Volvo XC40 spied again

What you see in the pictures is the Volvo XC40, a scaled down version of the XC60, which was caught testing on the Autobahn.

This SUV was last spotted testing in northern Europe earlier this year and the prototype continues to be smartly cladded to mask the true design. Nevertheless, we noticed that this test mule had a differently designed air dam below the registration plate. Everybody will remember that Volvo has already showcased the 40.1 concept, which is essentially the XC40. You will see the similarities here, especially around the C-pillar, where designers have stuck to the thick upswept quarter glass section that renders this design a unique touch. 

Furthermore, Volvo will premier its XC40 with their newly developed Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). Being a more affordable SUV, Volvo is expecting the XC40 to substantially boost their overall sales figure and the company’s R&D head, Peter Mertens, has added that a lot of effort has gone into giving this vehicle a high riding position and a large boot. Powering the XC40 will be a series of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, along with a T5 twin engine setup that uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.

Volvo is expected to launch the XC40 by the last quarter of 2017 or early next year, so that it can put on a strong fight against the likes of BMW’s X1 and the Mercedes GLA. Stay tuned for more information in the months to come.