Volvo dealers are saying that sales numbers for the automaker are being hindered by a lack of inventory. To meet consumer demands, Volvo is now providing retailers with up to 6,000 additional XC60 models thanks to a production increase in Europe.

The production increase is a result of an investment made by Volvo last year which created 200 jobs and 12,000 additional vehicles.

“The XC60 is product that’s been in the market for three years that has been over demand and undersupplied,” John Maloney, Volvo Cars North America CEO said today on the sidelines of the Chicago Auto Show. “So this year, our supply goes go up, which our dealers will welcome. It’s a hot product.”

Volvo also has a plant in China under construction that will supply its local market, and increase availability in the U.S.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: AutoNews

The Volvo 760 is a classic icon with its shape and distinctly Volvo design. Launched back in February 1982, the model is now celebrating 30 years of success.

The 760 did more for Volvo then sell more cars, the automaker credits its creation with saving the company overall, as it was made in a time when the brand was struggling financially.

When Volvo Car Corporation was created as a sub-division of AB Volvo in 1980, then CEO Hakan Frisinger made the decision to go with one of the original concepts that had previously been cut. Launching a whole new design with plenty of features, reliability and technology at a reasonable price point ended up in 221,309 total units sold. The model was not replaced until 1990, with the 960.

Although the design and theory behind the 760 were both fairly basic, this successful model deserves its credit for salvaging the Volvo brand.

By: Alexandra Koken

In an effort to expand sales, Volvo has just added a new model to the S60 lineup. Positioned directly in between the higher level T6 and the base front-wheel drive T5 model is a new all-wheel drive S60 T5.

Prices haven’t been announced, but considering that there’s a $7,150 difference between the base T5’s $32,175 and the top of the line all-wheel drive T6’s $39,325 sticker price, it should be right smack dab in the middle.

Volvo US’s president, John Maloney apparently released the news in an interview after explaining that he wishes to have the S60 compete with models like the BMW 328i xDrive and the Audi A4 Quattro.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: CARandDRIVER

Volvo has been playing a big game of catch-up in order to compete with the big name brands—such as BMW and Lexus—currently leading the market sales. As part of their tactic, Volvo is hard at work trying to find ways to expand their lineups and increase sales.

That said, the Swedish make is apparently seeking a partner to help them make small cars. This news comes in a timely manner after reports that Volvo will be axing their smallest car, the C30 within the next couple years.

“We are open for partners,” said Volvo’s chief executive Stefan Jacoby. “We are open for collaboration in a win-win situation for sharing platforms, for sharing engines and for a general higher scale of economics.”

Volvo currently faces a tough situation after Jacoby said that the brand currently does not have the support for “marketing, sales, and service for a broad range of products.” Hence, why they’re seeking for a partner.

Jacoby added that Volvo is expressing interest in some potential partners, but specifics were not disclosed.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoCar

The NHTSA adopted more stringent guidelines and testing practices last year, making it tougher for vehicles to garner the five-star designation. Other vehicles that have received five-star vehicle ratings include the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Sonic, Cadillac CTS, Cadillac SRX, Saab 9-4X, Toyota Camry and the new Volkswagen Passat.

The Volvo S60 earned 5-stars for frontal, rollover, side pole and side barrier crashes.

- By: Omar Rana

Last December, we learned that Volvo was in the works to debut an all-new V40 estate at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. And according to some reports, word is that despite the hype, Volvo of US’s CEO, Stefan Jacoby, said that the V40 will skip the US market. The V40 was being pitched as Volvo’s answer to the BMW 1-Series and is set to be based off of the same platform that underpins the new S40 sedan, the Ford Focus and the Mazda 3 (from when Ford owned both Volvo and Mazda).

But that’s not all. Volvo wants to truly take a crack at competing against the leading competition. However, because Volvo apparently sold a measly 67,000 units when compared to BMW’s 306,000 figure, Jacoby added that Volvo at this time “cannot support marketing, sales, and service for a broad range of products.”

What does that mean? Volvo will probably follow through with their plans to eliminate the S40 and V50 wagon from the US lineup. Additionally, the C30 might receive the axe entirely. In place of some of the model deletions, is supposed confirmation—from Jacoby—that a new XC90 full-size SUV will arrive in the US by 2014.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: CARandDRIVER

Volvo finally unveiled their new plug-in hybrid version of the XC60 mid-sized crossover SUV earlier at the 2012 North American International Auto Show–their first ever venture into alternative powertrains for the North American market. Powered by a 280hp four-cylinder and a 70hp electric motor, the Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid churns out a total of 350hp.

“No other manufacturer delivers fuel economy and electrical range on this level in a capable performance car with a total of 350 horsepower,” said Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Now, we’re a little confused when Jacoby called his XC60 a performance car, since Volvo isn’t exactly a buy word in performance. But either way, the XC60 Plug-In Hybrid promises to deliver up to 35 miles on all-electric power with fuel economy well over 100 mpg’s on the European driving cycle.

Jacoby didn’t announce when the XC60 Plug-In will be available and at what cost. But I’m sure we can expect that information to pop up as 2012 rolls by.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

- By: Chris Chin

For everyday hauling and cruising though, expect Jetta diesel-like economy 50 miles to the gallon and 600 miles of range. Essentially, we are looking at a more burly Prius with a more burly pricetag and slightly more mature interior appointments.

The car is set to be unveiled at this year’s Detroit Auto Show and pricing is unnanounced. Volvo has announced though that thanks to the gas engine and a 70 bhp electric motor, 350 bhp is offered up in all, good for a 5.8 second run to 60 miles per hour. Similar few other vehicles, wheels are powered in a push me-pull you format: the rear wheels are electric and the fronts are powered by a 2-liter 280 bhp turbo four.

Unlike the subtle V60 plug in hybrid, this car gets over the top 21” wheels, white exterior paint and blue leather seats; this seems to be Volvo’s idea of the American palate. The XC60 hybrid also gets a special Sensus infotainment system which helps the driver find charging points across the country and the route which will consume the least amount of energy.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

Volvo Cars of North America released information on its C70 Inscription package last month, which will be available for purchase early 2012.

The Inscription package is a C70 hardtop convertible with both aesthetic and power upgrades, only for the North American market. It comes with a price tag for an additional $3,900 and includes an extra 23-hp and 37 lb-ft of torque, putting total power output at 250=hp and 273 lb-ft of torque.

Wheels are upgraded to a gloss black set of 18-inch Midir wheels, with active dual Xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, a gloss black grille, and rear spoiler added to the exterior.

On the inside, the package includes a leather-covered dash, contrast stitching, Inscription floor mats, and aluminum sport pedals.

The 2012 C70 Inscription T5 starts at $40,450 with $875 for destination. Only 500 Inscription models will be available in the U.S., out of the 2,000 units worldwide.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Currently in the egmCarTech garage, I’m enjoying a Volvo S60 R-Design with a 325-hp T6. The sedan keeps on surprising me on a daily basis as I push it to its limits. Which made me think – why doesn’t Volvo try harder to be a brand (hesitant to say luxury brand) for the masses or cater to enthusiasts rather than just focusing on the old Europeans that care about safety.

Well, it seems like the Swedish brand will slowly start taking on its German rivals with former Volkswagen boss Stefan Jacoby now steering the company under China’s Geely.

At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March, Volvo will unveil the V40, a 5-door hatchback that will compete with the likes of the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A3.

All I can hope for is an exciting interior that drops the current mundane design language seen in models today.

- By: Omar Rana

$75 grand (at least in UK). For a Volvo wagon. It’s not a joke, the production version of this car was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show and will be making its way to the United States in 2013. Volvo even says that many of the cars are spoken for already; which is not a shock, seeing as they are only building 1,000 of them in the first year. Volvo hopes to at least quadruple that figure in 2014.

“Our plug-in hybrid has received considerable attention since it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011. Now we’re taking the next step by presenting the production model, which is graced with a distinctive profile featuring a spectacular silver colour, an exclusive interior and generous standard equipment,” says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

This is no ordinary V60 wagon though: it does everything a normal V60 does except that it is a plug-in diesel hybrid, capable of 124 miles to the gallon and less than fifty grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. The next best and cheaper option is the 115 bhp diesel offered outside of the US and it will only manage 57 mpg on the highway. The diesel hybrid version is no prius either: 285 horsepower comes from the combination of electric motor and 2.4 liter 5-cylinder diesel.

The $27,000 added cost doesn’t even come close to paying for itself : at current prices, even if one drove the diesel only version on the highway, it would take close to 50 years to make up the difference if electricity is free, which it isn’t.

Naturally with such a technological achievement, there are some annoying bits: the instrument binnacle is now a big one-piece LCD screen and 30 percent of the cars will be heading off to Sweden and neighboring countries, nevertheless, this stacks up to be a very interesting and very important car for Volvo, if not the industry.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

The Volvo P1800 was a very attractive 2+2 coupe that first debuted in 1961 and was later followed up with a hatchback version. In its day, the P1800 was more of a grand tourer than a sports car.

The sketches drawn up by Benjamin still encompass that take but take the P1800 form 1961 to 2011.

No word on whether Volvo plans on producing a concept or production version of the P1800 but we’d definitely like to see one. The pictures are up on Volvo’s Facebook for public feedback.

- By: Omar Rana

Volvo’s tuning partner Polestar will be offering some power boosting packages for virtually any five- or six-cylinder Volvos. That pretty much means the C30, C70, S40, and only the T6 version of the S60 and the XC60.

Thanks to some ECU work, increased boost, remapped throttle and advanced timing, the T5 is up to 250-hp and 273 lb-ft of torque,  up from 227-hp and 236 lb-ft. The T6’s results are just as enticing too: up to 325-hp and 354lb-ft of torque, up from 300-hp and 325 lb-ft of torques. Combine these packages with the preexisting R-Design packages and you could make your own little R concoctions, especially if you’re one to miss examples like the V70 and S60 R.

“Just a few weeks after announcing the performance package for select T5 models, we have already received tremendous feedback from our customers,” said Chris Dauerer, VCNA’s vice president of customer service. “With Polestar, we are able to deliver our performance-minded customers the enhanced driving package they have been looking for now across a variety of our carlines.”

And to make things even better, the T5 Polestar upgrade will only cost an additional $1,295 and $1,495 for the T6. Polestar also said their tweaks pretty much only involve the ECUs so packages are available for a wide range of old and new Volvos.

Volvo and the tuning firm both say that the software packages are fully warranted and the cars maintain their factory fuel-economy estimates. But, if you’re one to opt for one of these “boost” packages, we’ll bet that your mpg’s may suffer a little.

- By: Chris Chin

“By then, we will have to increase our headcount to 33,000 – 35,000 employees,” Jacoby said in a interview with Automotive News Europe.

The company currently employs 24,000 employees worldwide, with 16,000 of those in Sweden. Jacoby said that most of the additional employees will be in China, where the company currently employs 1,000.

Volvo aims to sell 200,000 units in China by 2020 – up from the estimated 49,000 in 2011. Jacoby said that a new factory will open in China (in Chengdu) in 2013, which will have a capacity of 150,000 units and about 3,000 employees.

Any sign of a slowdown? Jacoby says: “There is no sign of a slowdown. Our order books are filled up until spring 2012,” the CEO said.

Jacoby said  Volvo has a global sales goal of between 430,000 and 440,000 units this year.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News

Each of the four sketches has its own unique character, with variations on elements such as taillights, angles of the body, and C-pillar structure. Every sketch takes a more modern approach to the car’s design, as the current body style has been in production since 2002.

No matter the final design selection, Volvo will be buildiing the next XC90 with Scalable Platform Architecture, the next generation’s powertrain strategy, and only four-cylinder engines. A hybrid is possible, since the brand has the technology to support it, but Volvo hasn’t released anything on this yet.

Looks like Volvo is headed in a good direction. Release of the next generation is scheduled for 2014.

- By: Alexandra Koken

At this point, it is just a design study, a general indicator of Volvo’s aesthetic and technological ambitions. Think of it as a car with a set of iPads controlling non-drivetrain functions.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

“The C70 is a true icon in our model range. The Inscription is based on our human-centric Designed Around You philosophy, offering those who love convertibles and coupes a beautifully detailed version with a lot of kerb appeal,” says Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at the Volvo Car Corporation.

Available in three colors (Black Stone (Solid), Black Sapphire (Metallic) and Ice White (Solid)), the outside of the Volvo C70 Inscription gets18-inch wheels and high-gloss paint on the grille and the LED Daytime Running Lights, both surrounded by contrasting chrome.

On the inside buyers will get  Sovereign Hide upholstery and a leather-covered dashboard. Other enhancements on the inside include ”Inscription” embroidered on the front headrests, special Inscription carpets and handbrake lever, sports pedals with aluminium inlay and aluminium inlay in the iconic ultra-slim centre stack is standard, Black or Nordic Light Oak as an option

The Volvo C70 Inscription can yours with all the engine options available for the Volvo C70: the 230-hp turbocharged 5-cylinder T5 and the two five-cylinder turbodiesels – the 177-hp D4 and 150-hp D3.

- By: Omar Rana

A new tuning package has an upcoming release of for November 14th, but its not for one of the more usual suspects for a kit.

Volvo is releasing a $1,295 kit to boost its recognition amongst enthusiasts, which will offer Polestar software on models that come with the T5 engine, including the C30, C70 and S40 models.

The tune kicks up airflow to the combustion chambers, advancing spark timing and bringing up and additional 23hp. The benefit of this kit is that it gives the owner a tuning option that doesn’t void the warranty, as aftermarket mods do.

“Our performance-oriented customers have told us they wanted a tuning option for their vehicles,” said Chris Dauerer, Volvo Cars of North America vice president of customer service.

Interesting move, but Volvo may have to come a bit harder than a 23-hp chip mod to appeal to performance enthusiasts.

- By: Alexandra Koken