Volvo seems to be emerging from its recent financial slumber. Now backed by a new corporate master, the Swedish company is facing a market where it no longer has to compete with perennial rival Saab, but in which the premium-sedan class is more competitive than ever. With a new V60 on the way, Volvo’s going to need some impressive follow-up to ensure that it’s not lost in the shuffle.
If the Concept Coupe is any indicator, there won’t be much danger of that. This design study is the first from Volvo’s new Senior Vice President of Design, Thomas Ingenlath, and it hints strongly at the design direction the brand will take. Volvo says the next-generation XC90, due in 2014, will follow the themes of the Concept Coupe.
The Concept Coupe shows off a high, strong beltline that’s become one of Volvo’s trademarks, and combines it with a low roof and hood. Large twenty-one inch wheels give the car an athletic look that’s reminiscent of the classic P1800 coupe. The grille has a floating look, and the headlights have T-shaped LED accent lights that provide a distinctive signature. Inside, a touch-screen dominates the center console and features a head-up display and an adaptive digital display.
Like Mercedes, Volvo is preparing its vehicles for the advent of autonomous cars, and the Concept Coupe presages autonomous, accident-avoiding steering systems that will appear on future Volvos. The plug-in hybrid powertrain uses Volvo’s new turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder coupled to an electric motor driving the rear wheels. Total horsepower is about 400.
Volvo hasn’t announced any plans for production, but it’s a sure bet that the Concept Coupe will be a strong influence on upcoming Volvo products.
