Volvo Cars has revealed the long-awaited all-new XC60 premium SUV at the Geneva Motor Show.
The new car replaces Volvo’s highly-successful original XC60, which in the nine years since its launch in 2008 became the best-selling premium mid-sized SUV in Europe, with almost one million units sold globally. The XC60 today represents around 30 per cent of Volvo’s total global sales.
“We have a strong heritage in designing stylish and dynamic SUVs that offer the latest in technology. The all-new XC60 is no exception. It’s the perfect car for an active lifestyle, and it represents the next step in our transformation plan,” says Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive, Volvo Car Group.
New safety and comfort technology
Built on the same Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) as Volvo’s new 90 cluster, the all-new XC60, set to be one of the safest cars ever made, is fully-loaded with new technology.
Steer Assist has been added to the ground-breaking City Safety system. Another new safety system called Oncoming Lane Mitigation debuts in the new car, using Steer Assist to help mitigate head-on collisions, while Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) now also uses Steer Assist functionality to reduce the risk of lane-changing collisions.
“We have focused on building a car that can deliver pleasure to all of your senses – from a commanding view of the road ahead in a beautifully appointed and calming cabin, to a safe, inspired and confident ride,” says Henrik Green, Senior Vice President Product & Quality at Volvo Car Group.
“We’ve paid particular attention to making life easier for our customers by providing them with the creature comforts and services that take the hassle out of everyday life.”
Pilot Assist, Volvo’s advanced semi-autonomous driver assistance system which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h, is available in the all-new XC60 as an option.
Performance
The all-new XC60 offers Volvo’s award-winning T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid at the top of its powertrain range, delivering a total combined output of 300 kW and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 5.3 seconds. The rest of the engine line-up also includes the same petrol and diesel Drive-E engines as found in the XC90.
“We have a wide range of powertrains,” adds Green. “The all-new XC60 will launch with the D4 diesel engine with 140 kW and the D5 with PowerPulse technology delivering 173 kW. We also have the petrol-powered T5 delivering 186 kW and the T6, which with turbo- and supercharging, delivers 235 kW and 400 Nm of torque.”
But it is not just under the bonnet that the all-new XC60 delivers healthy performance. The new CleanZone four-zone automatic climate control system removes harmful pollutants and particles from outside the cabin to deliver Scandinavian-fresh air on the inside.
Volvo Cars’ revered new Sensus Connect infotainment interface, with its 9-inch portrait touch screen, also receives a graphical update with improved usability. As in the 90 cluster cars, smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also available.
Sculpted feel
“The all-new XC60 is an SUV designed to be driven, not to look down on others. The exterior has an athletically sculpted look with subtle, timeless quality. The interior is a masterful composition of well-resolved architecture, beautiful materials and the very latest technology – all perfectly blended together. The all-new XC60 provides a true Scandinavian experience which will make our customers feel special,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Car Group.
Arrival of the all-new Volvo XC60 in South Africa is preliminarily confirmed for the second quarter of 2018, with engine availability, specification, pricing and model mix to be confirmed and communicated closer to the time of launch.