Photo: mogomodel.taobao.com
While most carmakers struggle to keep their designs secret until the very last moment, or plan a staged 'leak' when they feel it would be to their advantage, Volvo's upcoming model gets an unscheduled preview thanks to a scale model.
Since we're talking about scale models, this couldn't have happened anywhere else but China, the country where even Santa goes to buy his toys. These images feature the new Volvo S90, the executive-sized sedan meant to replace the aging S80 who will be able to enjoy a peaceful retirement starting next year.
The images first appeared on a Chinese website but Swedish publication Teknikens Värld confirmed they were showing the real model, citing some unspecified sources to back it up (probably somebody inside the company who understandably wanted to remain anonymous). The whole story is a bit sketchy, but looking at the design of the model we can't see why this wouldn't be it.
The front end is in conformity with the new Volvo design language and fits the bill perfectly as it looks like a cross between the 2013 Volvo Coupe Concept and the new XC90. It's got the already famous Thor's Hammer LED daytime running lights and a long bonnet which gives the car an elegant look.
The side profile is less spectacular, but does show a slightly sloped roof giving the car a sleeker appearance. There's still enough room for a four-door coupe, should Volvo decide challenging the established names like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 6 Series would be a wise idea.
At the rear, we get some bizarre looking taillights that don't look like anything Thor would use, but the raked rear window is a promising feature, along with the twin exhaust pipes.
Don't get your hopes too high, though, as the new Volvo S90 will be built on the company's new SPA modular platform and will only use four-pot engines just like the XC90. However, it's worth remembering Volvo recently acquired the tuning division of the old-partnering performance company Polestar, so we should expect sportier models in the future.
The new Volvo S90 has been officially scheduled for a 2016 release, so we should be seing more of it in the coming months.
The images first appeared on a Chinese website but Swedish publication Teknikens Värld confirmed they were showing the real model, citing some unspecified sources to back it up (probably somebody inside the company who understandably wanted to remain anonymous). The whole story is a bit sketchy, but looking at the design of the model we can't see why this wouldn't be it.
The front end is in conformity with the new Volvo design language and fits the bill perfectly as it looks like a cross between the 2013 Volvo Coupe Concept and the new XC90. It's got the already famous Thor's Hammer LED daytime running lights and a long bonnet which gives the car an elegant look.
The side profile is less spectacular, but does show a slightly sloped roof giving the car a sleeker appearance. There's still enough room for a four-door coupe, should Volvo decide challenging the established names like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 6 Series would be a wise idea.
At the rear, we get some bizarre looking taillights that don't look like anything Thor would use, but the raked rear window is a promising feature, along with the twin exhaust pipes.
Don't get your hopes too high, though, as the new Volvo S90 will be built on the company's new SPA modular platform and will only use four-pot engines just like the XC90. However, it's worth remembering Volvo recently acquired the tuning division of the old-partnering performance company Polestar, so we should expect sportier models in the future.
The new Volvo S90 has been officially scheduled for a 2016 release, so we should be seing more of it in the coming months.
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