Volvo XC60 revealed
We've got the first pictures of the Swedish firm's all-new baby off-roader.
Designers have kept us waiting for two years, but finally Volvo has taken the wraps off the much anticipated XC60. And the SUV will go head-to-head with the Land Rover Freelander when it arrives in British showrooms in October, with prices starting from £24,500.
The firm is billing the newcomer, which will be unveiled at March’s Geneva Motor Show, as the safest and most stylish vehicle it has ever produced. The XC60 was first displayed in concept form at the Detroit expo back in 2006, and most of that car’s design cues make it to production.
There’s a pronounced grille, prominent shoulders and bold tail-lights, while inside the SUV features a host of typically stylish Volvo details. These include an evolution of the Swedish brand’s ‘floating’ centre console, which is now upholstered in blond wood and angled more towards the driver.
It’s also outlined in chrome – as are the twin dashboard dials – and incorporates a large digital screen, which displays instructions for the sat-nav.
As you might expect from a Volvo, the XC60 is equipped with the very latest safety technology, and features a world first system called City Safety. This is designed to help drivers avoid low-speed collisions common in urban traffic and tailbacks, and automatic­ally applies the brakes if the driver fails to react to an impending impact.
As with the larger XC90, the XC60 will be reasonably capable off-road, thanks to its raised ride height and standard permanent four-wheel drive. And as it shares its platform architect­ure with the Freelander and forthcom­ing Ford Kuga (see below), it promises to be composed and agile on tarmac.
Buyers get a choice of 2.4-litre five-cylinder D5 diesels offering 163bhp or 185bhp, while the flagship T6 features a 281bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6. All have a six-speed auto as standard. A front-wheel-drive-only 163bhp D5 will appear in 2009, pro­mising low 170g/km CO2 emissions.
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