With S90, Volvo makes classy entrance into premium sedan sector

The new Volvo S90 comes with a host of technologies, such as cloud-based apps, and allows autonomous driving. Photos provided to China Daily

The new Volvo S90, unveiled in Detroit in January, made its Asian debut at the ongoing Beijing international auto show. The model is seen as the Swedish automaker's grand entrance into the premium sedan club.

"We are now clearly and firmly in the game," said Hakan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars. "With $11 billion in investment over the past five years, we have not only reimagined what Volvo cars can be - are now delivering on our promise of a resurgent and relevant Volvo brand."

With a host of new technologies ranging from cutting-edge safety to cloud-based apps and services, the new Volvo S90 is further proof of the brand's continuing transformation.

The car is equipped with advanced semi-autonomous drive system Pilot Assist, giving gentle steering inputs to keep the car properly aligned within lane markings up to motorway speed of around 130 km per hour.

Pilot Assist is another step toward fully autonomous driving, a key innovation area for Volvo, according to the company.

The S90 also has a system capable of detecting large animals such as horses or moose, night or day. The technology offers an intuitive warning and brake support to help avoid a collision. The S90 has benefited from Volvo Cars' recent investment in a highly advanced chassis simulator. The S90 will come with a clean and powerful T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain and one of the most luxuriously appointed interiors and connected infotainment systems in the large sedan segment.

"The S90 has taken a big stride forward in terms of driving dynamics, performance and ride," said Peter Mertens, senior vice-president for research and development at Volvo Cars. "We have completely redesigned the Volvo driving experience from the ground up to deliver a sense of precision, engaging control and comfort."

"Our idea was to bring something entirely new to this rather conservative segment and deliver a visual expression that exudes leadership and confidence on the exterior," said Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice-president of design. "On the inside, we have taken the S90 to the next level, delivering a high-end luxury experience that promises comfort and control."

Demonstrating a new level in Scandinavian luxury and innovation in automotive interior design, Volvo has created an interior-design concept called Lounge Console. One of its most significant features is a multifunctional console replacing the front passenger seat, creating a place for work, relax and entertainment.

Volvo Cars had an 11.9-percent year-on-year increase in retail sales in the first quarter this year. It sold 52,279 cars globally in March, up 11.5 percent. Sales of the new Volvo XC90 were the main growth driver, while the XC60 was the best-selling model overall.

The Volvo Concept 26 features seats with three modes.

In the United States, the company reported a sales growth of 15.9 percent compared to the same month last year, marking the ninth consecutive month of double-digit growth. Retail sales reached 6,857 cars. The new Volvo XC90 was the key growth driver and the best-selling Volvo model in the US.

Sales in Europe as a whole were up 13.1 percent, with the United Kingdom the fastest growing market in March and Volvo Cars' biggest market for the month.

The Volvo XC60 was the best-selling model in Europe while the new XC90 represented most of the growth for the month.

Volvo China reported retail sales of 7,542 cars in March, up 13.9 percent. The best-selling models were the locally produced Volvo XC60 and S60L.

Freedom of choice

Part of the company's more ambitious autonomous driving strategy, the Concept 26 is another highlight of Volvo at the Beijing auto show.

The car's name comes from the 26 minutes Volvo says the average American spends commuting to and from work each day. The company believes that the daily commute is taking the joy out of driving, and that the time could be spent doing something more meaningful than sitting in trafic.

Volvo has set out to bring choice and freedom back to the driver, to enjoy the driving experience when they want to, or to delegate driving to the car when they want to do something else.

The heart of Concept 26 is a patented seat design that actively cradles the driver during the transformation phase into one of the three modes: Drive, Create or Relax. With these three modes, the concept creates a new autonomous drive innovation platform that can adapt to new needs and technologies over time.

"It's all about people," said Robin Page, vice-president of interior design at Volvo Cars. "Our research clearly shows that some people will want to use their commuting time creatively when they have full autonomous drive available, while others will want to just sit back and relax, watch online media or listen to music.

"Autonomous drive will make all of this possible," he said. "This is what Concept 26 has captured by reimagining the entire car experience."