Photo: Volvo
Most of us agree that the upcoming Volvo XC90 will be the car to write a new chapter in the Swedish manufacturer's long and illustrious history. At first glance, the uber cool exterior styling will be responsible for the model's sales volume success, but the 2015 Volvo XC90 has another party piece up its sleeves – the highly technologized and visually pleasant interior.
A certain Volvo bigwig that wished to remain anonymous has revealead to the Brits from Autocar the quite old S80 sedan will be the first Volvo model to receive the posh aesthetics and gizmos of the upcoming XC90 SUV's cabin. Further more, the insider also declared that the radical interior design will find its way into the next crop of Volvo vehicles, including the future generation V40.
This out with the old and in with the new type of job might seem strange at first glance. Take for example the V40's dashboard design. Yes, there a few too many buttons in there, but each and every one of them controls a single feature of the C-segment hatchback. However, the trend is to centralize all the vehicle's functions into a king-sized touchscreen device a la Apple iPad. Apart from Volvo, only the premium German trio (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz) and Porsche are still making button-riddled cabins, but all of them hint that future generation cars will drop the 'push' of yesteryear for the 'touch' of today.
So what's there to be expected from the next Volvo S80 premium saloon? Well, let's say that you won't find an evolution as soon as you open the door, but an outright revolution in styling cues, ergonomics, gadgetry, quality of materials and fit & finish. Basically, the next S80 won't be a Version 2.0 of the outgoing model, but something like an S80-better-than-ever-before. Compared to the flatpack furniture cues of current Volvo models, the 2015 Volvo XC90 is something like the bastard lovechild of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Tesla Model S in terms of interior design and features. To put that into a single word, it's damn exquisite.
The floating dash design inspired by the armrests of your typical wooden Ikea chair is out and in its place comes a tablet-like 9-inch touchscreen media interface which uses tiles to access the XC90's vehicle functions. iPad-inspired swiping and pinching functions are also on the menu, with great focus on fluid functionality and intuitiveness. Baptized Sensus, this touchscreen infotainment unit works in conjuction with a TFT digital instrument cluster comprised of two digital gauges and an interchangeable function screen bang in the middle. A Bowers & Wilkins audio system is also available, featuring an air-conditioned subwoofer integrated into the Scalable Product Architecture underpinning the 2015 Volvo XC90 for added bass and shake.
As to when the all-new Volvo S80 will be unveiled, some voices hint that the 2015 Geneva Motor Show is the place, while certain reports tell that Volvo may rename its sedan to S90 to go hand in hand with the 90 after XC.
This out with the old and in with the new type of job might seem strange at first glance. Take for example the V40's dashboard design. Yes, there a few too many buttons in there, but each and every one of them controls a single feature of the C-segment hatchback. However, the trend is to centralize all the vehicle's functions into a king-sized touchscreen device a la Apple iPad. Apart from Volvo, only the premium German trio (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz) and Porsche are still making button-riddled cabins, but all of them hint that future generation cars will drop the 'push' of yesteryear for the 'touch' of today.
So what's there to be expected from the next Volvo S80 premium saloon? Well, let's say that you won't find an evolution as soon as you open the door, but an outright revolution in styling cues, ergonomics, gadgetry, quality of materials and fit & finish. Basically, the next S80 won't be a Version 2.0 of the outgoing model, but something like an S80-better-than-ever-before. Compared to the flatpack furniture cues of current Volvo models, the 2015 Volvo XC90 is something like the bastard lovechild of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Tesla Model S in terms of interior design and features. To put that into a single word, it's damn exquisite.
The floating dash design inspired by the armrests of your typical wooden Ikea chair is out and in its place comes a tablet-like 9-inch touchscreen media interface which uses tiles to access the XC90's vehicle functions. iPad-inspired swiping and pinching functions are also on the menu, with great focus on fluid functionality and intuitiveness. Baptized Sensus, this touchscreen infotainment unit works in conjuction with a TFT digital instrument cluster comprised of two digital gauges and an interchangeable function screen bang in the middle. A Bowers & Wilkins audio system is also available, featuring an air-conditioned subwoofer integrated into the Scalable Product Architecture underpinning the 2015 Volvo XC90 for added bass and shake.
As to when the all-new Volvo S80 will be unveiled, some voices hint that the 2015 Geneva Motor Show is the place, while certain reports tell that Volvo may rename its sedan to S90 to go hand in hand with the 90 after XC.
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