Volvo Cars reveals new V60 Cross Country
Volvo Cars unveils the long-awaited Cross Country version of its successful V60 sportswagon at the 2014 LA Motor Show this month.
“We are delighted to add the third true Cross Country model to our product portfolio. The successful combination of dynamic styling and rugged capability places the V60 Cross Country in a class of its own,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars.
Heritage
The Cross Country brand has a long and distinguished heritage. Volvo Cars was the first premium brand to offer increased all-road capability and styling on its wagons as far back as 1997 when it introduced the V70 Cross Country, creating a whole new type of car experience that has since captured the imagination of the motoring public.
Reflecting Volvo’s Scandinavian heritage and love of nature and adventure, the V60 Cross Country brings together the best of both worlds – a sporty, connected yet comfortable driving experience with the freedom to explore new horizons.
Sporty capability
“With ground clearance increased 65mm compared to the V60, the Cross Country’s sturdy construction offers unparalleled control on and off the beaten track, coupled with an enhanced sporty driving experience thanks to torque vectoring technology and corner traction control. The V60 Cross Country really is a getaway car – enabling an adventurous lifestyle in pure rugged form,” said Lex Kerssemakers.
Offering new Cross Country 18” and 19” wheels, the V60 Cross Country comes with high profile tyres, adding comfort and off-road aesthetics, reducing road noise and providing added wheel protection whether climbing kerbs or negotiating rocky roads.
Rugged individualist design
Central to the Cross Country concept is the expression of go-anywhere capability and rugged design. It caters to those who have an active lifestyle, favouring the dirt road over the paved, handling either with ease. This is manifested in the V60 Cross Country through explicit design cues that heighten the adventurous nature of the car. With increased ground clearance, skid plates front and rear, side scuff plates and fender extenders, the V60 Cross Country conveys an imposing, muscular presence that underlies its capable nature, while integrated tailpipes reflect its sporty dark side. To complement the capable exterior styling, sports seats in black leather with distinctive brown stitching will be available from launch, while two new two-tone leather upholsteries will be offered to coincide with the EU and Rest of World Launch in early 2015.
Powertrains
The US and Canada will get the first V60 Cross Country cars, and they will launch with Volvo’s iconic five cylinder 250 hp petrol engine with All-Wheel Drive coupled to an automatic transmission delivering a highly competitive 23 mpg.
Drive-E power
Volvo’s new class-leading Drive-E four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, which will be available in the V60 Cross Country globally in early 2015, will be the base for the Front-Wheel Drive variant, while the proven five-cylinder D4 powertrain will provide the power for the All-Wheel Drive variant.
----------------------
Volvo Car Group in 2013
For the 2013 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 1,919 MSEK (66 MSEK in 2012). Revenue over the period amounted to 122,245 MSEK (124,547 MSEK), while net income amounted to 960 MSEK (-542 MSEK). Global retail sales for the year amounted to 427,840 (421,951) cars, an increase of 1.4 per cent compared to 2012. The operating profit was the result of cost control and strong sales and was further tangible proof of Volvo Car Group’s progress in implementing its transformation plan. For the full year 2014, the company expects to stay in black figures and predicts to record a global sales increase of close to 10 per cent.
About Volvo Car Group
Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 427,000 in 2013 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.
As of December 2013, Volvo Cars had over 23,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium) and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).
