Volvo XC90 has been given the my2012 facelift treatment to refresh its look. The changes are mainly aesthetic with a slight update to the front of the car and new combinations of colours for the bodywork and interior.

The new model year features bumpers and wheel arches matching the shade of the body, new LED day running headlights and slightly revised tail-lights with LED brake lights. The base model is equipped with a set of six-spoke 18-inch Thalia alloy wheels, new matte finish side mirrors and a lower front with chrome accents.

Inside the luxury XC90 boasts new details such as new dials with white light and rain sensors as standard. The Platinum Plus and Premier models get new soft leather seats and red wood trims on the dashboard, steering wheel and shift knob. The sports version, the XC90 R-Design, features new 19-inch Ixion alloy wheels and a few stylish updates in the passenger compartment.

World Car Fans has released an image of what should be the R-Design version of the new Volvo V40. The R-Design tag is the one that is used by the most sporty versions of the latest Volvo cars and apparently this pic was taken from an official Spanish brochure of the model. The image features two blue V40s with big alloy wheels, the chromed wing mirror shells, vertical stripes of LED day running lights and the black plastic element that makes the front end even more flashy. The new Vovlo V40 is expected to make its debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show and will come with an engine range made of a 1.6-litre petrol engine in three power configurations: T3 (150 hp), T4 (180 hp) and T5 (254 hp) and the diesel units dubbed D2, D3 and D4, credited with an output of 115, 150 and 177 hp respectively.

Volvo has released a new video that features the V60 Plug-In Hybrid. The Swedish car combines a 2.4-litre diesel engine with an output of 215 hp and maximum torque of 440 Nm to an electric motor capable of developing the equivalent of 70 hp and 200 Nm while emitting only 49 g/km of CO2 in combined driving cycle. There are three driving modes available: “Pure”, “Hybrid” or “Power”, the latter uses the total power given by the two engines and covers 100 km/h, from standstill, in 6.2 seconds.

The main aesthetic elements are: the colour (Electric Silver), a few glossy black details, innovative 17-inch alloy wheels and integrated exhaust tailpipes. The interior is enriched with black leather upholstery with contrasting stitching, embellished with gray-blue wood trim.

The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid will be costing between £45,000 and £50,000, with a limited model year production of a thousand units starting in November 2012, then increasing to 4,000-6,000 pieces the following year.

Yes, we know Mercedes A-Class was the big surprise of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. And Audi A3 it’s an institution. But at the Swiss show was presented another prestigious compact, which could be bothering the Germal rivals a lot. We are talking about the Volvo V40, a car that seduces with its flowing outlines and convinces with its traditional Swedish design.

The D2 version of the hatchback (1.6 turbodiesel) uses just 3.6 litres of fuel per 100km emitting 94g of CO2 per Km, with an output of 115 hp and 285 Nm of maximum torque. For those seeking more sprints there is the five-cylinder delivering 150 and 177 hp, with 400 Nm of torque.

Among the petrol we find a 1.6 turbo engine ranging in versions with output of 150 hp and 240 Nm and 180 hp with 270 Nm of torque. Then there is a 2.0 turbo with 213 hp and 300 Nm; the top of the range is the 2.5 T5 turbo capable of delivering an outstanding 254 hp and 400 Nm of maximum torque.

View the full Volvo V40 gallery

The new Volvo V40 that will be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show is the first car from the Swedish manufacturer that is made accordingly to their new, human-centric “designed around you” strategy. This philosophy uses elements such as safety, design, comfort and versatilty as top priorities, and the new model surely lives up to the new approach, positioning itself between the C- and D-segments as a ‘Premium Hatchback’. Although the carmaker is yet to release official info on the subject, the V40 is expected to measure 4.50 meters in length.

As for the engine line-up, the model will come with several options ranging from the first Vovlo diesel engine producing 94 g/km of CO2 emissions up to the powerful 254 hp T5 petrol unit, capable of pushing the car from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds. The V40 will come with Start-Stop and kinetic energy recovery systems for both its manual and automatic transmissions.

Other interesting features of the new Volvo V40 include an upgraded version of the City Safety system - which automatically pulls the brakes in order to avoid collisions when travelling at less than 50 km/h (31 mph) - the Lane Keeping Aid system, the Park Assist Pilot system as well as an absolute first an airbag for the pedestrians.

View the full Volvo V40 photo gallery

Some pictures of the new Volvo V40 have appeared online on Motodziennik’s Facebook page and apparently the polish mag has received the photos directly from Volvo.

The 5-door Volvo hatchback will be officially introduced to the public at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and, from what we can see, it will feature some elements stylistically similar to the S60’s as well as some of the XC60, such as the hatch and the stretched-out tail lights. The choice of engines includes both petrols and diesels ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 l., and delivering between 114 and 241 hp.

This new hatchback will be 4.50 mt long and it will replace both the S40 and the V50, positioning itself between the C and the D segment. In the near future we will also see two more versions of the V40: a sedan and an XC featuring four-wheel drive and raised suspension.

Volvo releases a first lot of images of the upcoming new XC90 model year 2013 just hours ahead of its official unveiling at the 2012 North America International Auto Show. The new model maintains the same basic structure it had in 2002, when the first generation of the popular three-row crossover debuted at the same event in Detroit, but the new version also boasts some subtle but significant changes in comparison to its first incarnation. Let’s have a quick look through it.

As for the exterior, the new XC90 has redesigned front bumpers with LED strips and silver front bar, revised rear bumper, more LED technology for the tail lights and chrome accents here and there, while 2 more options (Twilight Bronze and Flaminco Red) have been added to its color range. On the inside, it gets new aluminum inserts and a a leather tailgate strap, while premium walnut wood finishing will be made available for the range topping versions. Under the bonnet, the confirmed 3.2-litre flat-6 unit of the previous model has been confirmed, providing the XC90 m.y. 2013 with 240 hp and 320 Nm of peak torque. However, an all-new version of the XC90 is expected to appear in 2014.

via | LeftLane

Volvo Car Co. will show up at the imminent North American International Auto Show in Detroit with the innovative XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept, a highly economic SUV that also exploits the power of a petrol engine. The most distinctive feature of the model is perhaps the fact that drivers will be able to decide how to combine the two power sources by the simple touch of a button, a new technology that President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation, Mr. Stefan Jacoby, describes “as ingenious as it is unique“, adding that “no other manufacturer has succeeded in delivering fuel economy and electrical range on this level in a capable, spacious performance car with 350 horsepower on tap.”

More specifically, drivers will be able to choose the driving mode by three buttons placed on the instrument panel: Pure (electric motor only), Hybrid (the standard setting, with gasoline and electric engines cooperating to provide maximum driving pleasure with minimum environmental impact) and Power (with the two units working together to create maximum possible power). The petrol engine is a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4 cylinder unit delivering 280 hp and 380 Nm of peak torque while the electric motor produces an output of 70 hp with 20o Nm of maximum torque, making up a grand total of 350 hp. Performance figures are not bad at all for an hybrid vehicle: with the ‘Power’ mode on, the carmaker claims a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 5.8 seconds with a top speed of almost 210 km/h (130 mph). With the ‘Hybrid’ mode activated, the performance of the model is not as good but the average fuel consumption goes down to 2.3 l/100km and CO2 emissions would be 53 g/km, with a full autonomy of about 960 km (about 600 miles), whereas the ‘Pure’ mode gives the car 45 km (28 miles) of range. The 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment can be recharged from a regular power outlet, reaching the full charge from a 220v/12A source in 3.5 hours.

The electric motors provide power to the rear axle while the whereas the petrol unit feeds the front wheels. The latter is coupled to a 8-speed automatic transmission and works together with an Integrated Starter motor and Generator (ISG) connected to the crankshaft, which is located between the engine and the transmission, which delivers an extra 45 hp during acceleration and charges the battery during braking. To find out more about the model, check out the official Press Release issued by Volvo North America after the jump, where you will also see a short video-presentation of the main feature of Volvo XC60’s innovative hybrid powertrain.

View the full Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept photo gallery

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept - superior to all existing hybrids

Volvo Car Corporation’s technology in the advanced Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept gives the car owner possibilities that no other existing hybrid car can offer.

“The gasoline plug-in hybrid is ideal for the American motorist who wants an electric car while at the same time retaining all the power and capacity that comes in his or her present vehicle,” says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO at Volvo Car Corporation.f

A diesel-electric V60 Plug-in Hybrid is Volvo Car Corporation’s first production model with this new technology, and the car will go on sale in Europe later this year.

In order to make the solution viable for U.S. and Chinese buyers, it needs to feature a gasoline engine. In the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept, the electrification technology is blended with a state-of-the-art 280-horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine.

“The combination brings the ingenious plug-in hybrid solution into the global context we are aiming for with all our car models. The gasoline version has great potential in several markets that are vital for our ambitious growth plans, such as the United States, China and Russia,” Stefan Jacoby says.

Volvo Car Corporation’s North American dealers welcome the introduction of a plug-in hybrid.

“From a U.S. market perspective, a gasoline plug-in hybrid would be an excellent addition to our product offer,” says Patty Hooley, member of the Dealer Council of Volvo Cars North America.

Daily commute on electricity

An electric motor producing 70 horsepower - combined with a four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine - gives the driver a muscular power plant packing a total of 350 horsepower. Yet this very same car can be driven up to 35 miles (charge depleting range, U.S. certification driving cycle) on electricity alone or as a high-efficiency hybrid with operational fuel economy 50 mpg.

The U.S certification standards include emissions from the production of the electric energy. According to the European certification driving cycle NEDC, CO2 emissions are 53 g/km (2.3 l/100 km) - which translates into fuel economy of over 100 mpg.

“A plug-in hybrid is the ideal eco-car for today’s conditions,” Stefan Jacoby says. “It gives a large proportion of motorists sufficient range on electricity for their daily commute. More than half of U.S. drivers cover less than 30 miles a day. With its three driving modes, the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept also offers the owner a conventional model’s interior space, safety, performance and long range. It gives the driver uncompromising flexibility to cover every type of motoring need.”

Bridge to the future

In recent time, hybrids and all-electric cars have been establishing a presence in the minds of North American customers.

“Our goal is to be a leading brand within fuel efficiency,” Jacoby says. ” In the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid we emphasize how a blend of state-of-the-art combustion technology and innovative electrification can be an unbeatably attractive bridge to a future where the all-electric cars become more established in the market.”

As previously reported, Volvo just released the first official teaser of its upcoming new model, that CEO Stefan Jacoby confirmed is going to be called V40. In the intentions of the Swedish carmaker, the new 5-door hatchback will replace both the S40 sedan and the V50 in its range, positioning itself right under the S60/V60 line. At this moment the fate of the C30 is still unclear, as Mr. Jacoby himself has been quite sketchy on the matter.

Apparently, Volvo is trying to go more premium with the new car. The mule pictured in these new spy shots is still very heavily disguised, still wearing the same sort of armor we had seen on the previous lot of spy shots (when we still thought the model was going to be called V30) to defend itself from the cameras of the onlookers, but what we can see is enough to guess that the new V40 will look a lot like a smaller version of the V60. Rumor has it that at a later stage we will also see a XC40 model, while a S40 sedan for the Chinese market should also be in the works. The new V40 will have its public debut in March at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

View the full Volvo V40 spy shots photo gallery

A new version of Volvo V40 is about surface. The original car bearing the V40 name was a station-wagon model launched in the mid 90s, which later evolved into the V50, but the new V40 was rumored to be a quite different type of car. Now, with the release of this official teaser from the Swedish manufacturer, it seems like those rumors were actually right as that veil definitely doesn’t seem to conceal an estate car. The new V40 seems to be a 5-door hatchback that should end up being positioned in the Volvo range right below the S60/V60 line, replacing both the S40 sedan and the aforementioned V50. However, the new model is set to make its official debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, that will take place as usual in March.

In a recent interview with business and financial newspaper Dagens Industri, Volvo Car Corporation’s President and Chief Executive, Mr. Stefan Jacoby, revealed that the definitive name of the model will be V40, ending speculations that the car was going to be named V30. The model will compete in a segment where the likes of Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and the revamped BMW 1-Series will represent the most fierce competition.

The new V40 will then try to succeed where the C30 failed, but its approach to the challenge will be completely different, with 5 doors rather than 3 and more space for both passengers and luggage. Mr. Jacoby did not rule out the possibility of a three-box configuration of the V40, confirming that the production of the model should be ready to start in May 2012.

Almost ten years after the launch of the original XC90, Volvo releases four never-seen-before sketches of the next generation of the successful Swedish SUV, which is expected to debut in 2013-2014. At a first glance, the model seems to drag inspiration from both Volvo’s You and Universe concept cars, but we will obviously need to wait a little longer to see how much of that will be true.

However, the styling of the next XC90 seems to be quite original, still retaining the Volvo’s typical visual approach. The new XC90 will also be the first car to be fully developed on the new SPA platform (Scalable Platform Architecture), which should guarantee a 100-150 kg of weight loss over the current model, which still is first generation.

via | CarAndDriver.com

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will go into production next year, making for an important addition to the 2012 Volvo line-up. The V60 hybrid was first presented at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show with a 2.4-litre diesel engine with 215 hp and 440 Nm of torque, combined with an electric motor providing another 70 hp and 200 Nm.

Adding an environmental feather to its safety cap, the Volvo V60 hybrid produces just 49 g/km of CO2 emissions. While Volvo hasn’t released any fuel consumption details as yet, the hybrid technology on the V60 will allow for three driving modes of “Pure” (completely electric), Hybrid and Power. The latter enables full use of both the combustion engine and the electric motor and achieves a sprint time to 100 km/hr of 6.9 seconds.

The only idea we get of the fuel consumption is in the words of Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby who roughly claims halving fuel use. With the V60 Plug-in hybrid Volvo will offer a potent mix of its new sporty style, traditional high safety reputation and environmental goodness in one package.