Photo: Carpix
When Volvo launched the XC90 last year, they introduced the second generation of their SUV as the reinvented company’s flagship. After driving two versions of the 2016 XC90, we can confirm the vehicle has a special air to it, but we wouldn’t rush to call it The Flagship.
One of the reasons for us keeping that title in a box for now is the upcoming Volvo S90. Our photographers have recently spied the sedan and while the XC90 is premium, the S90 aims to take things even further.
The spy photos seen here don’t reveal much and it’s not due to their less-than-perfect quality. The S90, which is due to be released next year as a 2017 model, will be more lavish than the XC90.
We’re still far from having taken our lens inside the car, but Volvo itself explains that. The carmaker made it clear that the cabin of the S90 will be superior to that of the XC90 in terms of quality.
Then again, you’d expect things to happen this way after Volvo hired Robin Page, the former head of Bentley interior design, back in 2014.
The S90 will be part of a larger family of executive Volvos. This will also include the V90 station wagon, as well as Cross Country version of the estate, which will replace the XC70. In this respect, the Volvo’s closest competitor is the Audi A6.
Volvo has learned multiple lessons from the XC90 and it will not hesitate to insert these results in the development of its future models. For instance, the company has recently revealed that 74 percent of the new SUV’s customers (global) have chosen the range-topping Inscription model.
The SCA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform that serves the XC90 and will underpin all future Volvos, sans for the V40 successor, allows the company to offer plenty of cabin space. However, when large interiors are not doubled by top fit and finish quality, one might get a sensation of a utilitarian vehicle - this is just one example that shows the challenges Volvo has to overcome.
The common platform means the S90 will also follow the XC90's four-cylinder-only engine philosophy. Nevertheless, it's good to know the architecture offers AWD and hybrid-AWD possibilities.
We also expect the “90” family to follow the XC90 in terms of pricing. At least on the European market, Volvo’s strategy was to place the SUV slightly above its German competitors, but with more generous standard equipment.
The spy photos seen here don’t reveal much and it’s not due to their less-than-perfect quality. The S90, which is due to be released next year as a 2017 model, will be more lavish than the XC90.
We’re still far from having taken our lens inside the car, but Volvo itself explains that. The carmaker made it clear that the cabin of the S90 will be superior to that of the XC90 in terms of quality.
Then again, you’d expect things to happen this way after Volvo hired Robin Page, the former head of Bentley interior design, back in 2014.
The S90 will be part of a larger family of executive Volvos. This will also include the V90 station wagon, as well as Cross Country version of the estate, which will replace the XC70. In this respect, the Volvo’s closest competitor is the Audi A6.
Volvo has learned multiple lessons from the XC90 and it will not hesitate to insert these results in the development of its future models. For instance, the company has recently revealed that 74 percent of the new SUV’s customers (global) have chosen the range-topping Inscription model.
The SCA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform that serves the XC90 and will underpin all future Volvos, sans for the V40 successor, allows the company to offer plenty of cabin space. However, when large interiors are not doubled by top fit and finish quality, one might get a sensation of a utilitarian vehicle - this is just one example that shows the challenges Volvo has to overcome.
The common platform means the S90 will also follow the XC90's four-cylinder-only engine philosophy. Nevertheless, it's good to know the architecture offers AWD and hybrid-AWD possibilities.
We also expect the “90” family to follow the XC90 in terms of pricing. At least on the European market, Volvo’s strategy was to place the SUV slightly above its German competitors, but with more generous standard equipment.
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