The all-new Volvo XC90 will be shifted decisively upmarket in the UK when it goes on sale in 2015, according to the company, directly taking on the BMW X5, Mercedes ML and Land Rover Discovery.
The new model will get a choice of three powertrains and there will be just three trim levels to choose from. The three powertrains will be a 245bhp D5 AWD diesel, the 190bhp D4 diesel front-driver and the range-topping petrol-electric T8 hybrid, which offers as much as 400bhp when both the engine and rear axle’s electric motor are working together.
The three trim levels will be ‘Momentum’ (which replaces SE), R-Design and range-topping ‘Inscription’. Volvo UK expects the ‘core’ UK model to be the D5 AWD in Momentum trim, which will cost £45,785.
UK cars will also get sat-nav and seven seats as standard on all trim levels, as well as keyless entry and a powered tailgate. Volvo has not released any more pricing details, although the high-end ‘First Edition’ XC90 – of which just 1927 will be made - goes on sale next week through the Volvo website, at a cost of £68,000.
Volvo UK’s marketing experts say that the ‘Large SUV’ segment in the UK is up 20 percent year on year, even though the overall UK new car market is up just 11 percent.
The company expects to shift 5000 of the new XC90s each year, putting it head to head with BMW X5 and Audi Q7 sales. By contrast, the best-selling vehicle in this segment is the Range Rover Sport which should achieve around 11,000 sales this year.
Although Volvo’s sales target is hardly more than the average 4700 annual UK sales over the lifetime of the outgoing model, the average transaction price for the new XC90 will be much higher than for the current car.
Volvo says that it will be able to justify higher showroom prices because the XC90 has taken a decisive technical leap thanks to its all-new architecture, ‘class-leading’ Drive-E engines and the dramatic new interior, which is dominated by a large touchscreen panel.
See more of the new Volvo XC90 here
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