Volvo unveiled the “adventurous” V90 Cross Country high-riding station wagon, the latest model in its $11 billion revival under Chinese ownership that has resulted in record global vehicle sales, as well as profit margins on par with Mercedes-Benz.
Volvo says the variant of the V90 wagon provides added ruggedness and ground clearance to better handle tough climates and rough roads, while still offering the premium features found in its top model line.
“The V90 Cross Country takes the elegance of the V90 and transforms it into an all-road car that delivers safety, comfort and performance in a capable and adventurous package,” Volvo Car Group CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement on Thursday.
A key differentiating factor of Volvo’s Cross Country models is increased ground clearance, which is supposed to enable year-round off-road driving capability. The V90 Cross Country has been raised by 65 millimeters compared with the V90. Volvo says the car’s increased approach and departure angle helps protect the front and rear when driving on steep slopes and uneven surfaces.
Volvo added that the V90 Cross Country’s all-wheel drive system features a compact and lightweight coupling from U.S.-based supplier BorgWarner Inc. that distributes the engine’s power between the front and rear wheels. Under normal, dry conditions nearly all of the power is distributed to the front wheels, but up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque can be instantly redistribute to rear wheels when required.
The fourth and final member of the Swedish carmaker’s new 90-series family will be produced alongside its sibling models, the V90, S90 sedan and XC90 SUV, in Torslanda, near Gothenburg, Sweden, starting this autumn. All four models use Volvo’s new scalable product architecture, which will also underpin the new-generation XC60, V60 and S60.
