Volvo’s hard charge at the premium establishment continues with a first look at their new 40 series of vehicles, unambiguously named the 40.1 and 40.2.
At an event at company headquarters in Gothenburg, Swedish automaker Volvo has revealed two concept vehicles: the 40.1 and 40.2 – each one giving us quite a clear look at what they have planned for their new range of smaller vehicles but also gives us a peek at their three-pronged powertrain assault which includes fully electric drive.
Volvo developed both concept cars in close cooperation with its Chinese parent company, Geely, and sit on what’s called the CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) that will be utilised both marques.
The 40.1 concept has its nose firmly pointed at the popular crossover market, previewing the next XC40, Volvo’s weapon against such premium cars as the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Audi’s Q3. The concept’s raised height and hatchback profile puts us in mind of a squished but funkier XC90.
The 40.2 concept, however, is indeed a four door small family car but curiously shares a similarly higher-than-usual clearance with the 40.1 concept (which, as we’ve established, is a crossover). Moving past that, 40.2’s profile is ultimately that of a sedan but the roofline tapers to blur that difference, giving it a coupe-like look at certain angles similar to the Volvo’s S90 flagship sedan.
Both concept cars share a nearly identical front fascia, with the differences mainly isolated below their respective headlamps. Unfortunately, Volvo did not disclose any solid information about either car’s interior. We have high expectations given how good the cabin of their new XC90 and S90 are.
Volvo also showed off a new engine along with plans for offering it with a plug-in hybrid system or not at all but instead offering it as a purely electric vehicle. The petrol-powered choices revolve around a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged motor producing up to 149kW, optionally augmented by an electric motor in what Volvo will call T5 Twin Engine to drive the rear wheels for a 224kW projected combined output while returning just 100g/km of carbon dioxide.
Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars said that the both these concepts will continue to evolve and will result in a production model for the company’s new 40 series of cars, ready for release in 2017.
“By taking a modular approach to both vehicle architecture and powertrain development, we have succeeded in leap-frogging many of the players in the premium segment,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President, Research & Development. “Our new battery electric powertrain variant opens yet another exciting chapter in the unfolding Volvo story.”
For more on Volvo vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
