The All-New Volvo XC60 is Launched - XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus, Inscription & XC60 T5 with Prices Starting at RM298,888 Onwards

I just got back from attending the all-new Volvo XC60 launch event which was held this morning at the Sheraton Hotel, Petaling Jaya. The mid-sized premium SUV was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 and it has now finally reached our shores. The interesting bit about this Malaysian specced XC60 is that the initial 100 or so fully imported units have been fully booked even though the SUV has just been launched. The next round of XC60 will be the locally assembled ones which will take full advantage of the Malaysian EnergyEfficient Vehicle (EEV) regulations and be priced from RM298,888 onwards.

Volvo Car Malaysia is extremely grateful of the reception so far. This new model basically replaces the original XC60 which actually made up a good 30% of Volvo Car's total sales globally. So this new model has a lot riding on it.

The car is based on Volvo's innovative Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform. This is the same platform used by the Volvo XC90 and the S90/V90 series of cars. The modular platform allows the Swedish carmaker to adapt and change the length and width according to vehicle segment needs making it very cost effective for a company that is building its global presence again. 

This new XC60 takes a lot of styling cues from the previous XC60 but improves on it. It also takes classic Volvo styling from the way the 'iron marque' grille sits to the rear flanks which takes after the P1800 Coupe. The car looks more dynamic that before with the lights, front and rear being talking points - the front with its 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights and the rear with the now very Volvo 'L' shaped rear light cluster. Whilst looking very stately and would sit five people comfortably, it does not look as large as the XC90 and it still close in size to the previous XC60. It does have better packaging inside and out though.

Inside, there is the new Volvo design with its minimalist approach to dashboard design. It still feels and looks super premium with a lot of natural materials like wood and leather. The cabin feels soothing and looks exclusive.

Malaysia will get three variants of the XC60 - two T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus and Inscription as well as a sole T5 variant. The XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus price will start at RM343,888+, the XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription at RM333,888+ and the XC60 T5, at RM298,888+ (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes).

The XC60 T8 Twin Engine will be offered in the Inscription and Inscription Plus trim level. Both are plug in hybrids. The only difference between the actually equally equipped variants is a premium sound system by Bowers & Wilkins in the PLUS. It has a 15-speaker 1,100 watts sound system which runs through a 10-channel Class-D amplifier. Massive sound which actually complements the massive amount of torque which the T8 has..

The T8 Twin Engine plug in hybrid, which combines a turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine driving the front wheels which is then working with an electric motor that independently drives the rear axle (making this an All-wheel Drive SUV), produces a combined output of 407 hp(320hp petrol powered internal combustion engine + 87 hp electric motor) and a whopping 640 Nm (400 Nm internal combustion engine + 240 Nm electric motor) of torque. 0-100 kmh is dispatched in 5.3 s and fuel economy is 2.1 litre of petrol consumed for every 100 km. It also has a pure electric range of 45 km (NEDC Hybrid Combined Cycle) from its 10.4 kWh hybrid battery pack centrally located in the tunnel of the car. Top speed is 230Kmh.

As for the Volvo XC60 T5, it has to make do with a single petrol powered 4 cylinder 2.0liter turbocharged engine which makes 254hp and 350Nm torque. Enough to take it to 210kmh and a 0-100kmh time of 6.8seconds. No slouch, but still so much lesser compared to the T8. Both the T8 and the T5 has an eight speed automatic transmission and are AWD.

Being a Volvo, the cars have tons of safety equipment. They now come with Volvo's IntelliSafe active safety systems. This now comes standard in the new XC60 in both T8 and T5 variants. It is also why the starting prices of the XC60 has gone up a bit (about RM30,000 or so thereabouts) because the SUV now comes fully loaded with all the safety features that could be packed into a vehicle. These could be the safest premium mid-sized SUVs you can buy here in Malaysia today. IntelliSafe for the Volvo XC60 includes City Safety (Autonomous Emergency Braking), BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation.

All systems have been upgraded to the latest generation of active safety features. Both the City Safety and BLIS now features Steer Assist, a system that provides automatic steering assistance that will, when required, avoid potential collisions. City Safety detects and helps avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and even large animals.

One new system is the Oncoming Lane Mitigation. This system helps drivers avoid collisions with vehicles in an oncoming lane by alerting, and if necessary, provide automatic steering assistance to guide the car out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.

The XC60 also gets Volvo’s Pilot Assist. This is their advanced semi-autonomous driver assistance system which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h. Note the 'well-marked roads' phrase there. You still need to keep an eye out on our roads. 

This is a very impressive car with tons of features and safety equipment. I personally like the fact that all the stuff you get in the larger and stupendous XC90 is now packed into the XC60. A smaller platform that would actually make more sense to most people who don't need seven seats and are always driving on the packed city streets in busy business districts.

The other fact that I quite like about this new XC60 is that whilst it takes a lot of cues from previous Volvo and what was laid down in the old XC60 as well as the current XC90, the new XC60 isn't just a 20% smaller photoshopped clone of the XC90. It has its touches here and there that still make it a XC60. After having a whole bunch of premium German vehicles that look so similiar to one another apart from the sizes, it is quite a refreshing change.

There are five exterior colour options which includes Ice White, Bright Silver, Osmium Grey, Onyx Black and Maple Brown. Volvo Car Malaysia has also added a second leather upholstery colour for the locally assembled variant which is Maroon Brown which will complement the usual Charcoal. More choices for the consumer. Bookings can be made at all authorised Volvo car dealerships in Malaysia from today onwards.

PRESS RELEASE (and more specification details are below)

Introducing the new Volvo XC60

 Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Ziran Zhang, Chief Designer of Volvo Cars China, and Akhtar Sulaiman, Network & Product Director of Volvo Car Malaysia with the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus, fully-imported from Sweden. Local assembly of the new XC60 has begun and will make its debut within the second-quarter of this year.

PETALING JAYA– Volvo Car Malaysia has unveiled the long-awaited successor to its highly-successful Premium Mid-Sized SUV with the introduction of the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine, fully imported from Sweden.

The new model will replace the original XC60 which has sold nearly a million units globally and represents 30 per cent of Volvo’s total global sales.

“We have a strong heritage in crafting stylish and dynamic SUVs that feature the latest in technology– the new XC60 will be no exception,” said Lennart Stegland, Managing Director, Volvo Car Malaysia.

Built on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the new XC60 will maintainthe beautiful proportions of its larger sibling but with a more expressive design on both the exterior and interior.

“The exterior has an athletic sculpture with a subtle, timeless quality. The interior is a masterful composition of well-resolved architecture and beautiful materials, all perfectly blended together,” added Stegland.

Scoring a near perfect score of 98 per cent in the Adult Occupant category and 95 per cent in the Large Off-Road vehicle class, the new XC60 has been awarded Best Overall Performance by the prestigious Euro NCAP 2017.

This score was possible thanks to the new XC60’s ability to benefit and improve on the safety technologies of Volvo’s 90s Range –the first range of cars built on the SPA platform. Volvo calls its safety technologies which includes its driver support and active safety systems,IntelliSafe.

“Volvo has a vision that by the year 2020, no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car – this recent award underlines our leadership in safety technologies and makes the new XC60 one of the safest cars that we have ever made,” said Stegland.

IntelliSafe, which comes standard in the new XC60, will includethe usual staple of active, preventive and protective safety systems such as City Safety (Autonomous Emergency Braking), BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation, just to name a few.

Both City Safety and BLISnow features Steer Assist, a system that provides automatic steering assistance that will – when required – avoid potential collisions. City Safety detects and helps avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals.

Oncoming Lane Mitigation is a new system included in the new XC60; it helps drivers avoid collisions with vehicles in an oncoming lane by alerting, and if necessary, provide automatic steering assistance to guide the car out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Another defining feature included in the new XC60 is Volvo’s Pilot Assist – an advanced semi-autonomous driver assistance system which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h, will also be available in the new XC60.

In terms of performance, the T8 Twin Engine, combines a turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine with an electric motor that independently drives the rear axle to produce an impressive combined output of 407 hp(320hp internal combustion engine + 87 hp electric motor) and 640 Nm (400 Nm internal combustion engine + 240 Nm electric motor) of torque.

The performance figures translates to a century sprint of only 5.3 s and a very efficient 2.1 litre of fuel consumed for every 100 km travelled and a pure electric range of 45 km (NEDC Hybrid Combined Cycle) from a 10.4 kWh hybrid battery which is centrally located in the tunnel of the car.

TheXC60 T8 Twin Engine will be offered in the Inscription and Inscription Plus trim level, with the latter being equipped withthe industry-leading sound system, Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins; a 15-speaker sound system that supplies an astonishing 1,100 watts through a 10-channel Class-D amplifier.

The fully-imported, newXC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus is priced at RM373,888 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes) to complement the locally assembled range for the new XC60 that will be introduced at a later date.

The locally-assembled XC60 will be offered in two engine variants, namely, the T8 Twin Engine and T5. The T8 Twin Engine will be offered in two trim levels – Inscription and Inscription Plus; while the T5 will be offered in a single trim level.

Here is a breakdown of the pricing for the locally-assembled XC60 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes):

·         XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus: RM343,888

·         XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription: RM333,888

·         XC60 T5: RM298,888

Customers are free to choose from five exterior colour options which includes Ice White, Bright Silver, Osmium Grey, Onyx Black and Maple Brown. In response to customer demands, Volvo Car Malaysia has also added a second leather upholstery colour for the locally assembled variant – Maroon Brown – which will complement the usual Charcoal.

Full specifications and features of the locally-assembled XC60 variants will be revealed in the months ahead but interested customers may already place their bookings for their preferred variant, starting today, at all authorised Volvo dealers.

The New Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus (CBU)

Driving Dynamics

• Drive-E Engine with Turbocharger & Supercharger

• Electrical Rear Axle Drive (ERAD)

• All Wheel Drive (AWD)

• 8-Speed Automatic Transmission with Geartronic

• Drive Mode Settings

• Gear Shift Paddles

• Active Chassis with Air Suspension

• Electrical Power Assist Steering (EPAS) with Adjustable Steering Wheel Force

• Power Parking Brake with Auto Hold Function

• Hill Start Assist (HAS)

• Hill Descent Control (HDC)

• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)

• Regenerative Braking

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) including Active Yaw Control, Understeer Control Logic, Spin Control, Engine Drag Control & Dynamic Torque Vectoring

• 50-Litre Fuel Tank

• 10.4 kWh Lithium-Ion Hybrid Battery

Driver Display, Controls & Information

• Digital Instrument Cluster with 12.3” TFT Adaptive Digital Display

• Head-Up Display (HUD)

• Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS)

• Navigation Pro with Road Sign Information (RSI)

• Trip Computer

• Outer Temperature Gauge

• 3-Spoke Sport Leather Steering Wheel with Unideco Inlay

• Standard Pedals with Floor-Mounted Accelerator

• Orrefors® Crystal Gear Lever with Illumination

• Diamond-Cut Engine Start/Stop Knob, Drive Mode Selector & Volume Knob

• Steering Wheel Controls

• Voice Control with Active Noise Cancellation

• Digital Owner’s Manual

IntelliSafe – Preventive Safety

• City Safety – Collision Avoidance & Mitigation with Intersection Support

• Pedestrian, Cyclist & Large Animal Detection

• Rear Collision Warning & Mitigation Support

• Driver Alert Control (DAC)

• Lane Keeping Aid (LKA)

• Run-Off Road Mitigation with Road Edge Detection

• Oncoming Lane Mitigation

• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Steer Assist

• Cross Traffic Alert (CTA)

• Seat Belt Detection with Graphical Indicator for All Seats

• Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)

• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)

• Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)

IntelliSafe – Protective Safety

• Pre-Prepared Restraints (PRS)

• Electric Seatbelt Pretensioners

• Run-Off Road Protection

• Dual Stage Driver & Front Passenger Airbags

• Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with Dual Chamber SIPS Airbags, Front Row Seats

• Full-Length Inflatable Curtains (IC)

• Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)

• Post-Collision Auto Braking & Unlocking

• Collapsible Steering Column

• Brake Pedal Release

IntelliSafe – Child Safety

• Power Child Safety Lock

• Passenger Airbag Cut-Off Switch with Indicator

• ISOFIX Attachment Points, Rear Outer Seats

• Power Windows with Pinch Protection

Security

• Volvo Guard Alarm with Immobiliser, Interior Mass Movement & Sensor

• Inscription Leather Key Integrated Remote with Central Locking

• Remote Key Tag / Sport Key

• Private Locking, Glove Box & Tailgate

• Home Safe Light

Exterior

• Inscription Grille with Chrome Frame

• Inscription Exterior Elements with Chrome Details

• Integrated Roof Rails with Bright Finish

• Dual Integrated Tailpipes

• Door Handles with Illumination & Ground Lighting

• Colour Coordinated Side Mirrors

• Windscreen Wipers with Integrated Washers

• Capless Refuelling System

• Welcome Lights / Approach Lights

Wheels

• 19” 10-Spoke Black Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels with 235/55R19 Tyres

• Tyre Sealant Kit with Safety Triangle

Lights

• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL)

• Full LED Illumination Headlights with Active Bending Lights (ABL)

• LED Active High Beam

• High-Pressure Headlight Cleaners

• Automatic Headlight Levelling System

• Rear Fog Lights

• High Position Rear Brake Lights

• Adaptive Brake Lights

• Emergency Brake Lights – Flashing Brake Lights & Hazard Warning

Interior

• Linear Lime Décor Inlay*

• Metal Mesh Décor Inlay*

• Driftwood Décor Inlay*

• Frameless Rear-View Mirror

• Inscription Front & Rear Tread Plates

• Inscription Textile Carpets

• High-Level Interior Illumination Package

• Blond Headliner

Seats & Upholstery

• Comfort Seats with Leather Upholstery

• Power Adjustable Driver Seat

• Power Adjustable Front Passenger Seat

• Mechanical Cushion Extension, Driver Seat

• Memory for Driver Seat including Exterior Mirrors

• Power Folding Rear Head Restraints, Outer Rear Seats

• Power Release / Fold for Outer Rear Seats – One Touch Fold

Convenience

• Keyless Entry & Drive

• Rain Sensor with Tunnel Detection

• Adaptive Cruise Control

• Pilot Assist – Semi-Autonomous Drive

• Park Assist Front & Rear

• 360˚ Surround View Camera

• Park Assist Pilot, Parallel & Perpendicular Parking

• Automatically Dimmed Inner & Outer Rear View Mirror

• Illuminated Vanity Mirror, Driver & Front Passenger

• Parking Ticket Holder

• 12V Socket in the Tunnel Console, Rear Seat & Cargo Area

Climate

• 2-Zone Electronic Climate Control (ECC)

• Parking Climate with Cabin Pre-Conditioning

• Clean Zone Interior Air Quality System

• Second Row Air Conditioning with B-Pillar Vents

• Panoramic Sunroof

Entertainment

• Sensus Connect with 9” Portrait Integrated Colour Touchscreen

• Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins® - 15 Speakers (10 Channel, 1,100W)

• Bluetooth® Hands-Free System with Audio Streaming

• USB & iPod® Connectors

• Apple Carplay & Android Auto with Additional USB Connector

Load & Versatility

• Net Pocket on Tunnel

• Cup Holders & Storage with Jalousie Enclosure in the Tunnel Console

• Rear Armrest

• Cup Holders in the Second Row Seat Armrest

• Clothes Hooks on B-Pillar

• Power Operated Tailgate with Hands-Free Operation

• Soft Load Cover

• Grocery Bag Hooks