Volvo Archives

Volvo's V60 plug-in hybrid, which is also the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid, is selling higher than Volvo's initial expectations. Volvo is now ramping up production by 90 percent, just to keep up with the demand. The increased demand, especially in Holland, Belgium and Italy, means that the Plug-in Hybrid production at Volvo Cars' Torslanda plant in Sweden will be increased continuously from 150 to 282 units per week. All in all, Volvo Cars will produce 7,600 plug-in hybrids in 2013 - and the 2014 target is 10,000 units.

The first electric vehicle from the partnership between Volvo and Siemens, the C30 electric vehicle will arrive this summer in Europe. Beginning summer 2013, European leasing customers will drive and evaluate an upgraded demo fleet of 100 Volvo C30 fully electric cars. Volvo has also announced that the electrically-powered C30 will reach 0-43 mph in 5.9 seconds and can be full recharged in only 1.5 hours.

Volvo has no plans to compete with the flagship sedans from Mercedes-Benz and BMW according to a recent interview with Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson. Samuelsson told Automotive News China that a large flagship sedan doesn't fit into Volvo's "green image" and Volvo customers wouldn't even consider a model of that size.

Volvo has unveiled the first Polestar model to ever be put into production, the Volvo S60 Polestar. Sharing its DNA with the 508 horsepower Volvo S60 Polestar concept, the production version is powered by a 3.0L six-cylinder that generates 350 horsepower and is enough to get the sedan from 0-62 mph in 4.9 seconds.

Volvo has announced that its new engine family VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture) will be launched this fall with world-first i-ART technology that helps to cut fuel consumption in the new diesel engines. By featuring pressure feedback from each fuel injector instead of using a traditional single pressure sensor in the common rail, i-ART makes it possible to continuously monitor and adapt fuel injection per combustion in each of the four cylinders.

A year after Volvo launched its Pedestrian Airbag Technology on the Volvo V40, Volvo has announced its new External Vehicle Protection (EnVeloP) system.

In cities like San Francisco and New York there where there are a high number of cyclists sharing the road with motor-powered vehicles, cyclists are always in danger of a possible collision. According to accident data, about 50 percent of all cyclists killed in European traffic have collided with a car. Volvo hopes to decrease this percentage with its new cyclist detection system at the Geneva Motor Show. The system detects and automatically brakes for cyclists swerving out in front of the car.

Volvo has announced that the refreshed 2014 Volvo S60, V60 and XC60 can be fitted with Volvo's Active High Beam Control that makes driving in the dark safer and more comfortable.

Driving at night presents car drivers all over the world with challenging conditions. "Our aim with the renewed Active High Beam Control technology is to enhance visibility in the dark by making it possible to use high beam permanently, without having to switch to low beam when meeting or catching up with other cars," says Prof. Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Center.

Even though Volvo is refreshing most of its lineup for the 2014 model year, the automaker has some big plans for the 2015 model year and beyond. Next year Volvo will unveil the all-new 2015 XC90 crossover, followed by a new S80 sedan and a V80 wagon and a smaller 2+2 coupe dubbed the C80.

It's been a while since Volvo has updated its lineup, but Volvo is updating most of its lineup for the 2014 model year. Volvo is giving all of its models a facelift, with the exception of the V40 and XC90. That means that the 2014 S60, V60, XC60, V70 and S80 will all benefit from a refreshed interior and exterior.

Volvo has chosen next week's 2012 LA Auto Show for the global auto show debut of the Volvo S60 Polestar Concept. Thanks to Volvo's official performance partner, Polestar, the Volvo S60 Polestar Concept is the fastest Volvo concept ever made.

The 2013 Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid is already sold out, but Volvo has announced plans to increase the production of the 2014 model. The assembly of the diesel plug-in hybrid has been successfully integrated on the same line as Volvo's other models at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg. Volvo will increase the production of the V60 plug-in hybrid to 4,000-6,000 cars as of model year 2014, which is up from the initial 1,000 units.

Volvo has announced that it is testing a new fast-charger for electric cars that is six times faster than today's systems with a charging time of only 1.5 hours. Volvo is currently testing the new 22 kW fast-charger on a number of Volvo C30 Electric cars.

Volvo has confirmed the end of the C30. So if you were thinking about getting one, you better hurry. Production of the Volvo C30 will end in December, which means that the 2013 model year will be the last year of Volvo's compact hatchback.

Volvo's new 2013 V60 diesel plug-in hybrid has sold out before its even reached showrooms. Volvo's initial production goal for the 2013 model year are set at 1,000 units, but if you are in Europe and were hoping to grab one, it looks like you will have to wait until the 2014 model year.

15 years after the debut of the Volvo V70 Cross Country, Volvo has unveiled the all-new 2013 Volvo V40 Cross Country. Based on the new Volvo V40, the V40 Cross Country adds more ruggedness to the line.

Volvo is bringing another version of the new V40 to this month's Paris Motor Show, the 2013 Volvo V40 R-Design. The V40 R-Design is the perfect version of the V40 for people that love the five-door hatchback, but that want even more style and performance.

It's being reported that Volvo is considering adding a smaller model to its lineup that would compete with the MINI Cooper and Audi A1. Volvo CEO Jacoby told Automotive News Europe in an interview that if the plan is given the green light, Volvo would need a partner to share the costs in addition to a smaller engine.

The Volvo C30 Electric was just awarded "Green Car of the Year" in China at the 4th China New Energy Mobility Summit on the same day that Volvo delivered 15 Volvo C30 Electric cars to Shanghai for the pioneering open road test-drive project - EV100 Days.

According to Freeman Shen, Senior Vice President of Volvo Car Corporation and Chairman of China Operations, delivering Volvo C30 Electric to SIAC and launching of public road test drives represents a solid step of Volvo in the process of promoting new energy vehicles in China, and as a result of Volvo's Drive-E corporate strategy which covers optimization of traditional combustion engines, and development of plug-in hybrids and electric ones.

Last month Volvo unveiled the most potent S60 yet, the Polestar S60 Concept that is powered by a Volvo T6 engine with a Garret turbocharger that gives it a total 508 horsepower and a 0-62 mph time of only 3.9 seconds. While it's been reported that one lucky guy managed to get his hands on one for an insane $300k, it's now being reported that Volvo may put the Polestar S60 Concept into very limited production.

Nick Connor, managing director of Volvo UK, told Autocar that Volvo is "in serious discussion with Polestar to try and make the S60 a reality." If it does in fact go into production, the production numbers would be very low and it would carry a price tag more than £100k.

Just a few days ago Polestar unveiled a new concept version of the Volvo S60 that packed 508 horsepower and reached 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed over 186 mph. Production plans have not been announced, but it looks like one lucky person got their hands on the concept for $300,000.

The guys over at Piston Heads actually got the chance to get behind the wheel of the Polestar Volvo S60 concept, which would be the perfect competitor to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63. The concept is powered by Volvo's T6 engine, but a Garret turbocharger has been bolted on to give it 508 horsepower and 424 lb-ft. of torque. It also comes with a standard six-speed manual gearbox and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system.

Polestar has created the ultimate Volvo S60 with the Volvo S60 Polestar Performance Concept. "We are proud to present Polestar's interpretation of the Volvo S60" says Christian Dahl, founder and CEO of Polestar. "It's a car developed with our own preferences in mind which, we from experience know, are shared by a group of active drivers"

The S60 Polestar Concept is powered by the Volvo T6 engine with a Garret turbocharger that puts out 508 horsepower and 424 lb-ft. of torque. It's mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system. The modifications yield a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed over 186 mph.

According to Inside Line, Volvo is considering adding a new larger coupe to its lineup that would compete against models like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A5 coupes. The C90 would be larger than the current C70 and would be based on the same Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA) as the next-generation S60 and S80.

The C90 would also be powered by Volvo's new VEA (Volvo Environmental Architecture) four-cylinder engines and a plug-in hybrid version is also a possibility. If it is approved, a convertible variant is also possible, but don't plan on seeing the coupe until the middle of this decade, at the earliest.

After the photo leaks of the 2013 Volvo V40 on Facebook, last week. We now have even more photos of the new Volvo hatchback, which is going to be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.

In Europe the V40 will go head to head with models like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. There's no word yet if the V40 will be coming to the U.S.

Come back for all the official specs next week.

The all-new 2013 Volvo V40 five-door hatchback is scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in early March, but the first official photos may have been leaked today on a Polish magazine's Facebook page.

If these photos are accurate, the 2013 V40 will borrow styling cues from the S60 and XC60 models.

Stay tuned.

Volvo will be unveiling the all-new 2013 Volvo V40 hatchback at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Yesterday the second official teaser of the V40 was released on Volvo's Facebook page, but now more photos of the V40 may have leaked online.

French car magazine L'Automobile has posted two photos that it claims are of the new V40. One photo shows the front eng of the V40, while a large photo shows off the rear three-quarter of the V40.

The 2013 V40 will go head to head with the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series in Europe.

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."