During Detroit 2008, Volvo presented their latest idea of a SUV. XC60 was still a concept but I can tell you that it’s going to materialize into something that you can touch. At Geneva this year, in March, Volvo is going to make it official. This is going to be the most popular Volvo SUV from what I’ve heard, and by the time we can put our hands on it, here are the first spy shots of the new Volvo XC60.
The car will come with a DOHC 3.2 liter inline-6 derived engine, comes with standard front wheel drive but gives the option of all wheel drive, goes on sale late fall this year in Europe and early 2009 in the US.
The main competitors are BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Acura RDX. Here are two more pictures.
Not that there aren’t enough concepts on the market right now but this one deserves attention, Ford Explorer America Concept, the fuel-efficient SUV with 20-30% improvement. In the United States, Explorer is the top-selling SUV with more than 400,000 units sold each year.
The perception in America has changed for the last few years. A good car is one that can increase the mpg and Jim Farley, Ford’s VP of Marketing and Communications said that “Customers are smart. They value vehicles – the more efficient, the better”. It all depends on the engine you choose and Ford has a few to offer:
4-cylinder 2-liter engine with EcoBoost that can deliver 275hp and 280 lb/ft of torque
3.5-liter V6 engine that boosts 340hp
There are a few other things that will reduce the fuel consumption like changing from body-on-frame to unibody construction that will reduce weight and better dynamics, 6-speed transmission with auto-control or the fuel saving electric power assisted steering (EPAS).
Here are a few more pictures of the new Ford Explorer America Concept.
At the Detroit Auto Show next year (next month to be precise), BMW will come up with their latest X6 Sports Activity Coupe model. A combination of a SUV, a SAV and CUV, this is a crossover version of a very powerful but elegant large BMW coupe.
BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe will have two twin-turbo engines, first a 3.0-liter with 6-cylinder that sport 300hp and a 4.4-liter V8 engine that goes up to 400hp. All versions will include the xDrive all-wheel-drive technology for better stability, agility and steering precision. It should be available from the second quarter of 2008 (with rumors say end of 2008) and meanwhile you can watch the video.
During Detroit 2008, Volvo presented their latest idea of a SUV. XC60 was still a concept but I can tell you that it’s going to materialize into something that you can touch. At Geneva this year, in March, Volvo is going to make it official. This is going to be the most popular Volvo SUV from what I’ve heard, and by the time we can put our hands on it, here are the first spy shots of the new Volvo XC60.
