Photo: Volvo
On Wednesday, Swedish manufacturer pulled the wraps off the new S60, the first car in its history to be manufactured at a facility in the United States.
The S60 is the first model to roll off the assembly lines of the company’s first American facility. It took Volvo only three years to erect the plant in Berkeley County, South Carolina, and now the facility is gearing up to reach the production goal of 100,000 cars per year (production capacity for the plant is about 150,000 cars per year).
The road to that goal would however not be easy, nor will it be quick. The S60 would officially enter mass production this fall, and it is to be followed in 2021 by the new generation of the XC90 and several other plug-in hybrids. All models are to be sold both internally and externally by Volvo.
To support the production through the expansion of capabilities, Volvo will invest $1.1 billion in the facility. When it is fully operational, the plant will employ 4,000 people, 1,500 of which in the first year.
“The Charleston plant establishes the US as our third home market,” said in a statement Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo CEO.
“The sedan segment and the SPA platform’s proven ability to boost profitability offer significant growth opportunities for Volvo Cars in the US and globally.”
As for the S60 that was launched on Wednesday, the car will be sold in the U.S. from $36,795 including the $995 destination charge. There will be three engines available at launch: the 2-liter turbo T5 delivering 250-hp, the T6 supercharged with 316 horsepower and the T8 plug-in hybrid developing 400 hp.
There will also be a Polestar Engineered package for the T8, that would provide an increase in power to 415 hp. The package also includes new lightweight wheels design with Brembo mono-block golden-painted brake calipers and multi-link front and rear suspension fitted with Öhlins shock absorbers.
The road to that goal would however not be easy, nor will it be quick. The S60 would officially enter mass production this fall, and it is to be followed in 2021 by the new generation of the XC90 and several other plug-in hybrids. All models are to be sold both internally and externally by Volvo.
To support the production through the expansion of capabilities, Volvo will invest $1.1 billion in the facility. When it is fully operational, the plant will employ 4,000 people, 1,500 of which in the first year.
“The Charleston plant establishes the US as our third home market,” said in a statement Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo CEO.
“The sedan segment and the SPA platform’s proven ability to boost profitability offer significant growth opportunities for Volvo Cars in the US and globally.”
As for the S60 that was launched on Wednesday, the car will be sold in the U.S. from $36,795 including the $995 destination charge. There will be three engines available at launch: the 2-liter turbo T5 delivering 250-hp, the T6 supercharged with 316 horsepower and the T8 plug-in hybrid developing 400 hp.
There will also be a Polestar Engineered package for the T8, that would provide an increase in power to 415 hp. The package also includes new lightweight wheels design with Brembo mono-block golden-painted brake calipers and multi-link front and rear suspension fitted with Öhlins shock absorbers.
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