A look at Volvo's next-gen S60 & compact car range

Volvo’s entry-level S60 is on course to receive a huge makeover – a new platform, cutting-edge technology and efficient powertrains. But that’s not all for the Swedish brand, for it’s also planning to launch a compact 40 Series sedan, which may even carry a Polestar badge.

Reimagining a formula that’s already a success involves less risks than inventing an idea that’s completely new, especially in mass manufacturing. A tried-and-tested recipe acts like an affordable insurance policy and has the potential of minimizing commercial flops. Let’s consider the BMW 3 Series for instance, indeed a well-acknowledged benchmark in the world of sporty sedans. Now, let’s consider two of its direct competitors – the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia. They both are great cars in their own right, but there’s no denying that at the root of their inception lies a single idea – to dethrone the BMW and become the sportiest of sporty sedans. So, naturally, they followed BMW’s footsteps to become dynamic, involving and fun cars to drive. They used principles that were not their own but laid down by someone else. 

Now, according to the latest news, Volvo is likely to avoid the sporty side of things for its upcoming S60. The company would rather focus on the most important cornerstones of its success around the globe – comfort, safety and innovation. But, this doesn’t mean that Volvo won’t have something to offer performance enthusiasts. From what we’ve heard, the upcoming S60 is sure to get the ‘Polestar’ treatment, and that’ll certainly be an added attraction for enthusiasts. 

Familiar underneath 

So, even though Volvo isn’t planning to completely ignore the performance versions of the car, they won’t be the primary focus for the brand. The main highlights of Volvo’s focus for its new Sedan will be comfort, efficiency and reduced emissions. In terms of dimensions, the new model will measure around 4,750mm in length – around 100mm more than the existing model, thanks to its new underpinnings. Like the V90, the S90 will also share the SPA platform with the XC60 and XC90. The S60 will also have the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel in two variants – 148bhp and 187bhp. The petrol versions will have all-wheel drive and hybrid plug-in variants, with power outputs ranging between 340 and 390bhp. An autonomous braking system will be standard, featuring recognition of pedestrians, cyclists and big animals – apparently a common sight on the roads in Sweden. It’ll also have semi-autonomous driving capability with automated steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads at speeds up to 130km/h. 

Volvo’s future plans have a prominent place for the S60, but they sure aren’t limited to the new sedan. To be less cryptic, they also include the smaller 40 Series. For quite a while, the 40 Series has represented the compact hatch segment of the Swedish brand. It gets its name because the car measures around 4.40 metres in length. This segment still brings volumes to the brand, so it was inevitable for Volvo to expand into this space with new products. The new 40 Series is underpinned by an all-new CMA platform (Compact Modular Architecture), which is developed in synergy with Geely. It’s the same platform that made its debut with the XC40.

“The 40 series will grow,” says Hakan Samuelsoon, CEO of Volvo. “Besides the hatchback (the V40 rendering that you see on the left), we are also considering a sedan based on the same platform,” added the boss. It’s highly likely that the future sedan he’s talking about will be based on the Concept 40.2 that was unveiled in 2016. In the past two years though, there hasn’t been much talk of the S40 sedan, but Volvo can no longer ignore this thriving segment of premium compact sedans. Models like the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan (China), BMW Series 1 Sedan (also China-specific) bring huge profits to their respective brands. So, it only makes sense for Volvo to begin the production of the S40 sedan at the earliest. However, if our sources are to be believed, the new compact sedan will not wear a Volvo badge, but will likely have Polestar branding.

Going Electric 

According to some sources, Geely (the company that controls Volvo, Polestar and Lynk & Co) could merge the S40 project with the already announced Polestar 2 – an electric mid-size sedan scheduled for a 2019 launch. The Polestar 2 will squarely target the Tesla Model 3. It’ll also be the first fully electric model from Volvo. Based on the CMA platform – same as the XC40 – it’s expected to come with two battery pack options with different outputs and performance – one will be more affordable and the other will offer a longer range. Talking about the range of these new vehicles, Samuelsson explains, “We believe that the minimum acceptable range would be 250 kilometres. However, the higher model will obviously offer more – around 400 kilometres on a full charge.” Maybe, by the time the vehicle enters series production, we could see a range bordering 500 kilometres.

Growing up 
DRIVING USA & CHINA

2018 may very well be the fifth consecutive year of record sales for Volvo. In 2017, more than 571,000 vehicles were sold globally – an increase of 7% compared with 2016. China emerged as the largest market for the brand – its China sales were up by 25.8% in 2017. Similar results have been registered in the first quarter of this year (see graphic above), but it’s the USA that’s driving sales growth.

Hatchback ready future
SECOND COMING OF THE V40
Developed on the old Global C platform of the Ford Focus, the current V40 is a legacy of the Ford era. The new-generation of the hatchback will make its debut in 2020. “The profile of the V40 is well proportioned, but its appearance will evolve greatly with the new model,” confirms Lex Kerssemakers, head of Volvo in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It’ll be a hatchback with hints of a station wagon, which is likely to give it a new lease of life. The CMA platform, on which it’s based, is the same as the XC40 – which is likely to be used widely by other compact models within the Group, including electric vehicles. 

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