Volvo Says new Platform for its Cars on the Way

Jan 18 2012

The technical cooperation agreement between Volvo and Ford (which used to own the company) will be completely terminated by 2017, or at the latest 2018, and the Swedish car manufacturer will then be handling everything in-house.  This is according to Stefan Jacoby, the CEO of Volvo.

The car manufacturer is busy developing a whole range of new power-trains under its Volvo Environmental Architecture (VEA) programme.  At the same time it is working on a new platform that will underpin 70% to 80% of its future models.

The first glimpse of the Volvo of the future will make its debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show where the company will reveal a replacement for the current Ford-based V50 estate and S40 saloon.  Right now we cannot say when UK buyers will be able to sign up for a car finance deal on one of these cars.

Jacoby says “The sweet spot in this segment is a hatchback, so there will no longer be a small estate.  It will be a new V40 which in normal times we will produce at the rate of 90,000 a year.”

He added that Volvo would focus on 4-cylinder 2-litre engines, both petrol and diesel, with outputs varying between 150bhp and 300bhp.

The new car will be Volvo’s smallest model for some time to come.  According to Jacoby the company has no plans to follow Audi when it comes to super-mini production.

Jacoby’s vision for the company is to be strong in the SUV market.

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