Volvo cars

Nine New Volvos Will be Heading Your Way in the Future

After weeping at the disappointing sales last year, Volvo’s new CEO has confirmed at the Detroit Motor Show that they will announce nine new models in less than 12 months to grab lost market share in luxury vehicles.

Out of the nine, eight new cars are merely significant updates to the current lineup of Volvos and the ninth model is confirmed to be the successor to the Volvo XC90.

Speculated to go on sale in the late 2014, the new XC90 (may have a different name later) will sit on a new "Scaleable Platform Architecture,” which is set to underpin bigger, more appointed vehicles in the future. So, people looking for SUV practicality you’re in luck, provided you have the patience to wait for a couple of years for additional models to roll out.

Volvo is also looking to develop a new architecture for their smaller vehicles - 40 series and 50 series - with their new parents, Geely, since they’re currently relying on Ford’s architecture and are planning to cut ties with Ford soon.

We’ll post more information and details as it rolls in.

2013 Volvo V60 Racing Wagon

It was the subject of some teaser images before it made its debut at the Sao Paulo Auto Show, but now that Volvo has revealed the V60 Racing race car, we finally got a good look at what all the fuss was about.

Designed and built as a racing-tuned version of the V60 wagon, the V60 Racing certainly looks the part of a full-fledged race car, thanks to a throwback paint scheme that resembles the old Volvo 850 station wagon from the British Touring Car Championship back in the mid 90’s.

But make no mistake, Volvo built the V60 Racing to be an actual race car, not to just look like one. Proof of that lies in the interior where the Swedish automaker installed a number of racing components, including bucket seats, aluminum race pedals, a sports steering wheel, and strut bars.

On top of that, the V60 Racing Wagon actually carries a popping 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TS engine that produces 250 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Add a new set of 18" wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires and this V60 Racing Wagon is certainly ready for some racing action.

2013 Volvo V40 Cross Country

The BMW X1 may need to watch out! With only a few days before its official debut at the Paris Auto Show, Volvo has unveiled the first official details on the new V40 Cross Country - a small crossover based on the new V40 that also offers off-road capabilities.

The new Cross Country model is about 40 mm higher than the standard V40 and will be distinguished by a new front end with a dark, contrasting bumper, honeycomb mesh grille, and upright DRL-lights. The back of the crossover will feature a contrasting rear bumper with an integrated skid plate. The model’s look is completed by a new set of 19" light alloy wheels.

As far as power, the V40 Cross Country will be offered in two different petrol versions: T5 and T4. The T5 is powered by either a 2.5 liter five-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 254 HP or a 2.0 liter five-cylinder engine with 213 HP, along with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The T4 will be offered with either a 1.6 liter GTDi delivering 180 HP or a 2.0 liter engine with 180 HP, which can be mated to either an automatic six-speed Powershift transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. Clients who prefer to go the diesel route will have a choice of a five-cylinder 2.0-liter D4 turbodiesel engine with 177 HP or a 2.0-liter D3 engine producing 150 hp.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Volvo V40 Cross Country.

2013 Volvo V40 R-Design

The new generation Volvo V40 was officially unveiled back in March at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, so it seems fitting that a more powerful version of the hatchback will be unleashed at another major auto show in the same year. The new V40 R-Design model will make its presence known when it rolls onto the Paris Auto Show at the end of September.

The V40 R-Design will be launched in a very cool Rebel Blue and promises to deliver an intense, agile driving experience thanks to its impressive high-performance T5 petrol turbo with 254 HP. When compared to a standard V40, the new R-Design version will be distinguished by a silk-metal framed high-gloss grille, an ironstone diffuser, silk-metal finished details, and twin exhaust tailpipes.

The V40 R-Design was built on a special chassis developed in cooperation with Volvo’s Polestar Black R team. This chassis can be ordered in a standard "Dynamic" version which adds a rigid body and a low center of gravity or an optional "Sport" version if the customer wants to lower the ride height by 10 mm.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Volvo V40 R-Design.

2013 Volvo C30 Polestar Limited Edition

The Volvo C30 debuted for the 2008 model year and gave Volvo buyers something that they have craved for years – a sporty model. In its base format, the C30 pumps out a stout 227 horsepower from its 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder engine. Though it was relatively powerful, Volvo felt it needed a little bit more by developing a Polestar version of this hot hatchback.

We first caught a glimpse of the C30 Polestar concept way back in 2010 and we expected to see a production model shortly after, but it never happened. This 2010 concept boasted a 450-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, leaving the sky as the limit with the production model.

Finally, after two years of development, Volvo has announced that it will release a limited number of production C30 Polestars to the public. Along with this announcement comes a press release showing off its features and, more importantly, its specifications.

The question hanging over the head of this new arrival in big bold letters is “Can it live up to the hype?” We definitely do not expect 450 ponies from this 3-door Polestar hatchback, but it still has some pretty big shoes to fill.

UPDATE 10/30/12: The Volvo C30 Polestar Edition was spotted at the 2012 SEMA Auto Show! It definitely caught us by surprise, we’ll tell you that. But seeing it there has convinced us that this sports car deserves to be in the company of all those sick machines.

To find out if Volvo hit a homerun or struck out with the C30 Polestar Limited Edition, click past the jump.

TopSpeed Rendering: 2013 Volvo XC40

Volvo is expanding its lineup this year with the addition of the new XC40, a new compact crossover built on the V40 architecture. This higher-riding V40 will be making its debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show in September, but a couple of months is still too long for us to wait, so we decided that a clear look at the upcoming Volvo XC40 was in order. Enter our rendering specialists.

We’ve already mentioned the fact that the "new" XC40 will be built on the V40 platform, but it seems as though everything will be borrowed from the V40, minus the higher ride and the features needed to prepare the XC40 for off-road use. Under the hood, the XC40 will continue borrowing from the V40. There will be a turbocharged 1.6-liter petrol engine and a 2.0 liter engine with power ranging from 150 to 240 HP. Diesel fans will get a 155 HP engine. The top versions will be offered with an all-wheel-drive system.

The "brand new" XC40 is being built as a competitor to the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the Paris Auto Show to determine whether it can actually be considered competition.

2013 Volvo V40 Polestar

When Volvo dropped the official details on the 2013 S60 Polestar concept, they also announced that a production version would arrive, but only in a limited edition. This decision was made after an American customer bought the concept for an impressive $300,000. Lucky for everyone else, the production version won’t be as expensive as that. Volvo has also promised that a V40 Polestar version will arrive by the end of 2012 and will be priced at only $30K.

The V40 Polestar will respond to the likes of the BMW M135i and the Audi S3. If the first rumors are true, it will have ’at least’ 10 per cent more power than a standard T5. A little calculating will show that the future V40 Polestar will easily be able to produce 280 HP, but don’t be surprised if it passes the 300 HP mark. The model will be offered with an all-wheel-drive system and Polestar should be able to give it an impressive exterior look.

Here it is: The 2013 Volvo XC40

There have been spy shots galore of the upcoming Volvo XC40, but now the first undisguised images of the new crossover have surfaced online. The new XC40 is scheduled to make its world debut in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, but it looks like Volvo couldn’t keep it a secret until then and will more than likely have to debut it earlier than anticipated.

The new XC40 is, in fact, a V40 with an increased ride height and new technology that make it ready foroff-roading. As you can see, the XC40 is almost identical to the V40, except for its redesigned front bumper and the new headlamps.

Under the hood, things will stay the same: power will come from a turbocharged 1.6-liter petrol engine and a 2.0 liter engine with power ranging from 150 to 240 HP. Diesel fans will get a 155 HP engine. Sicne it is an off-road vehicle, Volvo will be offering it with an all-wheel-drive system for the top versions.

2012 Volvo V40 by Heico Sportiv

Volvo has never been one to be mentioned in the same sentence as performance cars, as the Swedish automaker always focused more on building family-friendly sub-luxury cars as opposed to sports cars. Since its takeover by Chinese car manufacturer, Geely, Volvo has been slowly broadening its vehicle selection to include several sportier models and the latest to come to the forefront was the S60 Polestar.

Another new and sportier model coming to Volvo’s lineup is the V40, which is a rather sleek-looking 5-door model. Apparently, this was the perfect base for famed Volvo tuner, Heico Sportiv, to build a monster race car and debut it at the Auto Mobil International at Leipzig. This racer is set to compete in long-distance road races in their various alternative fuel classes.

The details are a little scarce at the moment, but Heico has shared a little information. We will share what we know with you now and will continuously update you as more information becomes available.

Click past the jump to read more on the Volvo V40 by Heico Sportiv.

2014 Volvo XC90

For the longest time, we have been treated to Volvos that have the cutting edge design of a loaf of bread. It’s been one of the biggest knocks on the Swedish brand, and it appears that the company is determined to introduce a new generation of vehicles that will be a lot edgier than what we’re used to.

One of the next-generation models that’s expected to be introduced in the coming years is the Volvo XC90 crossover. Despite its popularity, the XC90 has been around the block for almost 10 years with very little changes being done on it. These design sketches of the future XC90 that the company recently released shows that Volvo may be serious in re-defining the way their vehicles look. The 2014 XC90 will sit atop the Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA), which is the platform for just about every new Volvo in the works. The XC90 is anticipated to be the first Volvo to use this platform and will also be one of the largest to use it.

We also know that the XC90 will have a 4-cylinder engine under its all-new hood, as will all vehicles using the SPA platform. Given the XC90’s size, its four-pot will likely include the direct injection system and turbocharger that Volvo says will be fitted on most SPA-based vehicles. The exact size of this new 4-cylinder engine is not quite known, but it’ll have to punch out at least 200 horsepower to make it competitive against the base level X3 Drive20i. There is also the possibly for a traditional and plug-in hybrid option.

The current XC90 is no slouch in the luxury department, but Volvo is expected to punch up the interior a little bit, while still offering 7-person seating capabilities. On this outside, we do have a few images to go off of, and they are rather extreme.

The body lines are nothing like you would expect to see on a Volvo, featuring a very high beltline and a wide lower grille. The upper grille is especially wide for a Volvo and the overall appearance of the car just looks sleeker than any Volvo on record. Then again, these are just concept drawings and rarely do these concept drawings really pin down the resulting model.

This is all we know about the upcoming 2014 Volvo XC90 for now, but we will continue to update this review as more information becomes available.

UPDATE 06/05/2012: This review has been updated with more details on the 2014 Volvo XC90!