Volvo V90 Cross Country announced

A successor to the XC70 has been announced in the press release and video below. It is to be called the V90 Cross Country, thereby resurrecting the naming convention of the first generation V70 Cross Country. 

Volvo Cars travels down a familiar road with coming V90 Cross Country 

8 September 2016 

Volvo Cars’ instrumental role in defining the adventurous Cross Country segment is widely acknowledged. With the imminent reveal of the new V90 Cross Country, the Swedish carmaker is set to cement its leading role as the most capable and comfortable premium all-roader on offer and complete its 90 Series line-up.

“Cross Country has become the true expression of a Volvo car in many peoples’ eyes. It was a winning concept from the start, perfect for the tough climate and road conditions that we experience in Sweden,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Car Group.

Developed in 1996, the first Cross Country estate combined functional flexibility and rugged capability. Today, 20 years later, the Cross Country segment is a familiar sight across the premium car market, providing a capable, yet comfortable driving experience.

Extreme climate capability

Designed to cope with the demanding requirements of an extreme Scandinavian climate, Cross Country models perform in all sorts of road conditions – from muddy tracks and knee-deep snow to long distance highway driving. Proving a popular choice with horse and boat owners thanks to its high ground clearance, pulling power and responsive All-Wheel Drive, Cross Country has cemented its position as a premium mainstay and a true all-weather alternative to the SUV.

“We were very careful from the very beginning to ensure that the Cross Country concept was not just an exercise in rugged styling. We placed high demands on real-world capability, and as we developed the segment we added the comfort and convenience elements that Volvo drivers have come to expect,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

The eagerly awaited V90 Cross Country will be revealed in mid-September.

First generation 1997 – 2000

Developed as a capable alternative to the SUV and front-wheel drive cars, Volvo Cars’ first Cross Country the V70 XC grew in popularity as old school SUVs began to morph into city jeeps. Cross Country offered a new, adventurous take on motoring that delivered a competent mix of capability, functionality and comfort. The V70 XC was an instant success, especially in the North American market.

Second generation, 2000– 2007

In 2000, the second generation V70 XC came with much bolder styling and higher ground clearance.

When Volvo's first SUV, the XC90, came in 2002, the V70 XC received a newer, more modern All-Wheel Drive system and changed its name to XC70 in order to align to its bigger brother.

Third generation, 2007 - 2016

The third generation Volvo Cross Country arrived in 2007 with added elegance and luxury. The XC70 continued to be a North American love affair, accounting for almost half of the total volume produced.

In 2014, the XC70 gained recognition around the globe as Zlatan Ibrahimovic´s car thanks to a Volvo Cars commercial featuring the Swedish footballer. Such was the impact that sales of the model grew markedly during its last years of production.

A number of photos of a disguised test car were captured:

Here are a few renderings of how the car might look:

Very nice looking V70XC for sale in Scotland

Looks in good condition, and manual too!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C360739#

Some useful XC70 off-roading videos

1st Gen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXIX92CG7zA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boaR1Soixw8

2nd Gen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylYCIjM7d9U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-34ZtXyOLM&NR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYSONVtyuCk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWLJPEqSajo

3rd Gen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uf923rKHpA

Third generation off road specification

Volvo’s engineers and designers paid particular attention to the all new XC70’s ground clearance and wading depth as well as its ramp, approach and departure angles. 

VOLVO XC70

Wading depth: 300 mm

Ground clearance: 210 mm

Ramp angles:

19.2° approach

19.8° breakover

24° departure


AUDI A6 ALLROAD
Wading depth: 300 mm
Ground clearance: 185 mm
Ramp angles:
Breakover: 18.5°

The outgoing model has ramp angles of 16°, 18° and 20° respectively.

Some good pics of 2nd generation XC70

Tough Wagons - Round up of the North American market

Autotropolis Tough Wagon Roundup for 2010

Volvo XC70 comes out as largest and most luxurious of line up of Saab 93x, Audi A4 Allroad and Subaru Outback.

Subaru only wagon without plastic cladding, which may appeal to some.

Volvo XC70 Fuel Consumption

Year  Engine  MPG  Link
2003  D5 163hp  8.4–8.5 litres/100 km  Motor Sports Centre
2006 D5 185hp  37.2mpg 201g CO2/km  Yahoo Cars
2008  D5 185hp  28 mpg UK                 Car Magazine

Comparing the XC70 to the Saab 9-3X XWD

Comparisons need to be drawn between Saab's latest release, the 9-3x AWD wagon and the old man of the sector (the sector in question being premium Scandinavian AWD wagons). These are both stylish and practical wagons with enough off road ability for most people and a roof rack upon which to display your lifestyle accessories. I present some comparisons below, but first of all to become acquainted with the new Saab, have a read of some reviews - Jeremy Clarkson and the Irish Times.

At the moment (Dec 09) the 9-3X is available with a 2.0T (petrol/gasoline) and XWD, or a 1.9TTiD (diesel) and FWD, which makes no sense. We in Europe dearly hope that the marvellous 1.9TTiD (180bhp) will be paired with Haldex torque vectoring AWD, or XWD is Saab speak, early in the next decade.

Here's a professional view on the differences between the two also.

For now I'll focus on the XC70 3.2, which comes closest in power and torque terms (using UK figures).

Saab 9-3x
Engine 1998cc, four cylinders
Power 207bhp @ 5300rpm
Torque 221 lb ft @ 2500rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Acceleration 0-60mph: 8.2sec
Top speed 143mph
Fuel 34.9mpg (combined cycle)
CO2 194g/km
Road tax band J (£215 for a year)
Price £25,995
On sale Now


Volvo XC70 3.2 AWD
Model Volvo XC70 SE Sport
Engine 3192cc, six cylinders
Power 235bhp @ 6200rpm
Torque 236 lb ft @ 3200rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Fuel 24.8mpg (combined cycle)
CO2 272g/km
Acceleration 0-60mph: 8.1sec
Top speed 134mph
Price £35,700


From this we see that these two cars are in quite different market segments in terms of price (UK prices quoted) and fuel efficiency, pointing to the size differences evident - 6 inches in length and 100lb in weight.


Volvo

Length (in):         190.5
Wheelbase (in):   110.8
Width (in):            73.3
Height (in):           63.1
Curb weight (lb): 3307


Saab

Length (in):         184.6

Wheelbase (in):   105.3

Width (in):            70.9

Height (in):           60.2

Curb weight (lb): 3210

Competition: Audi A4 allroad, Subaru Legacy Outback and Skoda Scout.

Great photos of white XC70 D5 working hard in Australia

The owner of this white XC70 D5 puts it to good use and is very handy with a camera too, check out some of his superb pictures of the D5 at work in the Australian desert, like the one below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2008xc70

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2008xc70

Garda (Irish Police) Armed Response and Traffic Corp using XC70 D5 in Garda Livery

A NEW Garda rapid response unit has been established to offer armed support to the public and unarmed gardaí who unexpectedly find themselves in flashpoint situations with armed or dangerous criminals.
The new 24-member regional support unit (RSU) will police the Garda’s eastern region, which includes Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.


 The new unit launched yesterday by Asst Comm Dermot Jennings in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, comes a year after the first two RSUs were introduced to Limerick and Cork cities.

Mr Jennings said RSU members would patrol in their vehicles in the same way as marked patrol cars that carry uniformed, unarmed gardaí. However, the RSU would become an armed response unit “within seconds” of being requested to respond to a dangerous situation.

The RSUs were “in no way” being introduced as part of a wider process of arming the entire Garda force.
“I was speaking to the Garda Commissioner [Fachtna Murphy] in advance of the RSU being rolled out in this region and the message is very clear; this unit will be deployed on the streets and roads of our region to protect the community. It will confront and counteract the activities of those involved in serious crime.” Mr Jennings is the officer in charge of the Garda’s eastern region.

The new unit has been provided with six XC70 Volvo “Police Special” vehicles. The cars, with Garda livery, are custom-made with enhanced engines, braking systems, and other components that come under stress during emergency driving conditions.

They have secure compartments to store a range of equipment including Sig 9mm pistols and Heckler and Koch submachine guns. Their “less-than-lethal” weapons include Taser guns and pepper sprays.
Groups of three RSU members will patrol an area in their vehicle, like normal marked Garda patrols. When they are called on to respond to an armed or flashpoint situation they will quickly place a large “armed response unit” magnetic logo on the outside of their vehicle.

They will don armed response, or “tactical”, uniforms including baseball caps and shirts, which will differentiate them from unarmed Garda members.

In extreme cases they will wear full bullet-resistant suits. They will then access their weapons in a safe in their vehicles and make their way to a flashpoint situation.

They will also conduct operations to combat gun crime, knife crime and any form of organised or serious crime. The unit will be involved in duties such as Garda checkpoints and in executing search or arrest warrants on known dangerous criminals.

The units were first recommended by the Garda Inspectorate, led by Kathleen O’Toole. The inspectorate reviewed the report of the Barr tribunal of inquiry into the fatal shooting of John Carthy by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in Abbeylara.

Its review concluded that second-tier armed response teams were needed to contain incidents involving firearms pending the arrival of the ERU; which is the primary purpose of the RSUs.

The unit launched yesterday by Mr Jennings is made up of 24 experienced gardaí who have undergone an intense training programme in lethal and less than lethal weapons, tactical training and hostage negotiation. All have undergone paramedic training.

The next RSU to be launched will be based in Galway city.

From the Irish Times - http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0829/1224253464487.html

Volvo Introduces Next-Generation D5 Twin-Turbo Diesel Engine

Volvo Cars is introducing an entirely new 2.4-liter 5-cylinder diesel engine in the Volvo S80. Sharing only the D5 badge and the 5-cylinder configuration with the previous generation, the new D5 is Euro-5 compliant and is more efficient than its predecessor.

Volvo D5 twin-turbo diesel engine. Click to enlarge.

Featuring sequential twin turbochargers, ceramic glow-plugs and piezoelectric fuel injectors, the new engine applied in the S80 delivers 205 hp (153 kW) of power and 420 Nm (310 lb-ft) of torque, with fuel consumption of 6.2 liters/100 km (38 mpg US) and CO₂ emissions of 164 g/km.

The previous engine generation has undergone constant development in a series of stages and had reached the end of its potential. We therefore decided to start with a clean sheet of paper and harness the advanced technology to which we have access today. The result is even better than we dared hope. What is more, this engine has been developed entirely in-house at Volvo.

—Derek Crabb, Vice President, Powertrain Engineering

The twin turbo system. Click to enlarge.

The D5 engine is made entirely out of aluminium, for low weight and good heat dissipation properties. Transverse cooling gives uniform cooling of the cylinder head and engine block. This promotes a controlled temperature throughout the engine and contributes to high reliability and long lifetime.
The two turbochargers are of different sizes and together deliver boost pressure of 180 kPa (1.8 bar), across a broad rev range. The smaller turbocharger is used primarily at lower revs. It reacts more alertly than the larger one and provides immediate response to quick throttle movements. At higher revs, the larger turbocharger takes over to provide more propulsion when accelerating at higher speeds. In addition to increased performance and reduced fuel consumption, the twin-turbo approach makes it possible to exploit the EGR system more efficiently than before.

Haldex and the earlier vicous coupling AWD systems discussion

The First Generation V70XC had a Viscous Coupling developed by GKN to send power to the rear wheels when the front were slipping and TRACS traction control which can brake a spinning wheel.

Second Gen 2002-2003 used Haldex First Generation until MY2003 - 2005 when it got Second Generation. Third Generation XC70 2006+ uses Third Generation Haldex.

So what does this mean? Below is a good explanation by Ian a user on a VW board, but still relevant to Vovlo as the tecnhology is the same:

http://forums.mwerks.com/zerothread?id=4572860&page=2

Ok, so people are constantly confused about what 100% torque transfer means.
Torque is about applied force. If you're not actually applying it (putting it to the ground), then
it's irrelevant. An engine can't produce 300 lb-ft of torque without a load. A differential can't
send torque anywhere without a load, and where the load is, is what defines your torque transfer
characeristics.

So let's take a simple example. A 4x4 truck with locking diffs front, rear and center.
Let's say all 3 diffs are locked.
- Front tires on ice, rear tires on pavement. Hit the gas. 100% torque transfer to the rear, because those
are the only tires with any grip (load). You can't send 50% of the torque to the front, because they have zero traction.
Yes, they turn, but no significant torque is required to turn them.
- Rear tires on ice, front tires on pavement. 100% torque transfer for the front.
- Ok.. unlock the center diff (regular open diff, no lock). No matter what the traction situation is,
you'll have a "perfect" 50/50 torque split. BUT we'll see that's not so desirable.
- Front tires on ice, rear tires on pavement, you'll go nowhere because it requires virtually zero torque to spin the fronts, and thus the rears will get the same zero torque. That the definition of a true 50/50 split.

An open diff always sends the same amount of torque to both sides and the actual amount that
reaches the ground is 2x the applied torque at the lowest traction side. So your total grip
is always heavily limited by the lowest traction side.

What you usually want in an AWD system is a a 50/50 static distribution (just meaning
you're applying power to both sides of the diff when traction is the same all around)
and the ability to provide a total lockup instantly should one end/side lose
all of its traction. Fully locked allows for a 100% torque transfer to whichever end or
corner can use it.

Ok.. so where do Viscous Coupling systems and Haldex fall here?

THIRD GENERATION 2007-present

 The 2007 XC70 was introduced late in 2006 and is based on the S80/Ford Mondeo platform.

The new model has enhanced ground clearace, is larger all round and features updated DSTC and Hill Descent Control borrowed from Ford's ownershp of Land Rover at the time. The new model has much greater off road prowess than the model it replaces, perhaps also due to the use of Haldex Traction's Third Generation AWD controller.

SECOND GENERATION XC70 1999–2007

DIMENSIONS
Overall length, mm                                               4733
Overall width (exc. wing mirrors), mm                  1860
Unladen height, mm                                              1562
Wheelbase length, mm                                          2763
Front track width, mm                                          1611
Rear track width, mm                                           1548
Ground to boot base height, mm                           647

Drag coefficient                                                    0.34

Boot Volume, litres (cu. ft.)                                  485 (17.1) to window line
Boot Volume, rear seats down, litres (cu. ft.)        745 (26.3) to window line
                                                                           1641 (58.0) to roof



WEIGHTS                                                        2.5T                                 D5
Min. kerb weight, kg                                          1679                                1748
Max. possible towing weight braked, kg             1800                                1800
Max. towing weight unbraked approx, kg           750                                  750
Max. total weight, kg                                          2220                                2220
Max. roof load, kg                                             100                                   100
Max. payload, kg                                               541                                    472

FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS

• Improved safety for all ages
• More security for your valuables
• Versatile three-split rear seat
• Increased control in steep terrain
• Powerful six-cylinder engine
  

Safety
The safety and security features in the Volvo XC70 set a new standard. They include a strengthened safety cage, two stage integrated child booster cushions as well as increased protection against smash and grab-burgularies and break-ins.

Performance - Pemium Quality Driving Pleasure
At lower or higher speeds, the Volvo XC70 is well equipped to give any ordinary journey a total make over. A five cylinder direct-injection diesel is available to get the best out of the advanced chassis. And if a rugged road tries to get the best of you - the All Wheel Drive, the new Hill Descent Control and the standard DSTC tration control system can make all the difference.

Environment - A haven from pollution, pollen and allergens.
Whether you're stuck in rush hour traffic or following a hay-laden tractor, you will breath much easier in a Volvo XC70. Thanks to such features as the Volvo Clean Zone Interior Package and the Interior Air Quality System, the new Volvo XC70's interior is a great place to be - while the energy-efficient engines do their best for the outside environment.

FIRST GENERATION V70 XC 1997-2000

Originally a trim level of the V70 wagon, the Cross Country spec gained enough popularity to be spun out as a model of it's own in 2000 - Volvo's first SUV, the XC70, was born.

Wheelbase	1998: 2,662 mm (104.8 in) 1999-2000: 2,654 mm (104.5 in)
Length	1998: 4,722 mm (185.9 in) 1999-2000: 4,735 mm (186.4 in)
Width	1,760 mm (69.3 in)
Height	1,481 mm (58.3 in)
AWD System	Vicsous coupling

Swedespeed have a useful post on replacing the prop shaft on 1997-2000 Volvo V70XC and V70AWD: http://www.swedespeed.com/artman2/publish/Technical_Features/1998-2000_V70_AWD_Propeller_Shaft_Repair.html

Transmission Failure of '01 and '02 models

VolvoXC.com forums have a survey about widely reported transmission failures on 2001 and 2002 models here.

This shows that problems are not as widespread as may have been reported, but it is still an issue to watch when planning a purchase of an XC70.

New Volvo XC70 review from The Truth About Cars

The Truth About Cars offers a positive review of the new XC70 - http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volvo-xc70-review-2/.

I particularly like their description of the interior - "the XC70’s interior design is like an Audi for long-sighted, glove-wearing architects."

I agree with all of what they say, and especially the suggestion to sell a stripped-out version for $10,000 less.This would make the car a great utility vehicle for families, outdoor types and various outdoor occupations like engineers, vets and technicians who often have to go off road with some gear, but lack the need for a full off-roader or even a soft-roader. The Skoda Octavia Scout and Subaru Forester hang out in this niche presently.

XC70 on road manners

On the road, the XC70 pitches and wallows like pre-oil embargo American land yachts. While you would expect whale-like manners from a Jeep product, the XC70's car-like interior atmos clashes with the SUV ride. Fortunately, Volvo's [optional] Four-C active chassis system banishes the high seas body roll, as well as nose tip and dive– without detracting from the XC70's off-road prowess.

 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volvo-xc70-review/