A report from Reuters has emerged that Volvo will be introducing the XC90 in 2014 and it will be the first car co-developed with Volvo’s new partner, the Chinese-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Reuters obtained this info after speaking with Volvo executive, Hakan Samuelsson.
Volvo has said the XC90 will be built on a unified chassis in the hope of developing an all-new modular compact platform, which could underpin a variety of different vehicle models. Additionally, the new XC90 will utilise a ‘large luxury platform’, which will also be used for the next generation S80.
These platforms, known as ‘Volvo SPA’ or Scalable Product Architecture, are much like those of competitors Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Jaguar-Land Rover, in that Volvo’s SPA will be able to accommodate a wide variety of powertrains.
Many observer’s concerns that Geely’s involvement will potentially have a negative effect on Volvo, through cost cutting or poor craftsmanship, need not worry, as Volvo’s SPA platform is being developed in house on Swedish soil.
Confirmed for a late 2014 launch, the new XC90 and S80 will replace their decade old Volvo range-topping equivalents. Once the brand’s bestseller, the XC90 SUV recorded only 31 000 sales last year worldwide, a fall of 21% compared with 2011.
Volvo is also working with Geely on a more compact platform for smaller models. These new models will be manufactured at a new Volvo factory located in Chengdu, China.
Volvo will also launch new efficiency-boosting technologies soon with its modular Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) and an eight-speed automatic. Unique to the common-rail diesel engines is ‘i-ART’, which sees a pressure sensor fitted to each fuel injector, enabling more accurate metering of fuel delivery to each cylinder.
Meanwhile, petrol VEA engines will use direct injection. All are designed to be paired with electric motors and, down the road, a new kinetic energy recovery system. Varying levels of turbocharging will spread the VEA engines’ capabilities and continue the downsizing trend.
