Post 800251 by VPCUK on 2016-04-29 10:19:15
Volvo will extend its SUV range down from XC90 and XC60 with the BMW X1 rivalling XC40
2016-04-28 09:55 Volvo has been caught testing a prototype of a new, smaller XC40 SUV on the road. It's expected to arrive in production form in 2018 to take on the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.
The body of the car in these pictures looks almost identical to that of the Volvo V40 Cross Country, but both the increased ride height and wider track give away the new platform development underneath.
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The XC40's platform development is being shared between the Swedish firm and its Chinese owners, Geely. The (Common Modular Architecture (CMA) will underpin a European-designed but Chinese-buit Geely SUV, alongside the XC40 and a replacement for the V40.
Expect the XC40 to be powered by a range of Volvo's 'Drive-E' four-cylinder engines, but we could also see some further downsizing in the form of turbocharged three-cylinder units. A plug-in hybrid should be on the cards, too, while most models should get the choice of either front or four-wheel drive.
While we are yet to see a disguised production body, the XC40 is likely to borrow design cues from the new XC90 but in a scaled down, more athletic form. We'll have more details later in the car's development.
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