New XC40 completes global Volvo line-up in fast-growing premium SUV segments

New XC40 completes global Volvo line-up in fast-growing premium SUV segments

September 21, 2017 • News, Road, Transport

Volvo Cars today further expands its line-up of SUVs with the launch of the new XC40 small premium SUV in Milan, Italy.

At the same time as it introduces the XC40, Volvo Cars also reinvents the traditional model of car ownership with the new ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription service. Care by Volvo, first available on the XC40 from launch, makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a mobile phone.

A monthly flat-fee subscription means deposits, price negotiations and local price differences belong in the past. Depending on regional availability, Care by Volvo will also include access to a range of digital concierge services such as fuelling, cleaning, service pick-up and e-commerce delivery to the car.

A new car sharing feature which is part of Care by Volvo as standard, will allow new Care by Volvo XC40 drivers to share their car with friends and family with new digital key technology.

In South Africa, the Care by Volvo business model, Volvo on Call and related services are under scrutiny for local introduction.

The arrival of the XC40 means that for the first time in history, Volvo Cars has three new, globally-available SUVs in what is the fastest growing segment of the automotive market, paving the way for further growth in terms of sales and profitability.

The new XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new modular vehicle architecture, CMA, which will underpin all other future cars in the 40 cluster, including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed within Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.

“The XC40 is our first entry in the compact SUV segment, broadening the appeal of the Volvo brand and moving it in a new direction,” says Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “It represents a fresh, creative and distinctive new member of the Volvo line-up. So it only feels natural to reveal the XC40 here in Milan, a buzzing European hotspot for fashion, art, design and lifestyle.”

In terms of technology, the XC40 brings the award-winning safety, connectivity and infotainment technologies known from the new 90- and 60 cluster cars to the compact SUV segment. Like its larger siblings, the XC40 highlights the transformational effect of these new, in-house developed technologies on brand and profitability.

These technologies make the XC40 one of the best-equipped small premium SUVs on the market. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist semi-autonomous assistance system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support and the 360° camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.

The XC40 also offers a radically new approach to storage inside the car. Ingenious interior design provides XC40 drivers with, among other things, more functional storage space in the doors and under the seats, a special space for phones including inductive charging, a fold-out hook for small bags and a removable waste bin in the tunnel console.

From start of production, the XC40 will be available with D4 diesel or T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E powertrains. Further powertrain options, including a hybrid and pure-electric version, will be added at a later stage. The new XC40 will also become the first Volvo model to be available with Volvo Cars’ new 3-cylinder engine.

Production of the new Volvo XC40 begins in Volvo Cars’ production plant in Ghent, Belgium, in November 2017.

South African introduction is provisionally scheduled for the second quarter of 2018. Specifications, drivetrain configurations and related elements will be confirmed closer to the time of launch.

New XC40 completes global Volvo line-up in fast-growing premium SUV segments https://t.co/9dxSoosDDH @volvocarsglobal #ArriveAlive pic.twitter.com/PvHzXeNxIw

— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) September 21, 2017