Volvo considering new flagship above XC90, little crossover below XC40

While on the way to selling 373,525 cars globally in 2010, then-Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby said he believed the brand could double volume to 800,000 units by 2020. Having sold 340,826 Volvos around the world in the first half of 2019, current CEO Hakkan Samuelsson not only sees no need to back down from that prediction, the company is at work on the next steps for expansion. Samuelsson told Auto Express that after filling apparent holes in the carmaker’s lineup, “we are not excluding the idea of additions,” and that when it comes to crossovers, observers “should not exclude the idea that there might be a bigger one, but maybe also a smaller one.”

According to a story in Swedish outlet Teknikens Varld from May, Volvo has been circling the idea of a flagship XC100 ever since the first XC90 launched in 2002. The story says that Volvo knew then that the XC90 was too small compared to the largest competitor offerings, but tight reins on the purse during Ford ownership meant cars were a better use of resources. Geely’s takeover in 2010 has opened up the treasure chest. The success of the SPA platform and the models on it has encouraged a return to developing the XC100 on the future SPA2 architecture, the vehicle said to be dubbed internally, “Project V616.” The codename breaks down into 6 for the largest cars, 1 for a first-generation model, the second 6 denoting an SUV/crossover. TV says XC100 is slated to arrive in 2022 or 2023, with measurements about five inches longer than the current XC90 on a five-inch longer wheelbase, and sit about an inch taller.

A sub-XC40 entry has been predicted for a while, but no one’s homed in on its final form yet. AE suspects it will use technology from parent company Geely, and could be leased only instead of sold. An electric powertrain has been suggested, which would make sense considering vehicles in the class and the fact that an electric XC40 is on the way.

On the subject of where expansion could come, Samuelsson said, “We will surprise you about that in the future.” But before the surprises arrive, Volvo will complete its current lineup with a new V40, which is expected to turn into a “pseudo-SUV,” as well as expand with that EV XC40 plus an electric XC90.