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Volvo developing new three-cylinder engine family

Pop the hood on a Volvo of recent vintage and you'll find four-, five-, six- and even eight-cylinder engines. But the Swedish automaker is downsizing its engines over the coming years. The new XC90, set to be revealed later this week, will use a new family of four-cylinder engines (like the one pictured above). But that's not even the end of it as emerging reports speak of a new three-cylinder engine family in the works.
The new 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine will, according to reports, help Volvo further cut its carbon emissions in line with constricting regulations in markets like Europe and Australia. There won't be quite as many versions as the four-cylinder range, which will include gasoline and diesel versions in varying states of tune, but the three-pot motor is tipped to be employed in vehicles as large as the S60 and its stablemates. Larger than that, however, and the three-cylinder engine apparently just doesn't have the necessary torque.
Expect the new three-cylinder engine to be introduced sometime later this decade, after the four-cylinder's introduction in 2016. The three-cylinder engine is also set to form the building block of an even more efficient hybrid propulsion system in the future, enabling this new engine family to stay relevant through 2025.

Volvo to convert all SUVs and sedans into EVs, develop electric luxury van

Volvo Cars is gearing up for an electric blitz to convert all its mainstay models — three SUVs and two sedans — into electric vehicles and to introduce a luxury electric van aimed at boosting sales in Asia, two people with knowledge of the plans said. The Swedish carmaker, 82%-owned by ChinaÂ’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is expected to launch at least six new battery electric vehicles through 2026, the two people told Reuters. Volvo has announced an objective to make its entire lineup fully electric by 2030. The companyÂ’s Australia unit has said it plans to sell only EVs in that market by 2026. The previously unreported product plans amount to the largest revamp of VolvoÂ’s model line-up since Geely acquired the brand from Ford in 2010. Under Geely, Volvo initially started to share technologies such as car platforms with Geely. The makeover for Volvo, a Swedish brand that built a reputation for safety and utilitarian design, follows from a greater focus on customer trends in Asia and a push to win sales there, the people said. The two people with knowledge of VolvoÂ’s planning asked not to be named because details have not been announced by the company. Geely declined to comment. Among the new battery electric cars being planned for the next four years is a Volvo-branded MPV or van that would be based on a vehicle GeelyÂ’s Zeekr brand sells in China. Called the Zeekr 009, the hulking, battery-electric van pictured above, which starts at about 500,000 yuan ($74,179), offers three rows of seating. The vehicle competes against the likes of the Toyota Alphard, a business or family van, with airplane business class-like seats for passengers that has proven popular in Asian markets such as China and Japan as a limousine alternative. Volvo has moved development work on sedans and the coming people-mover model to its Shanghai research and development hub, they said. That center, which has tripled its design staff to about 60 people, has recently moved to a new and larger building in Shanghai, one of the sources said. The first of VolvoÂ’s new planned electric models, the EX90 sport-utility crossover, was unveiled late last year. It is expected to hit showrooms in early 2024. Other battery electric cars in the pipeline include electric versions of VolvoÂ’s mainline products – the XC90, XC60 and XC40 crossover vehicles and the S60 and S90 sedans, the sources said.

Future Classic: 2008-2013 Volvo C30

Volvo has a storied reputation of building cars that are safe and solid – vehicles that are as cherished for their function-over-form designs as they are their mechanical longevity. But Volvo is also low-key cool. The Swedish carmaker is beloved by enthusiasts for its commitment to offering wagons, and for its many motorsports efforts. Flying brick, anyone? That coolness doesnÂ’t always trickle down to VolvoÂ’s road cars, but every now and then, the company gives us something a little weird. And in the mid-2000s, Volvo introduced the C30: a two-door hatchback geared towards younger, hipper buyers. Was the C30 a luxury compact? A hot hatch? Nah, it didnÂ’t really fit either vibe. Still, the C30 was nevertheless cute and quirky, and compared to other Volvos of the era, it was truly one of a kind. Why is the Volvo C30 a future classic? The C30 rode on the same platform as the S40 sedan and V50 wagon (as well as the contemporary Mazda 3 and EuropeÂ’s second-generation Ford Focus), but had way more personality than both. VolvoÂ’s hallmark tall taillights flanked a huge piece of glass that extended from the roofline to the bumper, serving as the C30Â’s hatch. Of course, this expansive window also meant the items in the cargo area were readily on display, making them an easy target for smash-and-grab thefts. A range of powertrains were available around the world, including diesel engines and even a super-limited-production electric variant. In the U.S., however, we only got the T5 gas engine, which in its standard form produced a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 with 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque (more on the not-so-standard form later). You could get a six-speed manual transmission, which wasnÂ’t a terribly engaging gearbox, but was still more fun than the five-speed automatic. With the C30, Volvo put an emphasis on the hatchbackÂ’s ability to pump up the jams. An optional Premium Sound package had 10 Dynaudio speakers, an Alpine subwoofer and Dolby Pro Logic II surround. This setup could even play CDs with MP3 and WMA files, and included an AUX jack for things like iPods. Archaic technology by today's standards, but in the 2000s, this was clutch. 2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition View 12 Photos What is the ideal example of the Volvo C30? One word: Polestar. In 2012, Volvo introduced a limited-edition C30 Polestar, only 250 of which were sold in the United States.