While the Frankfurt Motor Show took place just a week ago, Volvo elected to save the debut of its latest offering for a different city with a different vibe.
Here in Milan, it's Fashion Week, the event that sees stylish types from around the world gather to learn and decide what to wear in six months' time. No coincidence, then, that the forthcoming Volvo XC40, a luxury compact crossover with no small amount of style itself, should be shown for the first time in fashion-forward Italy.
"When we first started sketching, we actually wanted to look at some new influences, we immersed ourselves in a new set," said Robin Herd, senior vice-president of design. "And that was to look at modern product design, architecture, we even looked at film work and fashion – exactly as you have here in Milan. And the reason we did that is we wanted to create something very new, we wanted to almost challenge the way we normally design a car and do something different."
The XC40’s modular platform will be used as the basis for several other forthcoming Volvo vehicles.
The XC40 rides on an all-new modular platform that will form the basis of other compact vehicles set to join the Volvo fleet. When the reborn Volvo product strategy was first announced in 2014, compact sedans, wagons, coupes and even convertibles were all on the table; however, increasing global demand for crossovers of all kinds may have since triggered a change of plan.
As with the 90 and 60 series of Volvo vehicles, the XC40 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder gasoline engine. For the Canadian market, the only version available will be the T5, the turbocharged variant with 250 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque under foot.
That engine is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Volvo’s design team looked for inspiration in other media for the look of the XC40.
The exterior design of the XC40 somewhat echoes that of the recently released XC60 – particularly in the long hood and squared-off shape – but adds a more youthful, funkier groove.
Inside, the newest Volvo is a model of packaging innovation. The door pockets are large enough to hold a notebook computer, the centre tunnel features a removable trash can and there's an inductive charging pad for smartphones in front of the centre armrest.
The XC40 has a smart, well-packaged suite of interior features.
Now in full-on comeback mode, Volvo is attempting to balance its new standing as an unabashed premium brand by showing an ability to compete on value as well. When the XC40 arrives on Canadian soil in the first quarter of 2018, it will be priced from $39,500, placing this Volvo right in the thick of a competitive segment.
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