Volvo Archives

We're just a few days away from the start of the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. This year Volvo is bringing a new Plug-in Hybrid Concept version of its XC60 crossover to the show. According to Volvo, "The Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept is an electric car, a highly economical hybrid and a powerful high-performance car all rolled into one."

The XC60 Plug-in Hybrid concept is powered by a 280 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends its power to the front wheels via an eight-speed transmission, while the rear wheels are powered by a 70 horsepower electric motor.

The XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept has three different driving modes that can be selected by the touch of a button (Pure, Hybrid or Power).

In Pure mode the car is powered solely by its electric motor as much as possible for up to 35 miles. Hybrid mode is the standard setting, which uses a combination of the electric and gasoline powered motors for a combined fuel economy of 50 mpg. In Power mode, the technology is optimized to create maximum possible power. The 280 horsepower gasoline motor and 70 horsepower electric motor accelerate the concept from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.

The battery pack can be recharged in 3.5 hours if a 220V outlet is available. With a 110V outlet a full charge takes 7.5 hours.

Volvo is set to unveil the V40 five-door hatchback at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The Geneva Motor Show is still a few months away, but in the mean time Volvo has released this single teaser photo of the V40.

Little is known about the V40 other than the fact that it's a new five-door that will compete against models like the Audi A3 and Lexus CT 200h. The V40 is set to replace the S40 and V50 models in Volvo's lineup.

Volvo is set to release the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid in the Europe late next year, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid, which will start at around $70,000.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is powered by a 215 horsepower 2.4L five-cylinder turbodiesel engine that powers the front wheels, while the rear wheels are powered by a 70 horsepower electric motor. The electric motor gets its juice from a 11.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The hybrid features three driving modes: Pure, Hybrid and Power. In pure mode the car is mainly powered solely by the electric motor as much as possible for up to 32 miles. The electric range varies with terrain, climate and driving style. The Hybrid mode is the standard setting when the car is started. The diesel engine and electric motor cooperate to ensure optimal balance between driving pleasure and environmental footprint. In Hybrid mode the V60 has a range of 621 miles. Lastly in Power mode the technology is optimized to give the car the maximum possible power. The diesel engine and electric motor have a combined output of 285 horsepower and can accelerate the V60 from 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid will will be launched in just one color - Electric Silver. The interior of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid has black leather upholstery with contrasting stitching and inlays of blue-grey wood.

Volvo is going to launch a plug-in hybrid in the U.S. next year, but it will use a gasoline engine, instead of the diesel setup in Europe.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Volvo P1800, Volvo Design Director Christopher Benjamin has created these sketches of his interpretation of a modern day P1800.

Benjamin's sketches combine the classic lines of the original P1800 with the modern day Concept You sedan that was unveiled this year in Frankfurt.

Sadly Volvo has no plans for a new P1800.

The Volvo XC90 crossover launched in 2002 as a 2003 model and since then the crossover has continued largely unchanged. Volvo is working on a new XC90 that will probably be released sometime in 2013 as a 2014 model. To give us an idea of the possible design directions for the next-generation XC90, Volvo has released the four sketches that you see here.

It looks like the next XC90 may adopt some of the styling elements from the Volvo Concept You sedan. All four sketches appear to be similar, but if you look closer you will see some major differences, like the different greenhouses. The next XC90 will be built on Volvo's Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA), which will be used for all future Volvo models. The XC90 will also be powered by four-cylinder engines, since Volvo has announced plans to move away from five and six-cylinder engines. A hybrid is also possible.

Volvo isn't bringing anything big to the LA Auto Show next week, but the automaker has unveiled the C70 Inscription edition that will debut at the show.

The special-edition C70 gets a painted grille, black 18-inch wheels and LED daytime running lights. It's available in three colors: Black Stone, Black Sapphire and Ice White. Inside the C70 Inscription gets a leather-covered dashboard, Sovereign Hide upholstery in Off Black or Calcite and aluminum trim pieces.

"The C70 is a true icon in our model range. The Inscription is based on our human-centric Designed Around You philosophy, offering those who love convertibles and coupes a beautifully detailed version with a lot of kerb appeal," says Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at the Volvo Car Corporation.

The C70 Inscription will go on sale this month, with only 2,000 units planned. It's been reported that the C70 will be discontinued in 2013.

Volvo has announced that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid that was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, will enter production next year.

The Volvo V60 Plug-in hybrid will be the first diesel plug-in hybrid when it hits the market. The car is being produced thanks to a partnership between Volvo and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.

"One important aspect of the project was to retain the Volvo V60's excellent driving pleasure, high safety standard and luxurious comfort. At the same time, average CO2 emissions and fuel consumption will be halved compared with what is available on the market today," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

The V60 Plug-in hybrid is powered by a 2.4L five-cylinder diesel engine that will be mated to an electric motor and a 12kWh lithium-ion battery. The diesel engine sends its power to the front wheels, while the electric motor powers the rear. The V60 plug-in hybrid will have an overall driving range of 746 miles. The driver of the plug-in hybrid can choose between three driving models. Pure mode is the electric only driving mode that has a range of about 31 miles. Hybrid mode combines both motors, but aims to keep fuel consumption low, while Power mode is the fun mode that is more focused on outright performance.

Volvo has yet to announce the official pricing

Volvo has announced plans to close its plant in Uddevalla, Sweden in 2013, which is the plant that produces the C70 convertible.

The Uddevalla plant is co-owned with Pininfarina, but the plant is currently only producing 65 percent of its capacity. The plant only produced 10,000 cars last year. Due to the low volumes the plant is going to be closed.

Volvo's CEO Stefan Jacoby stated, "A car manufacturer of Volvo's size cannot, from a financial standpoint, justify a plant that manufactures one single model in the low volumes we have today."

Volvo and Pininfarina have decided to end the joint venture and Volvo is going to buy out Pininfarina in 2013, then the plant will be closed.

A successor for the C70 convertible is not planned.

Volvo has officially given us a glimpse into the future of the brand with the Concept You, which previews the next large Volvo sedan. The Concept You follows the Volvo Universe Concept that was unveiled earlier this year. The Concept You is basically an evolution of the Universe Concept.

Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation stated, The blend of contemporary Scandinavian design, exquisite craftsmanship and intuitive technology will appeal to luxury car buyers all over the world."

The Concept You features a four-door coupe-like design that honors the sweeing, elegant lines of classic Volvo models. It rides on 21-inch polished aluminum wheels and is painted in a light blue liquid metal.

Inside the Concept You gets smart pad technology that makes the traditional owners manual a thing of the past. Touch-screens replace the conventional buttons and controls in today's cars. The Concept You's controls consists of a digital Driver Information Monitor (DIM), a head-up display on the windscreen, a touch-screen in the upper part of the center console and a touch-screen between the two individual rear seats. The wood/leather steering wheel has aluminium and glass paddles with integrated touch-screens.

When will the next large Volvo sedan debut? It remains to be seen...

Volvo has released a teaser video of its Concept You that is scheduled to debut next week in Frankfurt.

The Concept You is expected to show Volvo's future engine technology and its upcoming Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA). The new platform will be used on a variety of future Volvo models. Volvo also recently announced a new range of four-cylinder engines, Volvo Environmental Architecture (VEA) that will be more fuel efficient and powerful than the six-cylinder engines that they will replace.

The Concept You is also expected to be a preview of the next Volvo S80.

Volvo has yet to release an all-new XC90, which has continued largely unchanged since it was introduced in 2002. For 2012 Volvo has updated the XC90, but you'll probably have a hard time noticing the updates.

The 2012 Volvo XC90 gets new LED daytime running lights, a redesigned bumper, silver roof rails and new lower door moldings. The taillights have also been revised with LEDs and new six-spoke 18-inch wheels in silver matt finish are available.

Inside the 2012 XC90 gets a new three-spoke steering wheel, aluminum decor and a watch dial-inspired instrument design with white lighting.

The XC90 is powered by either a 243 horsepower 3.2L V6 or a 200 horsepower diesel or 163 horsepower diesel.

Volvo Car Australia has created the S60 Performance Project, which is the result of its partnerships with Polestar and Heico.

Volvo has upped the performance of the S60 T6 R Design. The horsepower has been increased to 325-hp and the S60 Performance Project also gets unique 19-inch Heico wheels and a new exhaust system. It also gets a lowered sports suspension with stiffer springs and bushings.

Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia Managing Director stated, "The S60 T6 already boasts excellent performance credentials and the S60 Performance Project takes that even further. With the extra power, torque and unique wheels and exhaust system the S60 Performance Project really is a very special edition S60.''

Volvo has announced the death of the S40 and V50 models. Both models have been killed for the 2012 model year, due to disappointing sales.

The S40 sedan and V50 wagon have failed to appeal to American buyers, which is shown by the double digit sales decreases in year-over-year sales.

"The S40 and V50 are great cars," says Volvo spokesman James Hope, "[but] our focus, however, needs to be on our volume vehicles, specifically the S60, XC60, XC90, S80 and XC70."

Volvo is still going to offer the C30 hatchback and C70 convertible despite the fact that neither model is in high demand in the U.S.

Volvo unveiled the Universe concept in Shanghai earlier this month. The sedan was supposed to be a preview of a future Volvo flagship, but now it looks like those plans have been put on hold.

Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby told reporters, "It's not in our midterm or long-term strategy right now."

Geely Holding Group purchased Volvo last year from Ford and Geely Chairman Li Shufu has been pushing for a more upscale Volvo to compete with the German brands, like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. That plan is now dead.

"It is too early to enter the S-class-size market," Jacoby said. "We are concentrating with our new products on our core segments."

The 2012 R-Design versions of the Volvo S60 and XC60 are getting a small boost in horsepower and torque. Both the S60 R-Design and XC60 R-Design will be powered by Volvo's T6 turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. The engine will put out 325 horsepower and 354 lb-ft. of torque compared to the standard T6 engine that only generates 300-hp and 325 lb-ft. of torque.

Volvo has also added a strut tower brace under the hood and shortened the front and rear springs. Spring stiffness is also up 15 percent. Volvo is also including its Corner Traction Control system with torque vectoring. The system essentially brakes the car's inner driven wheel when cornering and at the same time transmits more power to the outside wheel. The system is supposed to reduce understeer.

The S60 R-Design starts tat $42,275 and the XC60 R-Design starts at $43,150.

Volvo is using this year's Shanghai Motor Show to unveil its newest concept, the Concept Universe. The Concept Universe is a large sedan witha "human-centric design language."

According to Volvo, Scandinavian Design is about understanding and caring about people. Volvo wants to be the brand that best incorporates what buyers of modern luxury cars want.

The Concept Universe features a coupe-like roofline combined with design cues from past Volvos. "Just like fine luxury goods, this design feels handcrafted and durable enough to stand the test of time," says Peter Horbury, Vice President Design at Volvo Car Corporation.

"The Concept Universe offers the world a sneak preview of what people can expect from our next top-of-the-line sedan," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Wards Auto has announced Ward's 10 Best Interiors list for 2011. Editors drove 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interiors in determining the 2011 winners. This year's top ten list consists of a sport sedan, three economy cars, three luxury brands, an SUV and a family sedan.

"We've never evaluated so many vehicles for any awards competition in the past, which tells us every auto maker wants the freshest, highest-quality interior possible for all the vehicles they sell," Ward's AutoWorld Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter says. "Auto makers are so focused on the smallest details that it's hard to find a bad interior these days. Still, some are better than others, and we're recognizing the best of the best."

Volvo is about to debut the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show. The V60 diesel plug-in hybrid that will be unveiled at the show is pretty much a production ready model and will be launched in 2012.

The V60 plug-in hybrid is powered by two drivetrains at each end of the vehicle. A 2.4L five-cylinder turbodiesel with 215 horsepower and 324 lb-ft. of torque sits at the front of the wagon, while a 70 horsepower electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack power the rear axle. The V60 plug-in hybrid can reach 0-62 mph in 6.9 seconds.

By the press of a button the plug-in hybrid can be operated in three different modes: Pure, Hybrid and Power. In Pure mode the car runs on as much electric power as possible and can drive up to 32 miles on electricity alone. Hybrid mode is the default mode whenever the car is started. In hybrid mode the car can travel up to 746 miles. In power mode the two drivetrains combine to maximize the total power output.

In an effort to stop declining sales, Volvo is planning on cutting its current lineup to focus its energy on its best selling models. Volvo currently offers nine models, but Doug Speck, head of Volvo's operations in the U.S.recently stated, "Five or six is probably a good number. We have to focus on the key segments with significant volume potential."

The first model to get the axe will be the V50 wagon, since U.S. buyers are more inclined to crossovers than wagons. Speck did not state when that will happen. Volvo is still trying to decide what other models to cut, but for now will mainly focus on the new S60 sedan and the XC60 and XC90 crossovers.

Volvo has announced that it will be unveiling the V60 Plug-in Hybrid "a virtually production-ready car" at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is the result of is the result of theclose cooperation with the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall. The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid are powered by a five-cylinder 2.4L D5 turbodiesel, that puts out 215 horsepower. The rear wheels are powered by an electric motor producing 70 horsepower, that gets its juice from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery.

"In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we've done is to spice it up with spearhead technology," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid will go on sale in 2012.

In an effort to increase its sales in Europe, Volvo is fast at work on a new smaller crossover dubbed the XC30.

The XC30 will be smaller than the XC60 and will compete primarily with the BMW X1, upcoming Audi Q3 and a new small crossover from Mercedes that is being referred to as the GLC. The XC30 will share many of the same design cues as the larger XC60 and will be used to attract younger buyers to the brand. The XC30 will use a four-wheel-drive version of the C30's platform.

The XC30 is due by the end of 2013.

Ford has officially sold Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited (Geely) for $1.8 billion.

"Volvo is an excellent brand with a strong product line, and it has returned to profits after a successful restructuring. We are confident Volvo has a solid future under Geely's ownership," said Alan Mulally, Ford's president and CEO. "At the same time, the sale of Volvo will allow us to sharpen our focus on the Ford brand around the world and continue to deliver on our One Ford plan serving our customers with the very best cars and trucks in the world."

Under the agreement, Ford has not retained any ownership of Volvo, but will continue to supply Volvo with powertrains, stampings and other vehicle components for differing periods of time.

Although many buyers in the US loathe wagons, Volvo has continued to sell them. Fortunately the boring square Volvo wagons of the 80s and 90s have given way to much "sexier" models like the 2011 V60.

The 2011 V60 "sports wagon" is the wagon version of the S60 sedan. Volvo is going to offer the V60 with a series of engines, including a new 2.0L turbocharged direct-injected GTDi 4-cyl with 203-hp. There are also 1.6L GTDi engines and five-cyl turbodiesels being offered. The range topper is the 3.0L 304-hp engine that powers the T6 version that gets the wagon to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds.

Volvo claims that no less than 90 percent of V60 production will be sold in Europe. It's not known what versions of the V60 US buyers will get.

Volvo has announced the pricing for the all-new 2011 S60 sedan that now starts at $37,700 plus an $850 destination fee. The S60 undercuts a comparably equipped BMW 335i xDrive by $7,150 and the Mercedes-Benz C350 by $1,765.

"The all-new S60 has been a long time coming," said VCNA President and CEO, Doug Speck, "but it's been worth the wait. With 300 horsepower, standard all-wheel drive, its stunning design and Volvo's latest technology, it's the kind of car that will put a smile on any driving enthusiast's face." Today's pricing announcement gives the competition pause for thought. "When you consider you can own an extremely well-equipped 2011 Volvo S60 for only $41,400, and that you will pay nothing to repair or maintain the all-new S60 for 5 years or 60,000 miles, it really becomes a no-brainer," continued Speck.

The 2011 S60 is powered by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder with 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft. of torque. It reaches 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph.

Ford has announced today that it has finalized an agreement with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited to sell Volvo for $1.8 billion.

Ford is not going to retain any stake in Volvo since Volvo will be 100 percent owned by Geely. Ford will continue to supply Volvo with powertrains, stampings and other vehicle components. Part of the sale also includes that Ford will provide engineering support, information technology and access to tooling for common components.

"Volvo is a great brand with an excellent product lineup. This agreement provides a solid foundation for Volvo to continue to build its business under Geely's ownership," said Alan Mulally, Ford's president and CEO. "At the same time, the sale of Volvo will allow us to further sharpen our focus on building the Ford brand around the world and continue to deliver on our One Ford plan serving our customers with the very best cars and trucks in the world."

The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2010.

The 2011 Volvo S60 is set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Volvo has already released photos of the new midsize sedan, but now we have even more and more details of what we can expect when it hits showrooms.

The all-new S60 is bigger than the model it replaces with a nearly 2.5-inch increase in wheelbase. This directly impacts rear leg room with a 2.0-inch increase.

Under the hood of the S60 T6 is a more powerful version of the engine in the XC60. The turbocharged 3.0L puts out 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft. of torque. it only takes 6.2 seconds to reach 0-60 mph and has a top speed of 155 mph. All T6 models come standard with Volvo's all-wheel-drive system.

The S60 is also going to feature Volvo's City Safety system, which automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stops - or if he or she is driving too fast towards a stationary object. The system can lessen or even entirely avoid low-speed rear-end impacts at speeds up to 18 mph.

The 2011 S60 will arrive late 2010 in the US.

The deal between Ford and China's Geely is almost complete. Geely is set to close the $2 billion deal for Volvo this month and Geely plans on running Volvo as a separate entity to protect its luxury image.

"We want to be careful not to damage the Volvo brand," said Freeman Shen, Geely's vice president for international operations. "We don't want the image of a luxury car made in a third world country. We want the image of a European luxury car, albeit owned by a Chinese owner."

Geely is planning on building a Volvo plant in China, but it's main operations will not be moved there.

It looks like GM has finally come to an agreement with Spyker to purchase Saab, but don't forget about Volvo. Ford is still currently finalizing a deal wtih China's Geely to buy Volvo. According to the latest rumors the deal could be worth as much as $1.8 billion or as little as $1.6. In 1999 Ford purchased Volvo for $6.45 billion.

Late last year, Ford announced that it had achieved an accord with Geely Holding Group, but the deal is still subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2010.

Part of the plan involves Geely building a Volvo factory in China. Analysts predict that the Volvo XC60 crossover will be the first model produced in China.

Volvo has released the pricing for the refreshed 2011 Volvo C70. The Volvo C70 hasn't been a huge hit for Volvo, so the 2011 model is getting a facelift and more standard features to hopefully entice more buyers.

The 2011 C70 gets a revised face that looks similar to the XC60 and new C30. The pricing starts at $39,950 and includes standard features like an automatic 5-speed transmission, SIRIUS satellite radio and luxurious Sovereign Hide leather upholstery.

The 2011 C70 is powered by a 227 horsepower turbocharged five-cylinder engine.

Ford has announced this morning that all terms with relating to the sale of Volvo Cars to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited have been settled. There is still more work to be done to complete the sale though. Ford anticipates that the final agreement will be signed by both parties in the first quarter of 2010 and the sale should be complete by the second quarter.

Although Ford will officially be selling Volvo, Ford still intends on working closely with Volvo in the future.

Expect more details soon...

Back in September Volvo unveiled a C30 prototype with an electric powertrain. Next month at the Detroit Auto Show Volvo is going to unveil complete electric powered C30. It features both a complete interior and full instrumentation, as well as enhanced battery packaging.

"The first prototype helped us identify the main technological challenges, such as battery packaging and safety issues. We have addressed these challenges without compromising the C30's cool and fun-to-drive personality. I am very happy with the result. The electric C30 in Detroit is a much more complete product," says Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

The next step in the process is to build 50 of the electric C30s in 2010 that will be driven over the next two years.

Volvo has announced the pricing for the refreshed 2011 C30 T5 and the sportier C30 R-Design. The 2011 Volvo C30 T5 starts at $24,600, while the C30 R-Design starts at $26,950.

The 2011 C30 gets a new front end including a new nose, front fenders, grille, headlights and lower front spoiler. The rear of the C30 gets a facelift as well. Both models are powered by the same turbocharged 227 horsepower inline 5-cylinder engine. The R-Design model gets a stiffer suspension thanks to stiffer bushings, roll stabilizers and springs. The R-Design model also gets a full body kit that is body colored to give the impression that the car has actually been lowered more than the actual 10 mm.

Volvo has released the first official photos of the 2011 S60 that is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The all-new S60 draws many styling cues from the S60 concept and features many of the same design elements as the rest of the Volvo models. Unfortunately the suicide doors from the concept didn't make it to production, but the coupe-like roofline remains.

Volvo claims that the new S60 will drive like no other Volvo and will be safer thanks to the Pedestrian Detection system.

The 2011 Volvo S60 will enter production in early summer 2010.

Ford has announced that it is in negotiations with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. to sell Volvo. If the deal does go though, Ford has no plans on retaining any ownership of Volvo.

Lewis Booth, Ford Motor Company executive vice president and chief financial officer stated "Ford believes Geely has the potential to be a responsible future owner of Volvo and to take the business forward while preserving its core values and the independence of the Swedish brand. But there is much work that needs to be completed in the more substantive discussions that are agreed to take place. We have no specific timeline to conclude the discussions."

Stephen Odell, Volvo CEO also stated that "Volvo's management team welcomes today's announcement as a positive step forward. At Volvo, we are continuing to keep our attention firmly fixed on engineering and building great Volvo cars, to reduce our cost base and to return the business to sustainable profitability at the earliest possible opportunity."

Motor Trend has announced the list of SUV contenders for its "SUV of the Year" award.

Of course this award is great to whomever wins, due to all of the bragging rights that come along with it. It's usually heavily used in every ad campaign. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.

Which SUV do you think should win this year's award?

Volvo has released a few official photos of a 2011 S60 prototype being tested with Volvo's new Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection system in the streets of Copenhagen.

The new technology has been tested for the past ten years and will make it's first appearance on the new S60.

"Our aim is that this new technology should help the driver avoid collisions with pedestrians at speeds below 25 km/h. If the car is travelling faster, the aim is to reduce the impact speed as much as possible. In most cases, we can reduce the collision force by about 75 percent. Considering the large number of pedestrian fatalities that occur, if we manage to lower the fatality risk by 20 percent this new function will make a big difference. In specific situations the fatality reduction can be up to 85 percent," says Thomas Broberg.

Following the unveiling of the revised 2010 Volvo C30 last week, Volvo has unveiled the sportier C30 R-Design that will make an appearance in Frankfurt this week.

More than just sportier styling, the R-Design version of the C30 features more precise steering thanks to stiffer bushings, a lower steering ratio which yields a 10 percent faster response, and spring stiffness has been increased by 30 percent. According to Volvo the new sport chassis makes the C30 R-Design a more agile car. In terms of styling the C30 R-Design gets a new body kit that is painted the same color as the car and that makes the car appear lower to the ground than it acutally is. 17-inch Cratus aluminum wheels are standard, with 18" being optional.

Just like the C70 convertible, Volvo has given the C30 a facelift for the 2010 model year. The revised front end is very similar to the new C70 and the S60 concept.

"The front of the Volvo C30 has become more dramatic and expressive. The angled lines of the front bumper together with the new headlamps, which are drawn offset and up, reinforce the impression of speed and sportiness," says Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer at Volvo Cars.

In addition to the styling changes, the new C30 also gets new color and wheel options and a new optional sport chassis, which lowers the car 10 mm.

Volvo is set to unveil a revised C70 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but the first shots have been unveiled. Although Volvo has yet to release an official press release with the photos, we have our first look at the changes to the 2010 C70.

The changes to the new C70 are mainly on the exterior with new more swept back headlights, a larger grille and new taillights and rear bumper. The single interior shot doesn't look much different than the current model.

Since Volvo has yet to release a press release it's not known if there are any changes under the hood.

Stay tuned...

Volvo has announced, as expected, the introduction of the XC60 R-Design, which adds more "sport" to the exterior and chassis.

On the exterior the R-Design package adds door mirror housings, trim moldings and décor trim in matte silk metal finish, skid-plates and twin chrome tailpipes. The five-spoke Cratus aluminum wheels are also unique and are available in either 18-inch or 20-inches. The lower section of the XC60 is also color matched to the exterior with the R-Design package.

A more direct steering gear has also been added to add more sportiness to the driving experience, due to its faster steering response.

The R-Design package for the XC60 will have its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and will go on sale shortly after that.