VOLVO ACCESSORIES & PARTS

Volvo announced that the upcoming V60 Plug-In Hybrid will hit the US showrooms in 2012. While the rest of the world will get a diesel-electric version, the US customers will have a gasoline-electric version only.

The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid is the result of an industrial partnership between Volvo and Vattenfall, a Swedish energy supplier. When the project was launched in 2007, its aim was to create the market's first diesel-electric plug-in hybrid. Eventually, the partners achieved the goal. The front wheels of the diesel V60 are driven by a five-cylinder 2.4-l turbo diesel engine producing 215 hp, as for the rear axle, it gets a 70 hp electric motor. Volvo says that it'll take about five hours to fully charge the car's battery from a standard electricity outlet. The pricing for the vehicle is still to be announced.

Unfortunately, in the USA the car will be offered with a gasoline engine instead of the turbocharged. Some say that considering that a turbo diesel is a more efficient version and that biodiesel would be a valid alternative, it would make sense to buy the turbo diesel V60 in Europe and have it shipped to the US.

Being not as successful in sales as its German rivals, the Volvo C70 won't be produced for too long. With joint venture planned to be shut down, the world doesn't know a word on a potential new production site.

The automaker isn't going to bring anything to the LA Auto Show next week, but Volvo did unveil the C70 Inscription edition which will debut at the show. The special-edition C70 received such special features, as polished black 18-inch wheels, an upgraded interior, painted grille, and LED daytime running lights. The interior got Sovereign Hide upholstery in Off Black or Calcite, a leather-covered dashboard, and aluminun accents. As for the exterior, the C70 is offered in three colors: Black Sapphire, Black Stone, and Ice White. The model comes equipped with either a turbocharged five engine, or a pair of diesels.

Recognized as a true icon in its model range, the C70 is designed for those who prefer convertibles and coupes. Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at the Volvo Car Corporation stated that the unveiled model is a beautifully detailed version with a lot of kerb. With production starting this month, Volvo plans to sell 2,000 units. The model will be discontinued in 2013 though.

For the 2012 model year lineup Volvo has planned several major changes. After discontinuation of S40 and V50 and cutting of the V70 models earlier this year, this move is a great change for the Volvo Corporation that builds its name on the safe and sturdy wagons.

In 2012 model year V8 engines for XC90 and S80 models will be no more offered. Instead of this, there will be available a 6-cylinder turbocharged engine, that will be installed on all larger models. Overall, most Volvo models get more standard features and new trim levels, but will maintain similar prices to last year’s models.

Although Volvo established itself as a benchmark of quality, the sales levels it achieves worldwide continue to be rather moderate. In the U.S. the Swedish automaker is presented with nine models, which is obviously more than Volvo can successfully carry.

Volvo sales numbers are decreasing for the sixth year in a row. In 2004, the automaker moved 139,384 units, while in 2010 it sold less than 54,000 vehicles. In order to solve this problem, Volvo plans to cut the number of models it markets in the United States to at most six. “Five or six is probably a good number,” Doug Speck, head of Volvo’s operations in the US stated. “We have to focus on the key segments with significant volume potential.”

Due to lowering demand, the first model to be phased out in the U.S. is the V50 station wagon. Instead, Volvo will persevere with the XC70, a larger station wagon, that will be however marketed as a crossover.

"Over the last decade the traditional station wagon segment has been on a decline," Speck said. "Through that period the crossover segment has grown exponentially. The reality is the crossovers of today are the wagons of yesteryear."

Among other models that the company will continue to retail in the U.S. are the S60 sedan, the XC60 and XC90 crossovers. These models, Volvo says, have the biggest chances of gaining a noteworthy market share.