Volvo XC60: Luxury Driving, Affordable Price

Newly redesigned XC60 turns heads

Indisputably, Volvo is an innovator when it comes to building safe vehicles. Years before government mandates required that certain safety features be included, the Swedish automaker was at the forefront of a technological evolution which brought three-point safety belts, enhanced child booster seats and side impact protection systems to today’s cars.

SUV Competition

An area where Volvo once trailed the competition was in the development of sport/utility vehicles, having not introduced its first model, the XC90, until 2002. At that time chief competitors such as Mercedes, Audi and BMW were well entrenched in the market, but the XC90 quickly became a hit and is currently Volvo’s most popular selling model worldwide.

For an encore, Volvo introduced the five-passenger XC60 for 2010, a smaller car-based SUV (crossover) model that competes against the likes of the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Lexus RX350, and Cadillac SRX. Powered by a standard 3.2L V6 or optional 3.0L turbo-charged T6 engine, the XC60 is paired with a six-speed “geartronic” transmission that can be operated in either automatic or manual mode.

Uniquely Styled

Outside, the XC60 continues the “tall wagon” appearance of other Volvo models including the XC70. Wide shoulders, a wedge profile and the ubiquitous Volvo nose and trademark grill blend to form an attractive, well-balanced crossover.

Massive taillights rise from either side of the rear and up to the roof, offsetting a large centered brake light.

Inside, the Volvo XC60′s interior is clean, spacious and nicely appointed, featuring a fresh and ergonomically friendly dash layout. Audio, cabin comfort and navigation controls can be found in the center stack with saddle leather and brushed aluminum treatments adorning the interior.

Safety features abound including torsional rigidity, roll stability, traction control, comprehensive airbag system and head restraints for all. The XC60 has a solid look, feel and drive to it, inspiring confidence to all that this crossover lives up to its reputation.

Smart Storage

Storage is plentiful thanks to the XC60′s wagon-like cargo area which doubles capacity when the rear seat is folded down. Rear seating passengers, by the way, will discover that the XC60 offers plenty of shoulder and legroom for taller riders.

Perhaps what is of interest to most customers is City Safety, Volvo’s automatic braking/collision avoidance system which automatically stops the XC60 when traveling at speeds of 18 mph or less and when a collision with the car in front becomes apparent. Embedded infrared sensors located in the upper windshield constantly monitor the distance between both vehicles, automatically stopping your crossover if a crash is likely. This standard feature alone is a strong Volvo selling point for a car with a base price of $32,995 ($37,200 with the all wheel drive T6 engine package); low 40s fully equipped.

See Also — Edmunds: 2010 Volvo XC60 Review

Ford Shakes Its Upper Management Tree

The Ford Motor Company continues to embrace change, an ongoing process that seems to have gained steam ever since Alan Mulally flew away from Boeing to take over the automaker’s reigns in 2006.

Before then Bill Ford was in charge, an executive with a friendly face but not known as someone possessing the business acumen needed to ensure that Ford would survive its second century. Bill’s role as executive chairman today is mostly benign, officiating over ribbon-cutting events while reassuring Ford family faithful that their investment remains on solid ground.

Asset Sale

With Alan in charge, he did the unthinkable by hocking all of the company’s assets in order to gain access to tens of billions of dollars of cash, money needed to transform the automaker from a weak national contender to a manufacturer of exciting and high quality passenger vehicles. That move kept Ford out of bankruptcy and away from the same hand guiding the restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler.

Following Ford’s May announcement that Mercury would be closed down in the fourth quarter of this year and that Lincoln would soon benefit from as many as seven new or vastly updated models over the next four years, Ford signaled that it would continue to make whatever changes are necessary to keep the momentum going.

Volvo Deal

On Wednesday, Ford announced three executive changes each of which will take place once Ford closes on its deal to sell Volvo to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Limited before the third quarter ends. Those changes are:

John Fleming, 58, Ford executive vice president currently serving dual roles as Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe and head of Global Manufacturing and Labor affairs, will lead the company’s Global Manufacturing & Labor Affairs operations.

Stephen Odell, 55, currently CEO of Volvo Cars, is appointed a Ford group vice president and succeeds Fleming as chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe.

Stuart Rowley, 43, chief financial officer of Volvo, becomes chief financial officer, Ford of Europe.

In addition, Jim Farley, 48, will take an expanded role as Ford’s global leader for marketing, sales and service around the world. Currently, Farley is Ford group vice president, Global Marketing and Canada, Mexico and South America operation.

One Ford

Ford says it is reorganizing its operations in Canada, Mexico and South America. On August 1, Eduardo Serrano, 50, who is currently president and CEO of Ford of Mexico, will become executive director, Latin America, with responsibility for the company’s operations in Mexico and South America. Serrano and Ford of Canada president David Mondragon will report to Mark Fields, Ford executive vice president and president of the Americas.

Related to the announcement Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally commented, “These moves allow us to strengthen our global team as we accelerate our One Ford plan and continue to profitably grow serving our customers around the world.”

Source: Ford Motor Company

Auto Trends We’re Following

What’s in the news?

The summer months are supposed to be fairly quiet when it comes to developing auto industry news stories, but there is enough happening this summer to keep everyone’s eyes focused.

This time last year the federal CARS or “cash for clunkers” program was heating up, introduced on July 24 and offering an artificial surge in car sales. In 2009, billions of dollars of taxpayer monies were being directed to an industry already benefiting from tens of billions of dollars in bail out bucks and other relief. What good the program did is a matter of debate, but know this: there is no desire on the part of most politicians to bring it back.

Here are some of the auto trends we’re currently following:

• The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe is in production and the first cars have left the factory floor and are enroute to Cadillac dealerships. This model will expand the CTS portfolio which now includes a sedan, sport wagon, the coupe and V-Series versions of the sedan and soon the wagon and coupe.

• Toyota knew about engine problems with its Lexus models as far back as 2007, but didn’t issue a recall until July 1 this year.  Automotive News reports that the first customer complaints for affected Lexus models dates to March 2007, when Japanese customers complained about defective valve springs.

• Not much has been said about Ford’s sale of Volvo to Geely in recent months, but that is beginning to change. The Wall Street Journal shared a statement from the EU’s antitrust body which said, “The Commission concluded that the transaction wouldn’t significantly impede effective competition.” Expect that Ford to conclude the deal sometime this summer.

• How will Chrysler handle the sale of the Fiat brand in America? That is a good question, one that has remained unanswered even as the Fiat 500 is being prepared for its stateside debut later this year. The Kenosha News reports that Chrysler dealers are receiving packets outlining what is required of them to be considered for Fiat dealerships. Chrysler, 20 percent owned by Fiat, will be establishing 200 dealerships in hopes of selling 50,000 Fiats annually.

• Will the Detroit 3 survive? Some people are still asking that question although Ford’s position is by far the brightest of all three. GM appears to have stabilized and even Chrysler is enjoying a boost thanks to its recently released 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.  The Detroit Free Press says that all three automakers appear to be able to ride out the current economic storm.

That’s it for today…new stories shared as we discover them!