrated into the centre seat.

    The two third row seats, which Volvo says offer “class-leading comfort” for passengers under 170 cm in height, have been moved slightly inboard to offer a better view forward. These too can be folded individually to create a flat load bay, with electric folding operation optional. Additional feet space under the second row seats frees up more legroom, and special attention has also been given to third row ingress and egress.

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    As you would expect from a Volvo, all seven seats will be fitted with three-point seat belts with pre-tensioners and all three rows will be protected by improved curtain airbags.

    A four-zone automatic climate control system is available, and third-row air-conditioning vents are either optional or standard depending on the market. Volvo’s CleanZone air purification system has been improved with a new filter to more effectively capture small, harmful particles and pollen.

    The new Volvo XC90 will be the first car built on the company’s new modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) which broadens design flexibility, improves drivability and includes the latest safety features and in-car technologies, all while increasing interior space. It is tipped to weigh up to 150 kg less than the outgoing model and will be powered solely by a range of Drive-E four-cylinder engines from the Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ybBhJ8aYA

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn0FCqROU2g

     
     
  • Next-gen Volvo XC90 – first teaser video released

    The first-generation Volvo XC90 has been with us for an incredible 12 years, having begun production all the way back in 2002. While it is remarkable how well Sweden’s first seven-seat SUV has been holding up in the face of tough competition over the years – it remains one of the safer and more family-friendly vehicles on sale – this senior citizen has long passed the class mantle to newer, fresher youngsters.

    Thankfully, it’s not long now before the ageing workhorse can retire to Volvo’s back catalogue at last, because the company has finally started to tease its successor, indicating that the car will be unveiled soon.

    Very little of the finished product is actually shown in the video above, and very briefly – the focus is instead on the Californian drivers Volvo has solicited for input into the design and development of the new car. The company said it has worked with these individuals and many others around the globe for three years, mimicking a similar development process that shaped the original XC90.

    We do know that the next-generation Volvo XC90 will be the first car built on the company’s new state-of-the-art Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) which will help trim as much as 150 kg off the previous model’s kerb weight. This enables the car to be powered solely by a range of Drive-E four-cylinder engines, part of the Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family.

    Highlights include a new twin-charged 2.0 litre petrol engine producing 302 hp and 400 Nm, as well as a 2.0 litre twin-turbo diesel with i-ART technology making 190 hp and 400 Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission is expected to be offered, as well as a plug-in hybrid variant.

    As for the looks, well, we’re still not quite sure as to how exactly that will turn out. But if the handsome new Volvo concepts – the Concept Coupe, Concept XC Coupe and Concept Estate – are any indication…

    Volvo XC90 spyshots

     
     
  • SPYSHOTS: Next-gen Volvo XC90 in Copenhagen

    Spy-Shots of Cars

    The next-gen Volvo XC90 has been spotted again by our Euro spies, this time in Copenhagen, Denmark undergoing city testing. These shots give us a clearer view of the prototype’s unique dimpled and bumped camouflage – reminds you of Lego, doesn’t it? And Lego’s Danish, so it happens.

    Anyway, the new Volvo XC90 may very well be safest vehicle ever to go on sale when it debuts later this year. In line with Volvo’s ‘zero-fatality’ initiative, the seven-seater will feature an impressive array of both active and passive safety tech.

    It’ll also be the first production model to use the new modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which will help it weigh around 150 kg less than the original XC90. The low weight means it can be powered solely by four-cylinder engines – from the Drive-E, or Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family.

    These include a 302 hp/400 Nm 2.0 litre twin-charged and direct-injected petrol and a 190 hp/400 Nm 2.0 litre twin-turbo diesel (featuring i-ART tech), which have already been dropped into the S60 and V40. Expect an eight-speed auto and future plug-in hybrid variants.

    For an idea of what the new XC90 could look like, look no further than Volvo’s sexilicious (pardon the term) SPA-based trio of concept cars: Concept Coupe, Concept XC Coupe and Concept Estate.

     
     
  • SPYSHOTS: Next-gen Volvo XC90 SUV caught testing

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    This fully-camouflaged vehicle is the next-gen Volvo XC90 SUV, caught testing on a frozen Swedish lake by our European spies CarPix. It’s the real thing, not a mere working concept, underneath all those covers, seen here for the very first time. By any standards, this is massive.

    It’s hard to tell yet how the second-generation premium SUV will look like when it goes on sale next year, but add two extra doors to the recent Volvo Concept XC Coupe and you’ll get the rough idea. Volvo has long gotten rid of its boxy image, but now it’s gunning for sexy.

    The new seven-seat family soft-roader will be the first model to fully utilise Volvo’s brand new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) modular base, which will help make it around 150 kg lighter than the twelve year-old original XC90. As you would expect of a Volvo, it will have a long list of new active and passive safety technologies.

    Volvo’s own Drive-E engines – part of the Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family – will power it. Already in use in the latest S60, the new range includes a 302 hp/400 Nm 2.0 litre direct-injection petrol engine with both a turbo and a supercharger, connected to an eight-speed automatic. Hybrid variants are likely too.

     
     
  • New Volvo XC90’s safety tech explained; due end-2014

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    The second-gen Volvo XC90 isn’t due before the end of next year, but already Volvo has seen fit to tell us all about its impressive array of safety tech. But then again, we would, too.

    A system called Pedestrian Detection in Darkness will enable the vehicle to see vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in the dark and auto brake if the driver ignores a preliminary warning on the dashboard. The same is done for animals through Animal Detection, although this will only be introduced after the XC90’s debut.

    Next up, autonomous steering. Road Edge and Barrier Detection with Steer Assist detects if the car is about to drive off the road and autonomously steers it back on track. The technology also works on roads without side markings; it can monitor where the physical road ends.

    Of course, there’s Adaptive Cruise Control; only this time it’s joined by Steer Assist. So the vehicle not only maintains a pre-set distance from the car in front, it also helps the driver stay in lane.

    The Swedish carmaker has an aim to ensure nobody should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car – to that end, it has demonstrated its Car 2 Car communication system (available from 2016), which enables vehicles to communicate with each other and the traffic environment.

    Tired of going round and round a parking lot looking for a vacant space? You’re certainly not alone. Volvo has shown its Autonomous Parking concept technology that allows a car to find and park in an empty space by itself, provided the car park has the required Car 2 Car infrastructure to talk to the vehicle.

    The driver will only need to leave the car at the car park entrance, tell it to park through a smartphone app and it will proceed through the area to find a space, interacting safely with other cars and pedestrians. Speed and braking are adapted for smooth integration in the parking environment.

    See more videos on the safety features here.

     
     
 
 
 

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Last Updated Mar 21, 2024