Volvo XC90 named Auto Express Car of the Year 2015

Volvo XC90 named Auto Express Car of the Year 2015

The Volvo XC90 has been named Car of the Year 2015 and Large SUV of the Year at this year’s Auto Express New Car Awards.

Volvo Cars’ award-winning XC90 is already close to selling out its entire first year’s planned production run of 50,000 cars. To date over 44,000 cars have been ordered.

“This award reflects the great passion that Volvo Cars puts into its new cars. We understand our customers’ desire to have beautiful cars – cars that make their lives easier by delivering the latest technology - but in a user-friendly manner. We also understand the driving need for powertrains that deliver efficient performance, and a chassis that provides a balanced and engaging driving experience,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group, accepting the award.

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said: “We’ve been waiting a long time for the XC90, but it was well worth the wait – it’s a sensational SUV. It not only sets new standards for Volvo, but for the car market in general, leading in terms of technology, efficiency, style and safety. It’s also got an element of style – inside and out – that you might not have expected. If the XC90 points the way for the future of Volvo, the future looks very bright indeed.”

The all-new XC90 is the first car to be built on Volvo Cars’ Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) using its acclaimed Drive-E powertrain technology.

A blend of rich Scandinavian design elements, both inside and out, makes the XC90 stand out from the crowd. Delivering a commanding road presence with the distinct ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights and larger grille, the XC90’s powerful exterior design makes a strong, yet subtle statement.

The interior’s crowning glory is the in-car control system, Sensus. This intuitive system controls all the major functions of the vehicle, from the infotainment, phone, navigation and connectivity features. The interior is the epitome of Scandinavian design, a serene and relaxing environment, combining the finest natural materials available such a leather and wood, and at the same time being a practical seven-seat SUV.

Note to Editors:

Since its launch in August 2014, the Volvo XC90 has been the recipient of many high profile awards, recognising its innovative approach to design, both interior and exterior and its ground-breaking approach to in-car control systems and connectivity features with its Sensus technology.

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Volvo Car Group in 2014

For the 2014 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 2,252 MSEK (1,919 MSEK in 2013). Revenue over the period amounted to 129,959 MSEK (122,245 MSEK). For the full year 2014, global sales reached a record 465,866 cars, an increase of 8.9 per cent versus 2013. The record sales and operating profit cleared the way for Volvo Car Group to continue investing in its global transformation plan.

About Volvo Car Group

Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 465,866 in 2014 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.

As of December 2014, Volvo Cars had over 26,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium) and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).