Volvo XC60 Concept 2006

[Duell]

The XC60 Project – delivering a capable and charismatic crossover from Volvo

The Volvo XC60 Concept takes centre stage at the Detroit Motor Show, integrating both the unmistakable, muscular XC-versatility and the sporty charisma of a coupe.
“One might say that this could be the C30-owner’s next car. Equally sporty and exciting, but far more capable. The concept car offers a good indication of how the “real” XC60 will look,” says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO at Volvo Cars.
The new Volvo XC60 is planned to reach the showrooms at the beginning of 2009.

The concept car shows that Volvo Cars’ XC60 project is ready to challenge the competition in what is currently the toughest and fastest-growing segment in the automotive world – the Small Premium Utility segment.
Today there are only a handful of models in this segment but within the next few years, buyers will have at least ten to choose between.
Between 2007 and 2009, the segment’s sales volume is expected to expand by 75 percent to 443,000 cars.
“There is considerable potential here and the concept car shows that we both can and actually dare to be even sportier and more dynamic while retaining our firm lead when it comes to safety. The technological solutions for avoiding low-speed collisions represent a major breakthrough. We call this system City Safety,” explains Fredrik Arp.

Automatic braking
If the vehicle in front suddenly brakes and the City Safety senses that a collision is likely to happen it will pre charge the brakes to help the driver to avoid an accident. However, when the system senses that a collision is imminent, the car will brake automatically.
City Safety is active at up to 30 km/h. If the relative speed difference between the two vehicles is below 15 km/h, the system can help the driver avoid the collision entirely. Between 15 and 30 km/h, the focus is instead on reducing speed as much as possible before the impact.

[Duell]

Target group with high demands on technology
As with the recently introduced Volvo C30, Volvo’s XC60 project is aimed at a specific target group with high demands on design, brand value and high-tech solutions in their choice of lifestyle products.
Tongue-in-cheek, one might say that these are consumers who always regard the microchip as a natural complement to their breakfast cereal. Consumers who have grown up in an era during which electronic products have undergone unimaginable development – and every birthday has brought greater electronic capacity in ever-smaller gift packages.
This generation is constantly looking for the very latest gadget and as a group it is becoming increasingly influential and building up increasing purchasing power. When it comes to the choice of car, these consumers adopt the same approach as they apply to other products; it should preferably cater for all their needs in one attractive, smart package.

Capable XC muscles down below, elegant coupé above the waistline
From the design viewpoint the XC60 Concept is a daring creation, a fusion of the very best elements from two distinctive, yet dynamic car types. Down below, the unmistakable and capable XC muscles pump up the car, giving it a distictive stance with a high ground clearance on large wheels. Above the waistline, the sleek lines trace the profile and sporty charisma of an elegant coupe.
The XC60 Concept has an interior design that is at least as daring as the exterior. This applies particularly to the instrument panel and centre stack and the slim, visually floating front and rear seats.
“The concept car not only provides a good indication of what the XC60 will look like, it also offers a hint of the lines of future Volvo models. With a more sculptured look, our cars will be more extrovert in their visual appeal. If you say that you recognise a Volvo from 50 metres today, I want to get to the point where people will instantly spot it from twice the distance in the future,” says Steve Mattin, Design Director at Volvo Cars.

Deliveries to customers in early 2009
With the XC60 Concept, Volvo Cars is announcing that the XC family, which presently consists of the XC70 and XC90, will be expanded in the beginning of 2009. Just like the two present vehicles in the XC range, the Volvo XC60 is based on passenger car technology, which makes it possible to combine its rugged capability with a dynamic and entertaining drive.
“I would like to emphasise that with the XC60 project as with the C30, we are aiming primarily at lifestyle rather than age. We are broadening our model range to primarily attract more customers with an active, urban lifestyle. The XC60 will be equally important as the C30 in our planned sales volume expansion,” concludes Fredrik Arp.

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Volvo XC60 Concept #3

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Volvo XC60 Concept #4



This is one Volvo Concept which in my opinion could directly be trashed.
It looks way to much like the latest Ford Concept. I thought it was called Ford Iosis X.

[Street_Dreamer]

why release concepts which are very nice? i reckon the final will be a disappointment... Land Rover Range Stormer anyone?!? i think this car is really nice

[Timeh]

Looks like a well thought out concept. Hopefully the final carries it through, otherwise I will strangle the developers for ruining a potentially nice car.

[Timothy (in VA)]

Why is it the XC60? All the other Volvo wagons/wagonoids have odd digit multiples of ten (C30, V50, V70, XC90), while the even digit multiples of ten have been reserved for the sedans (S40, S60, S80) (admittedly, the C70 is also an anomaly). By the naming conventions currently in use at Volvo, this vehicle should be the XC70... except XC70 is already in use, isn't it? So then perhaps it should be the XC50. Is it supposed to be compact (like the S40/V50) or mid-size (like the S60/V70)? Is a little consistency too much to ask for?

[Ferrer]

It's just a Freelander with a Volvo badge and some Volvo panels on it.

Timothy, it is a mid sized car. Just like the S60 rivals the 3 Series, the XC60 will compete with the X3.

[zeppelin]

I pray that they put the illuminated touch sensor dash into production, sadly though I think we're still a ways off before that becomes mainstream.

[Timothy (in VA)]

Timothy, it is a mid sized car. Just like the S60 rivals the 3 Series, the XC60 will compete with the X3.

Then what does the S40 compete with? Going with the BMW v. Volvo theme, I thought it went 3-series v. S40/V50 (small or compact or entry-level or what-have-you), 5-series v. S60/V70 (mid-size), and 7-series v. S80 (full-size). If this is meant to compete with the X3 (whose name suggests a parallel sizing to the 3-series), it should be called the XC50. According to the first section of the press release, this will compete in the "Small Premium Utility" segment, and appears to seat only 5 (most modern mid-size SUVs have 3 rows of seats). Therefore, in my mind this should definitely be called the XC50. By choosing to call it the XC60, Volvo is not playing by their own rules.

[Ferrer]

Then what does the S40 compete with? Going with the BMW v. Volvo theme, I thought it went 3-series v. S40/V50 (small or compact or entry-level or what-have-you), 5-series v. S60/V70 (mid-size), and 7-series v. S80 (full-size). If this is meant to compete with the X3 (whose name suggests a parallel sizing to the 3-series), it should be called the XC50. According to the first section of the press release, this will compete in the "Small Premium Utility" segment, and appears to seat only 5 (most modern mid-size SUVs have 3 rows of seats). Therefore, in my mind this should definitely be called the XC50. By choosing to call it the XC60, Volvo is not playing by their own rules.

Well in my opinion the S40/V50 models are a tad too small to compete with the BMW 3-series, altough they might technically compete with the 3-series and replace the S60 when it goes out of production, probably quite soon. S80 is most definitely a 5-series rival and not a 7-series one, since it is too small to compete with the saloons in the E-segment. And the V70 is a bit between the 3 and the 5 series in terms of size, altough I'm sure the new one (of which there are spy pics available already) will grow to become a full 5-series Touring rival.

See it that way, the XC90 competes with the X5 and the XC60 will compete with the X3. It might only have 5 seats, but so does the X3.

[h22a]

S60's are roughly sized in between the 3-5 series BMW. The S60 is due for replacement in 2009. The new S80 is comparable to the 5 series. The S80's performace and handling have vastly improved over the last model. New S80 goes very well.

[Ferrer]

I've checked and the S60 is just 1 cm shorter than the Audi A4 and 6 cm longer than the 3 series. The BMW 5 series is actually 26 cm longer than the S60. So the S60 is a D-segment car and as result a rival to the 3 series, A4, C-class, etc...

[Timothy (in VA)]

So technically, this should have been called the XC70, but that name was already taken?

Color me enlightened. Thanks .

[h22a]

what i find is that most customers are comparing the S60 to the 5 series,
A6, 9-5 saab, passat. The S40 is only slightly smaller so most customers compare the 3 series, A4, liberty, jetta etc...
Both cars similar spec'd price wise are very close
Volvo S60 LE roughly $55 Drive Away.
Volvo S40 LE roughly $50 Drive Away.
That XC60 should be called the XC50 as it looks like it based on the S40/V50/C30/C70 chassis.