By: Jason Woosey
I must admit that for a fleeting moment after spotting this product announcement, I wondered if someone at Volvo hadn't accidentally hit the send button today instead of on 1 April.
But it's real. Volvo is betting some of its R&D budget that there are enough people out there that want a high-riding sedan crossover. Not that development costs could have been too high though as it's really just an S60 shell mixed with V60 Cross Country components.
Is it really such a bad idea though? After all, many of the great automotive ideas throughout history would not have seen light of day if their creators didn't take a gamble on a fresh concept. In fact this is exactly what Volvo did with the V70 Cross Country back in 1997, and the Swedish brand never looked back.
Volvo says its new high-riding S60 is an attempt to "further explore the market with the Cross Country brand." Naturally, the saloon has been dressed up with the same 'SUV-look' styling components as its V60 Cross Country sister and has the same off-road ability. This thanks to its 65mm-higher ride height and all-wheel drive system. Certain markets, however, will also be offered a front-wheel drive option.
The latter models will be motivated by a 142kW D4 Drive-E turbodiesel engine, while AWD versions will come with Volvo's proven 2.5-litre five-cylinder diesel engine, good for 158kW and 440Nm.
We're eagerly anticipating word from Volvo on whether this interesting new sedan is headed to our shores.
What do you think? Is this a cool new niche or a fantasy that Volvo should have suppressed?