Volvo’s new XC60 crossover will reach UK showrooms in October and is expected to boost the Swedish car company’s sales by 4,000 in 2009.
Go deeper with GlobalData
This will add to a momentum which started at the beginning of January after two thin sales year for the Ford-owned brand.
UK sales director Nick Connor said: “We were not where we wanted to be in 2006 or 2007 but we have done a lot of work within the franchise and we have focused on driving up residual values.”
Repositioning the brand and improving re-sale values have made Volvos a better proposition in the new car showroom and Connor said this was reflected in increased sales since the start of this year.
“In January sales were 7% up over the same month last year and this continued through February. We hope to maintain that growth through the year to achieve between 32,000 and 33,000 sales – around 10% ahead of 2007.”
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe new XC60 will add just a few hundred in the last quarter of the year but Connor expects to sell 4,000 in 2009.
He added: “I don’t see this model taking sales away from existing Volvo vehicles, we believe we will pull in new customers from other brands and from different segments such as saloons, MPVs and estates.
Prices will be announced later in the year and the XC60 will be pitched against the BMW X3 and the new Audi Q5.
In the UK it will feature Volvo’s CitySafe system that can help the driver avoid or reduce the effects of the type of low-speed impacts that are common in city traffic and traffic tailbacks.
If the car is about to drive into the vehicle in front and the driver does not react, the car brakes itself.
“We are the first manufacturer in the world to offer this type of feature as standard. City Safety clearly shows that the new XC60 is the safest car Volvo has ever produced. The car is packed with our accumulated safety know-how and technology, both when it comes to preventing accidents and protecting all the occupants in a collision,” said Volvo chief executive Fredrik Arp.
“One might say that this could be the C30 owner’s next car. It’s as sporty and exciting, but more capable. With the Volvo XC60, we are widening our model range to attract even more customers.”
The XC60 is being launched with a choice of three engines: the turbocharged T6 which produces 285PS, and two variants of the D5 turbodiesel, producing 185 and 163 horsepower respectively. All-wheel drive is standard.
Arp added that a front-wheel drive option will be introduced next year powered by a 2.4-litre, Euro 5-compliant diesel.
headlineauto
