2017 Detroit Auto Show – See What Volvo Is Up To

As other major automotive brands took to the stage at this year’s North American International Auto Show with a parade of new products, Volvo took an entirely different approach. The Swedish automotive manufacturer has been on a unique path over the past year, partnering with ride-share company Uber to bring self-driving XC90 SUVs to various markets across the country. It’s no surprise then that Volvo would want to increase its level of involvement in the autonomous driving movement taking place in countries around the world. Volvo’s presence in Detroit last week was not entirely void of any new model introductions, as the company did debut the newest addition to its wagon lineup, the V90.

While we are still waiting to learn more about the upcoming release of the S60’s third generation, we continue to praise the current 2017 Volvo S60 model, and enjoy everything else that Volvo seems to be planning for the New Year.

What Volvo is Up to in the New Year

Despite the fact that January is not yet over, 2017 is in full swing – and it’s hard to deny that fact. The most prominent of all the annual auto shows in the world took place in Detroit last week, and was the stage for automakers to show off all they have (and will) reveal in the coming year. Volvo had two main announcements to address at this year’s North American International Auto Show, both of which are undeniably exciting for fans of the Scandinavian auto brand.

 
• The New V90 Wagon: Perhaps one of the most anticipated releases from Volvo is the newest addition to the 90 series lineup. The V90 Wagon was revealed in Detroit last week, and is expected to make its way to Volvo dealerships by this coming summer. The 2018 Volvo V90 will be sold exclusively in the United States, and will not be produced ahead of time, but only in the form of custom orders. To put it simply, you won’t be able to walk into a Volvo dealership and buy it off the showroom floor. The 2018 V90 will be available via the brand’s online concierge service or through the overseas delivery program. Regardless of how buyers opt to come into ownership of the new wagon, we are sure they will be impressed with all that it has to offer. Complete specifications have yet to be released, but the V90 model at the Detroit Auto Show had plenty of teasers included. Painted in Bursting Blue Metallic, the V90 Wagon includes a brand new five-spoke wheel design, a revised front grille, and an interior that is elegantly outlined in silver trim, with an R-Design steering wheel and sport-tuned seating. The V90 Wagon naturally features a lower ride height, which increases the sport-like feel of Volvo’s newest model. The version of the V90 Wagon displayed in Detroit last week, included a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, capable of producing a 316 horsepower rating. Volvo did announce that the V90 Wagon will be available to order soon, but did not set a date or definitive price tag on the new model.

 
• A Swedish Family to Test Self-Driving Volvo: Another surprise that Volvo had in store for NAIAS attendees, was the announcement that it would be allowing a family of four from Sweden the chance to be the first to pilot the new autonomous vehicle research program. Drive Me is the name of the brand’s latest endeavor in autonomous driving cars, and was described by Henrik Green, the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Volvo Car Group, as follows: “The aim of the Drive Me research project is to focus on how to enhance people’s lives and have a positive impact on society. We want to learn more around how people feel when they engage and disengage autonomous drive, what the handover should be like, and what sort of things they would do in the car when it’s driving them to their destination.” While some people may not be too keen on assuming the role of the self-driving guinea pig, the selected family is more than happy to participate. It’s an interesting way to explore the advancement of self-driving vehicles, and we are certain that the end results will be even more compelling.

Volvo Has Much More Planned for 2017

The Swedish auto brand may not have been focused on delivering multiple new models in Detroit this past week, but Volvo certainly has plenty in store for the rest of the new year. To start, the automotive brand recently signed a partnership agreement with the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems – AutoLiv. The joint venture between Volvo and AutoLiv has been named Zenuity, and was formed in order to develop and perfect software for autonomous driving systems. This is just another example of how Volvo is gearing up to speed the momentum in the self-driving car arena.

In early January of this year, Volvo celebrated an important milestone that it hopes to carry over to 2017. Reporting a third consecutive year of record sales in 2016, Volvo vehicle sales have increased by 6.2 percent from the previous year, with the number of units sold totaling 534,332.

Finally, Volvo recently established a brand new shared mobility business unit, which aims to advance its Sunfleet ride-share business into the world of self-driving cars. Currently the rideshare program is only available in Sweden, but Volvo recently announced plans to expand into new global markets and increase its range of services to meet the needs of subscribers who use it.

Keep Up With Volvo in 2017

Volvo has certainly been up to a lot in the past year or so, and if you are finding it difficult to keep up with all that the company has going on, be sure to regularly check back here for more information. We work hard to continuously provide you with updated news and announcements from our favorite automotive brand. Be sure to check back regularly, and find out everything you need to know about Volvo Cars in the United States, and around the world.