Official: Volvo prices revamped 2014 lineup

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Crossover, Volvo

2014 Volvo XC60 R-Design

Volvo has made quite a few changes to its US lineup for the 2014 model year. The C30 hatchback and C70 convertible are gone; the S60, S80, XC60 and XC70 have all been reschnozzed; and in a few months, Volvo will bring its V60 wagon across the pond for Stateside consumption. Only the range-topping XC90 carries on unchanged, though a brand new version is expected to launch sometime next year.

The S60 starts as low as $32,400 for the entry level T5 model, and reaches as high as $45,700 for the T6 R-Design Platinum trim. The larger S80 sedan starts at $39,900, with its range-topping T6 Platinum version commanding $48,150. XC70 pricing ranges anywhere from $34,500 for the 3.2 FWD to $45,650 for the T6 Platinum, XC60 numbers span from $34,850 to $49,800, and XC90 prices start as low as $39,700 and as high as $45,400. None of these prices include $895 for destination, and pricing for the swoopy V60 wagon has not been released just yet.

While the majority of Volvo’s 2014 model year enhancements are visual, some neat updates have been made mechanically, as well. There’s a new Advanced Quick Shift mode for the six-speed automatic transmission that’s paired with the turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and Volvo says that the S60 R-Design will now scoot to 60 miles per hour two-tenths of a second quicker (5.3 versus 5.5). In the XC60 R-Design, AQS improves 0-60 acceleration by four-tenths of a second, down to 6.2 from 6.6 seconds.

Volvo will continue to offer three engines for its full range: a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter V6 with 240 horsepower, a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five with 250 horsepower, and a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 300 horsepower. R-Design versions of the S60 and XC60 get a slight bump in power, up to 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. The T5 engine can only be had on the S60; the S80, XC60 and XC70 use both the NA V6 and the T6; and the aging XC90 can only be had with the 3.2-liter mill.

Have a look at the full list of changes and pricing information in Volvo’s press blast, below.

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Volvo prices revamped 2014 lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Jaguar turns down offers to join V8 Supercars, questions AMG, Volvo participation

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Performance, Jaguar, Australia, Luxury, Racing

2014 Jaguar XFR-S

Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that Jaguar may be the next manufacturer to join the V8 Supercars racing series, made popular in Australia but now well-known in other parts of the world as well. Sadly, Jag’s participation is not to be. In fact, it would be “insane,” according to Jaguar Land Rover Asia Pacific Managing Director David Blackhall, for it to accept either of the two offers it has received to bring Jaguar into V8 Supercars.

Not only is Jaguar not interested in entering V8 Supercars, says Blackhall, it also fails to understand the recent entries from AMG and Volvo. “I don’t know what it does for AMG to get flogged by a V8 Commodore week after week, but it’s their brand, their issue. And the same thing will happen to Volvo to be honest.”

Judging by Blackhall’s statements to motoring.com.au, after not-so-serious consideration, the automaker decided the monetary commitment it would take to compete for wins would be more than any potential exposure would be worth, despite the fact that Jaguar has a 5.0-liter V8 to go along with what would seem to be a tailor-made rear-wheel-drive chassis. For what it’s worth, one offer would have had Jaguar putting its name across an engine made by someone else, an option that was flatly turned down.

In related news, don’t expect to see Jaguar make a return to Formula 1, either. “We’ve been there. And the fizzy drink that took over [Jaguar’s F1 team] is not doing too bad. But we wouldn’t go back again,” said Jag’s head honcho Adrian Hallmark.

Jaguar turns down offers to join V8 Supercars, questions AMG, Volvo participation originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Seinfeld drives David Letterman’s V8 Volvo wagon in latest CiCGC

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Videos, Volvo, Celebrities, Humor

David Letterman's V8-powered Volvo wagon drops soccer balls and groceries - video screencap

Paul Newman once talked David Letterman into repowering a then-new Volvo 960 station wagon with a supercharged Ford 5.0-liter V8. No, that’s not the setup to a joke. Letterman recently handed over the keys to his 380-horsepower family hauler to Jerry Seinfeld for the latest episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The two talk about how the machine nearly barbecued Letterman while he was on his way to a cardiologist appointment, then they sit down for a more lengthy discussion on the comedy business of today and yesteryear.

As a bonus, we get plenty of clips of the V8 Volvo doing what it does best: hauling groceries and doing smokey burnouts. If you need a refresher on exactly how this creation came to be, check out George Achorn’s recounting of the car’s birth over at SwedeSpeed.com. It’ll be worth your time. You can also take a peek at the latest Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee below.

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Seinfeld drives David Letterman’s V8 Volvo wagon in latest CiCGC originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Jun 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volvo demos autonomous self-parking car concept

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Videos, Volvo

Volvo autonomous parking demo - video screencap

A number of companies are developing autonomous vehicle technology – Google and Audi come to mind – but Volvo is applying its work in the area to a particular usage case: parking. The Swedish automaker has the technology up and running in a concept vehicle, which it says can be dropped off at the curb by its owner and left to its own devices to enter and navigate a car park, then find and park in an available parking spot. Volvo says the process can even be reversed when the owner is ready to go, with the car leaving the car park on its own to meet its key-holder again at the curb.

The vehicle first interacts with Vehicle 2 Infrastructure technology, which places transmitters in the road itself to inform the car (and driver) if the self-parking service is available. The driver then hops out, activates the Self Parking function on his or her smartphone and then leaves the car to do its work. The car uses sensors, all seemingly hidden from view (an advancement of its own in this field), to autonomously navigate the car park, which includes interacting and adjusting to other cars, people and objects.

The technology used here builds off of Volvo’s other work in autonomous vehicle research, namely the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) project in which the company managed to create a train of four cars autonomously following a lead truck at speeds up 56 miles per hour. Volvo says the first application of its autonomous research in a production vehicle will happen at the end of 2014 with some level of autonomous steering available in the next-generation XC90. See the system in action by watching the video below.

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Volvo demos autonomous self-parking car concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Videos, Volvo, Australia, Racing

Volvo S60 Polestar V8 Supercars teaser - video screencap

It was just a rumor, but now it’s official, mates: Volvo will be joining the V8 Supercars series in Australia with an official team for 2014. Volvo is partnering with Garry Rogers Motorsport and its own Polestar tuning firm to create Volvo Polestar Racing.

A V8 engine will be produced by the Swedish arm of the racing effort, and will be supplied to the Garry Rogers team, which will get the whole shebang ready for the track. The outfit will be running two V8 Supercars “based on the production S60 road car.” Considering that the S60 uses a range of transversely mounted engines with four, five or six cylinders (powering either the front or all four wheels) while the new race car will employ a V8 sending about 650 horsepower to the rear wheels, make that very loosely based on the production S60…

Volvo claims this is the first factory-backed entry in the V8 Supercars series from a luxury brand. We should note, though, that Mercedes-Benz is represented in the series with an E-Class sedan, but that outfit isn’t quite an official entry from the car’s German parents. In any case, you’re encouraged to watch the teaser video and read the press release below for all the details.

Continue reading Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video]

Volvo joins Australia’s V8 Supercars series [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Volvo makes the XC60 disappear into art

Filed under: Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Volvo, Design/Style

For the last few years, Volvo has set up an art display in the Zurich, Switzerland central train station called the Volvo Art Session, allowing select artists – both established and up-and-coming – to create temporary exhibits with one of Volvo’s products acting as the centerpiece. This year, six artists from across Europe converged in Zurich to turn a 2014 Volvo XC60 into a work of art.

Each started with a blank white canvas, creating a massive display in what Volvo says is one of the busiest covered public places in Europe, and after each was done, it was all erased for the next artists to come in and do his or her thing. While some made the XC60 a focal point in the art, others made the crossover seemingly disappear. We have a gallery of all six finished pieces, but if you want to see background of the artists or time-lapse videos of their works, head over to VolvoArtSessions.com. This site also shows the exhibits from the prior two years, and a press release can be found below.

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Volvo makes the XC60 disappear into art originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo earns $103M in Q1, $370 million for CY 2010

Filed under: China, Crossover, Volvo

volvo xc60 logo

Volvo has posted a solid first quarter, with earnings jumping to $103 million. That’s nearly double the Q1, 2010 totals, in part due to continued strong demand for its XC60 crossover. The Geely-owned automaker expects the revenue to continue to flow throughout 2011, as the automaker is hoping to increase sales by 70,000 units on the year to 450,000 units.

Volvo has also announced total earnings for calendar year 2010. The automaker says it earned $370 million on the year, again in part because of strong XC60 sales and the successful launch of the S60. High commodity prices weighed down earnings a bit, but the automaker says strong net pricing largely offset the rising price of energy and steel.

Hit the jump to read over Volvo’s 2010 earnings press release.

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Volvo earns $103M in Q1, $370 million for CY 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo confirms all-new XC90 for U.S.

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Volvo

volvo xc90

Volvo has confirmed that the U.S. market is primed to receive a redesigned XC90. Automotive News had the chance to sit down with Doug Speck, CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, and suss out the automaker’s plans for the future. While pushing for increased sales of the new S60 is part of Volvo’s short-term strategy, bringing in a replacement for its aging XC90 is certainly a key component to the marque’s long-term success.

There is no talk yet of a timetable or just what’s in store for the next generation XC90. Now that the S60 sedan has been given a well-conceived makeover, we have to assume that Volvo’s dealers are chomping at the bit for the strong-selling XC60 to get a new-and-improved big brother.

Volvo confirms all-new XC90 for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo backtracks on flagship sedan plans

Filed under: Sedan, Volvo, Luxury

volvo concept universe shanghai motor show

Volvo Concept Universe – Click above for high-res image gallery

It seems everyone and their cousin wants a slice of the big pie. Mercedes-Benz has the S-Class, BMW the 7 Series, Audi the A8 and Lexus the LS. Then there’s less conventional choices like the Jaguar XJ, Maserati Quattroporte, Hyundai Equus and Volkswagen Phaeton. Even Cadillac’s been toying with getting in on the action. But after months – if not years – of hemming and hawing, the latest report suggests we not count on a challenger from Volvo any time soon.

The Swedish automaker had been entertaining the notion of jumping into the stratosphere with its own S-Class challenger, but despite the above-pictured Universe concept car unveiled in Shanghai just days ago, the latest reports indicate that Volvo is not, in fact, preparing for an assault on that particular territory.

Word reportedly comes right from the proverbial horse’s mouth: that of Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby, whose revelation disappoints the dreams of Li Shufu, the chairman of Chinese automaker Geely that purchased Volvo last year for $1.8 billion. Jacoby says the company needs to focus on its current lineup while laying the cornerstones for new assembly plants in China. What the point of the Universe show car was, then, remains as much a mystery to us as its bulbous front end.

Gallery: Volvo Concept Universe

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Volvo backtracks on flagship sedan plans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reports: Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover,
Muller looking for partner in China

Filed under: Europe, Saab, Volvo, Earnings/Financials

Saab logo detail

It looks like Volvo and Saab won’t be teaming up to create one Swedish carmaker to rule them all. According to Reuters, Volvo has made it clear that the company has had no talks with Saab about buying the besieged automaker and that none are scheduled to take place. The Swedish newspaper De Telegraf had previously reported that the Swedish government was urging Volvo into talks with Saab about a potential takeover. The move would mean that a government loan previously granted to Saab by the European Investment Bank would have a greater chance of being repaid.

Saab has hit (further) rough waters in recent months with multiple supplier hiccups resulting in production stoppages including instances of the automaker being unable to pay for parts. In addition, sales fell well short of 2010 forecasts, resulting in a further cash crunch. The Swedish automaker has since performed a few economic stunts to get production rolling again, including selling the company’s properties and re-leasing them at a lower cost.

In related matters, Automotive News reports that Saab CEO Victor Muller is looking to broker a deal with a Chinese automaker to help finance the company, although it is understood that Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. is not one of those parties. BAIC, you may recall, purchased old Saab assets (the previous generation 9-3 model, among other things) back in 2009 for $200 million, and it also expressed interest in buying Saab from General Motors before Muller’s Spyker stepped in and completed the purchase.

[Sources: Reuters, Automotive News]

Reports: Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover,
Muller looking for partner in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Muller looking for partner in China”