Volvo S90: A Real Challenge for BMW, Audi and Mercedes?

Kuala Lumpur: Volvo Car Group will roll out a new mid-size luxury sedan next year dubbed as Volvo S90, as this Swedish automaker intensifies its efforts to lure buyers away from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Last year, while BMW was able to sell more than 373,000 5-series cars, Volvo sold only 12,500 units of its S80. Volvo S80 failed to muster much of a challenge due to the massive existence of the BMW 5 series, Mercedes-Benz E-class and Audi A6. After its struggling S80 model failed to make a place in sedan market, the S90 aims to boost deliveries for Volvo by 70%. But what exactly gives Volvo S90 an edge that Volvo S80 could never achieve?!

The launch of S90 would be a step to boost their annual sales to 800,000 vehicles by 2020. Volvo has taken a tough job in hand as they are expecting that at least 80% of the sedan's buyers will be new to the brand. The new S90 will be making a debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January next year. To make the most of its marketing budget, the Swedish automaker has skipped the Frankfurt Motor Show which is to be held in next week. For Volvo, having a stand at Frankfurt's exhibition would be like spending millions of Euros to grab a small space near automotive giants like Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

What can you expect out of Volvo S90?

Being a successor of the S80, the Volvo S90 would take a huge leap and move further away from the simple shape and design of S80. It would feature a radical and unconventional design language apart from taking a step up with overall build quality. Volvo's Vice-president of product strategy, Lex Kerssemakers has confirmed that S90 will borrow the exterior and interior styling cues from the Concept Coupe which was showcased in 2013.

Read also: New Volvo XC90 earns five stars from Euro NCAP

On the outside, the front fascia would get a Volvo signature grille with a large bumper along with wide air intake and chrome surroundings along its width. Its headlights would feature a design similar to that of new-gen Volvo models along with hammer-shaped daytime running LEDs. Moving towards the side profile, it would get a four-door coupe-like sloping roofline along with a slant rear window. At the rear end, one can find C-shaped LED tail lamps, a simple bumper along with twin rectangular exhaust pipes.

Under the hood, it would be powered by a 2.0-litre twin turbo four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines along with a possibility of the T8 hybrid system. Aimed at BMW 5 series, Mercedes-Benz E-class and Audi A6 it would use the same SPA platform. This same powertrain is offered with the Volvo XC90 as well.

It would be a tough job for Volvo to shake up the much-settled sedan market of Audi, BMW and Mercedes, but with these features and specifications it can definitely make a difference. With BMW unveiling a new 5 series next year, it would be interesting to witness a sedan war.