Volvo has chosen the North American International Auto Show (or NAIAS) in Detroit to launch its new signature premium saloon - the S90.
This comes on the back of strong sales in the US, especially in the second half of 2015 where sales increased 24.3 per cent. “There are strong indications that Volvo is back on track in the US,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President of the Americas at Volvo Car Group. “We expect this strong sales momentum to continue in 2016, helped by the new S90.”
The launch of the new S90 forms the second chapter in the ‘complete renewal’ of Volvo’s product range, which began in 2015 with the new XC90 SUV. The XC90 received around 88,000 pre-orders in 2015, surpassing expectations.
The S90 features a concave grille – itself a homage to the Volvo P1800 – and is home to Volvo’s new Iron Mark. The T-shaped ‘Thor’s Hammer’ lights deliver a ‘powerful sense’ of direction that makes the S90 unmistakable on the road. Power comes from a clean and powerful T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain, delivering up to 410 hp and offers three different car experiences in one – Pure, Hybrid and Power.
Inside the low, four-door coupe, Volvo has taken cues from the success of its XC90 model and included what it describes as ‘stunning details’ on the new dashboard and instrument panel, including new air blades that stand vertically on each side of the Sensus user interface.
“We created our new flagship saloon, the Volvo S90, as a real game changer. It is classy and cool. The exterior is exceptionally well surfaced, with a fantastic stance and the sort of clean lines that are singularly appropriate of a Scandinavian design. The interior masters the art of blending innovative technology and natural materials into an elegant, welcoming and tasteful ambience – Swedishness at its best,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President, Design at Volvo Car Group.
The S90 will be launched with IntelliSafe Assist as standard. This includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Distance Alert, and the advanced semi-autonomous drive feature, Pilot Assist, which gives gentle steering input to keep the car properly aligned within lane markings up to motorway speeds of around 80 mph.