Monday, September 29, 2008
Volvo targets downsizers
Volvo claims its new XC60 compact SUV has come along at just the right time to take advantage of the migration away from large 4x4s and will compensate for reduced demand for the XC90.
Steve Mattin, design director for Volvo, said: "It's the perfect time for the XC60 because of downsizing. The real large SUVs are dinosaurs, they're gone - especially in the US."
In the UK he acknowledged the market for the XC90 had become tough, so rather than lose customers to the competition, Volvo was launching the XC60 this year to cater for the growing demand for smaller crossover vehicles.
The XC60 enters UK showrooms on 15 November and the brand expects it to notch up 5,000 sales in 2009.
The diesel variants will dominate sales with the D5 expected to take 50 per cent and the 2.4D 47 per cent - leaving a meagre 3 per cent of buyers opting for the T6 petrol version.
A spokeswoman for Volvo said there had been a "debate" about whether to bring the petrol XC60 to the UK due to the very small volumes anticipated.
She said the brand had decided to offer it "for now" but suggested the decision could be reviewed in future.
Volvo said the XC60's main competitors in the UK would be the Land Rover Freelander, which leads the premium compact SUV segment, and the BMW X3.
The brand claimed the XC60's City Safety technology made it the safest Volvo model to date - drastically reducing the risk of low speed impacts, which it said accounted for 75 per cent of all accidents.
Volvo claimed the system would cut the number of collisions in the XC60 by 40 per cent.
A spokesman said the system had resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in insurance premiums in Germany and predicted a similar decrease for the UK.
Volvo's 137 dealerships will receive balloon car dummies to demonstrate the accident avoidance safety technology to potential customers.
DATED: 29.09.08
FEED: MT
Steve Mattin, design director for Volvo, said: "It's the perfect time for the XC60 because of downsizing. The real large SUVs are dinosaurs, they're gone - especially in the US."
In the UK he acknowledged the market for the XC90 had become tough, so rather than lose customers to the competition, Volvo was launching the XC60 this year to cater for the growing demand for smaller crossover vehicles.
The XC60 enters UK showrooms on 15 November and the brand expects it to notch up 5,000 sales in 2009.
The diesel variants will dominate sales with the D5 expected to take 50 per cent and the 2.4D 47 per cent - leaving a meagre 3 per cent of buyers opting for the T6 petrol version.
A spokeswoman for Volvo said there had been a "debate" about whether to bring the petrol XC60 to the UK due to the very small volumes anticipated.
She said the brand had decided to offer it "for now" but suggested the decision could be reviewed in future.
Volvo said the XC60's main competitors in the UK would be the Land Rover Freelander, which leads the premium compact SUV segment, and the BMW X3.
The brand claimed the XC60's City Safety technology made it the safest Volvo model to date - drastically reducing the risk of low speed impacts, which it said accounted for 75 per cent of all accidents.
Volvo claimed the system would cut the number of collisions in the XC60 by 40 per cent.
A spokesman said the system had resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in insurance premiums in Germany and predicted a similar decrease for the UK.
Volvo's 137 dealerships will receive balloon car dummies to demonstrate the accident avoidance safety technology to potential customers.
DATED: 29.09.08
FEED: MT
