Leaked photos of the new Volvo V90 station wagon show it is more streamlined than the boxy V70 it replaces – but pictures are all New Zealanders might get to see of it.
The Volvo people here are undecided about bringing in a premium station wagon in a world of premium SUVs, including Volvo’s own XC90.
“We’re not too sure,” said Motorcorp Distributors general manager Stephen Kenchington. “It’s a tough segment to get any traction. We’ve seen it, we like it, it’s beautifully finished, hugely desirable, but we don’t know if it will work here.”
Kenchington said the distributors were looking more at the Cross Country variant of the V90, the higher-riding replacement for the XC70.
“The New Zealand market can’t sustain both models, so we are not in a positive position on the V90 wagon,” he said.
The arrival of the S90 sedan in New Zealand later this year will preview the look of the V90 and its Cross Country variant, certainly in terms of the cabin design which promises to be as plush as the XC90’s.
The front of the car V90 looks unchanged from the S90, with the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlight designs and a central grille first seen on the XC90.
The V90 draws heavily from the design of the ‘Concept Estate’ Volvo unveiled at the 2014 Geneva motor show. The shoulderline swoops upwards towards the rear, and the sloping windscreen and rear roof spoiler lip add extra presence.
The S90 sedan, V90 wagon and the Cross Country model are underpinned by the same SPA platform as the XC90 and will be powered by the SUV’s range of turbocharged Drive-E four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.