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Volvo XC90 successor EV might have been outed in patent images

Motor1 found a trademark application Volvo filed at the EU Intellectual Property Office on June 13 to reserve the name "EXC90." A month later, the Worldscoop Forum for European car fans posted these images, sourced from the same government agency. We can't be certain the two filings are related, but circumstantial evidence points to this being the full-sized XC90's battery-electric successor that will be called the EXC90. Another circumstantial log for the fire is that Volvo ex-CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the coming family transport would start with a vowel. Based on yet another trademark filing from last year and Samuelsson saying Volvo would "give cars a name as you give a newborn child," we've been looking out for the name Embla. But hey, EXC90 Embla would cover all the bases, and it could differentiate the battery-electric XC90 from the hybrid version we know will continue to sell. Rolling with the possibility, the drawings show a crossover taking clear cues from both the current XC90 and the Volvo Concept Recharge design study from November of last year. The headlight design, sold grille and vertical lower intakes look traced from the Concept Recharge. The hood is much more upright, a la the retail XC90, as are the horizontal roof and full-figured sides. In back, the drawings diverge from the XC90 and the concept. The backlight is more raked than that on the XC90, meaning it's far more angled than the upright hatch on the concept. The C-shaped lights are more like units on Volvo sedans, unconnected to the upright light elements beside the hatch glass in the same way the XC90's and concept's are. Below that, there are no visible exhaust outlets, but the ICE-powered XC90 hides its outlets, too. Not long after posting these exterior shots, Worldscoop posted interior shots as well. These represent designs that differ from every Volvo interior save for the inset where the portrait-oriented infotainment screen goes. The left and right steering wheel spokes feature floating inserts. The instrument panel stretches a single vent across its width, removing the vertical vents next to the infotainment screen, and might be reminiscent of the unit in the Polestar in placing the HVAC controls at the bottom of the touchscreen.

Volvo readying stretched next-gen S80 in lieu of 7 Series rival?

The debate about what direction to take perennially struggling Volvo has been raging for years. Should the Swedish marque go upscale and try to chase other European luxury brands, or should it stick to its safety-minded knitting? Should it adopt flashy new styling and a more overt performance bent, or keep it Scandinavian clean and responsible? Chinese parent brand Geely apparently has designs on making Volvo a full-fledged BMW rival - particularly in its homeland - including pushing for a range-topping 7 Series competitor. However, Volvo execs have been repeatedly pushing back on the idea. In fact, it's understood that this philosophical crisis contributed mightily to the high-profile departure of Stefan Jacoby, the company's CEO until the middle of 2012 (Jacoby has since rebounded to head international operations for General Motors).
There doesn't seem like any middle path in this debate, but that apparently isn't going to stop Volvo from trying. According to a sprawling Reuters report, Volvo will placate Geely chairman Li Shufu with a stretched and lux'd up version of the next S80. Yet Li still isn't completely satisfied, and he's said to be pushing for "a plusher and bigger model he calls the S100" to rival cars like the Audi A8. For the moment, it is not clear if the larger S80-based model will be a global offering, or just another one of China's many home-market, long-wheelbase specials.
The question of future Volvo styling is up for debate as well. According to Reuters, "Insiders say Li is a big fan of the new styling that design chief Thomas Ingenlath has brought to Volvo" (The latest example, the Concept Coupe from this week's Frankfurt Motor Show, is shown above.) Yet there are those who worry whether the company's new styling strategy is showy enough to appeal to China's wealthy. Chairman Li would still like to see a range-topping sedan for "show-off people," but Volvo's management doesn't want to go down that road. Clearly, this won't be the last we hear about the company's existential boardroom battles.

Volvo, Others to Assume Liability for Driverless Cars | Autoblog Minute

Self-driving cars could make our commutes a breeze but what happens when something goes wrong? Three industry leaders step up with an answer. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. .FW Mercedes-Benz Volvo Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video john krafcik Hakan Samuelsson