2009 Volvo XC60 concept

[SL65]

Photos of Volvo's X3 rival LEAKED

Volvo XC60: the lowdown

Volvo is going X3 hunting. The new XC60 will be launched in 2009 as a small brother to the soaraway successful XC90 – and this concept car is the best clue yet to what it’ll look like.

Like other crossovers, this 4x4 will eschew off-road work (those skid plates front and rear are just for show) and will instead offer comfy seating for five. Volvo says the bottom of the car looks like an SUV, mated to the roofline of a coupe. We reckon it looks surprisingly like next year’s Ford Mondeo Estate, whose platform it will share.

Will other Volvos look like this?

In a nutshell, yes. The most interesting aspect of the XC60 Detroit show star is its significance for future Volvo design; it’s the first car penned by new design boss Steve Mattin – and the character you see here will spread to other Volvos.

He says the XC60 marks the start of ‘more extrovert’ design and you can expect to see details such as the angled headlamps and bolder diagonal Volvo ‘iron bar’ badge to pop up on other models. The prominent, spaced-out Volvo badge at the rear will become standard, too.

What’s the XC60 like inside?

Volvo hasn’t issued pictures inside the XC60 yet, but it will have super-thin seats that look like they’re floating on the floor, an iPod-white centre console and a special tailgate, whose glass can be switched from opaque to transparent to ease reversing manoeuvres.

As you’d expect on a Volvo, the XC60 is bristling with safety gizmos. A sensor watches out for impending collisions and applies the brakes; Volvo reckons crashes up to 10mph can be eliminated altogether.

Will the production version look like this?

The XC60 that rolls into showrooms in 2009 will look very like this show car. Imagine this minus the 20-inch show-off wheels, with subtler detailing and a production interior, and you’ve got the real thing.

It’s too early for prices yet, but in today’s money we’d expect it to undercut the BMW X3. Think along the lines of £25,000 and you won’t be far wrong.

Why is everyone launching small crossovers?

Today, the BMW X3 and Land Rover Freelander have the premium small 4x4 market to themselves, but Volvo predicts this segment will rocket by 75% by 2009 to nearly half a million cars annually. That’s why it’s launching the XC60.

Volvo’s baby mud-plugger will also have to compete with Mercedes’ forthcoming junior M-Class as well as Audi’s Q5. The yummy mummies of Chelsea will never have had it so good.

I really like the look of it! Miles ahead of the design (if you can call it that...) of the X3. That rear end is awesome 8) Hopefully the production version looks like that!

I'm really warming to Volvo's crazy but cool interior design.

[un-dee]

Oh dear... But the interior looks interesting.

[Blayde]

You do mean BMW X3 of course?

Nice interior

[SL65]

Originally Posted by Blayde

You do mean BMW X3 of course?

Yep, but what other X3's are there?

[Adunaphel]

Originally Posted by Blayde

Nice interior

that center console design.

The exterior looks like it could look good once the concept-car details have been shaved off to sensible production car stuff.

['CruiserMan]

I'm digging that little display... "Volvo System Status". Man that's cool. I do like the way it looks too, those tail lights won't make the production model though . So much better looking than the Mazda CX-7...

[Blayde]

Originally Posted by SL65

Yep, but what other X3's are there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-3_Stiletto

Not exactly a car, but i would definitely consider this as an alternative

[Spazatao]

Tha sad thing is that I really think they will turn this into something boring looking, or at least not as good as the concept. The glass rear is awesome, tough! Hope they keep it, as they did with the C30. The interior looks great too, but this surely won't be it... instead, they will probably do an all-black one, with that central console found on their products line.

[matt2000]

i think they might keep the glass tailgate, might only fit it to the top models tho, and fit cheaper metal doors to the lower models in the range. i love the design, and i hope that Volvo don't make it too volvoish when it goes on sale, that would just spoil it. that flat panel centre console is great, and it takes it away from the usual sea of black plastic in executive cars, even better if it changes colour!

[fbc]

I'm not completely sold on the bluff front, but that aside I like it - nice to see someone (Volvo of all companies) trying to put some style on these things.

[ahpadt]

Hot center console!

[VR6]

Reminds me of the new modeo wagon for some reason, anyone else? I really like it and that center console looks real nice.

[Blind_Io]

I love the console and I like the small windows low on the tailgate. It does seem a bit more aggressive than Volvo's usual design concept.

I still hate all soft-roaders.

[wingnutsc]

exterior is good. interior is better. but it'll never look like that...

[Narcolepsy]

amazing center console. IF only it would make it to production. Looks wise its really just the corners the go wrong - everything between the corners looks great.

[bartboy9891]

digital console ftw, except for the fingerprints

[Alok]

me like the aggressive gaping mouth design

[evans]

Always liked the XC90, and this one just looks even better!
The only thing I'd change is the front grill and nose area, which should curve more inwards, so it looks a lot smoother

[hanasand]

Uhh.. How can the pictures be LEAKED if it's a concept? Nobody has anything to loose on concept pictures..

The console is hot

[NAIDANAC A]

Whos placing bets that the interior will not stay the same?