TOP NEWS

March 10, 2008

The New 2009 Volvo XC60 Redefines The Small Premium Crossover

ARTICLE TOOLS        | E-MailPrint

IRVINE, CA – The new Volvo XC60 has its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March, with the first cars reaching dealers in Europe in fall 2008. The small premium utility segment is growing quickly, and within the next few years, buyers will have at least 10 crossover models to choose from. By 2009, this segment is expected to expand by 75 percent to 443,000 units.

The big safety news is City Safety — a system that can help the driver avoid or reduce the effects of the type of low-speed impacts that are common in city traffic. If the car is about to strike the vehicle in front and the driver does not react, the car automatically applies the brakes.

The new XC60 will be available in the United States with Volvo’s six-cylinder turbocharged T6 engine, producing 281 horsepower. All-wheel drive with instant traction is fitted as standard on all variants. Volvo’s engineers developed the XC60’s chassis settings for aggressively sporty handling that promotes a feeling of safety and control. At the same time, the suspension has been tuned to provide a smooth and comfortable ride befitting a luxury crossover.

The sales target for the new XC60 is 50,000 units per year. Distribution between Europe and North America is about 40 percent each. The remaining 20 percent is destined for other global markets. The five largest markets during the peak year 2010 are expected to be the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, and China.

The Volvo XC60 will be built at the Volvo Cars factory in Ghent, Belgium. Sales will start in Europe during the fall of 2008, while sales in North America are targeted to begin in early 2009.

RATE THIS STORY

Average Rating: Not yet rated

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

Please log in to write comment.

New user? Sign up for new membership now!

NEWS ARCHIVE SEARCH

Sponsored Links

6 Ways to Go Green and Save
By analyzing driving patterns and historical location reports from Networkfleet®, fleets can reduce miles and optimize schedules. Click here to download our free Green paper.

BLOG

SEC Proposal to Allow Early Adoption of International Accounting Standards

By Mike Antich
On Aug. 27, the Securities and Exchange Commission raised the possibility that approximately 110 U.S. publicly traded companies will be able to use international accounting standards (IAS) next year and may require all U.S. companies to switch to IAS between 2014-2016. There is a 60-day comment period about the SEC proposal. Fleet leasing will be impacted by the adoption of IAS. It is probable that all fleet leases in the U.S. will need to be capitalized sometime in the 2011-2016 timeframe.

The Hidden Cost of Personal Use

By Mike Antich
With fuel prices remaining elevated, many companies are wondering whether they are charging enough for personal use. At some companies, this discussion is long overdue. When re-evaluating personal use charges, a common mistake is to focus solely on the cost of fuel, which is understandable because, after all, fuel is the catalyst for these discussions. However, doing so ignores the other “hidden” costs of personal use, which have also risen.

Fleet Becomes an Epicenter for Interdepartmental Encroachment

By Mike Antich

Strategic Fleet Management Focuses on Management by Objective

By Mike Antich

STORE

$10.00

Auto Fleet - November 2007

In This Issue:
High Cost of Fuel Increases Operating Costs in 2007, The Green Advantage, Comprehensive Fuel Management: More than Controlling Margins and much more…