Photo: Kevin Goldwasser via Instagram
Either Volvo hasn't yet decided what type of SUV will wear the XC100 moniker, or it's just sending mixed signals that seem to confuse everyone who cares to make a guess.
Some people believe the XC100 will be the largest cross-country (XC) model available from the Swedish manufacturer, something in the vein of the Mercedes-Benz GLS or BMW X7. That would definitely make sense since even though the XC90 is plenty big enough for most European customers, buyers in the U.S. or China wouldn't say no to something with a few extra inches all-around.
Other reports suggest it'll have the "Recharge" suffix attached to it, which means it'll get a fully electric powertrain. The two stories don't necessarily exclude one another - you could have a non-Recharge XC100 as well, after all. However, the rumors claim the EV nature of the SUV means it'll receive a coupe-like styling, making it more of a visual rival to the likes of the Audi Q8, BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe.
And then there's this thing. The vehicle pictured in these images is the creation of Kevin Goldwasser, a transportation design specialist, and represents the product of his internship with Volvo. We don't know if this project got him a permanent job with the Swedes or not, but we hope it did.
Even though his take on the XC100 model doesn't necessarily capture the brand's spirit, it sure as hell expands it. Ever since Geely got involved, ironically enough, Volvo appears to have embraced its Scandinavian roots like never before. That's become very apparent in the way the brand communicates but, more importantly, also in the design of its new models.
Kevin's XC100 sure gets the minimalist approach that's so representative to the Scandinavian design principles, but it puts a different spin on it. The SUV looks like the child of a Tesla Cybertruck and a Land Rover Defender. It has the former's angled surfaces and oversimplistic lines and the latter's presence and implied off-road capabilities. It's a great looking car, no question about it, but it's just too... generic.
It lacks any connection with the Geely-owned Swedish brand, to the point where if you removed the logo from the front, you'd go through a lot of other brands trying to guess what it was (with Land Rover being the first) before hesitantly naming Volvo as well.
That's not necessarily a dig at Kevin. As we said, we find his design very refreshing, and since we don't know what the brief sounded like, we can't comment on how close he got to do what was asked of him. If that read "make something cool that looks simple yet elegant, futuristic yet realistic," then full marks for the effort.
In the meantime, back in the real world, we're still waiting for Volvo to reveal more info on what it plans to do with the XC100, or indeed if it will even launch such a model.
Other reports suggest it'll have the "Recharge" suffix attached to it, which means it'll get a fully electric powertrain. The two stories don't necessarily exclude one another - you could have a non-Recharge XC100 as well, after all. However, the rumors claim the EV nature of the SUV means it'll receive a coupe-like styling, making it more of a visual rival to the likes of the Audi Q8, BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe.
And then there's this thing. The vehicle pictured in these images is the creation of Kevin Goldwasser, a transportation design specialist, and represents the product of his internship with Volvo. We don't know if this project got him a permanent job with the Swedes or not, but we hope it did.
Even though his take on the XC100 model doesn't necessarily capture the brand's spirit, it sure as hell expands it. Ever since Geely got involved, ironically enough, Volvo appears to have embraced its Scandinavian roots like never before. That's become very apparent in the way the brand communicates but, more importantly, also in the design of its new models.
Kevin's XC100 sure gets the minimalist approach that's so representative to the Scandinavian design principles, but it puts a different spin on it. The SUV looks like the child of a Tesla Cybertruck and a Land Rover Defender. It has the former's angled surfaces and oversimplistic lines and the latter's presence and implied off-road capabilities. It's a great looking car, no question about it, but it's just too... generic.
It lacks any connection with the Geely-owned Swedish brand, to the point where if you removed the logo from the front, you'd go through a lot of other brands trying to guess what it was (with Land Rover being the first) before hesitantly naming Volvo as well.
That's not necessarily a dig at Kevin. As we said, we find his design very refreshing, and since we don't know what the brief sounded like, we can't comment on how close he got to do what was asked of him. If that read "make something cool that looks simple yet elegant, futuristic yet realistic," then full marks for the effort.
In the meantime, back in the real world, we're still waiting for Volvo to reveal more info on what it plans to do with the XC100, or indeed if it will even launch such a model.
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