New small premium package

Volvo has further expanded its line-up of SUVs with the launch of its new XC40 small premium SUV.

The arrival of the XC40 means that for the first time in its history, Volvo Cars has three new, globally available SUVs in what is the fastest growing segment of the automotive market.

The new XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all other upcoming cars in the 40 Series including fully electrified vehicles.

“The XC40 is our first entry in the small SUV segment, broadening the appeal of the Volvo brand and moving it in a new direction,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “It represents a fresh, creative and distinctive new member of the Volvo line-up/”

The car was recently unveiled to the media in Milan, with Håkan describing is as a perfect fit as the Italian city is ‘a buzzing European hotspot for fashion, art, design and lifestyle’.

In terms of technology, the XC40 brings the award-winning safety, connectivity and infotainment technologies known from the top-of-the-range large XC90 and the mid-sized XC60 Series cars to the small SUV segment.

They make the XC40 one of the best-equipped small premium SUVs on the market. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360° Camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.

The XC40 also offers a radically new approach to storage inside the car. Ingenious interior design provides XC40 drivers with, among other things, more functional storage space in the doors and under the seats, a special space for phones including inductive charging, a fold-out hook for small bags and a removable waste bin in the tunnel console, ideal additions for parents on the school run in Bahrain.

From start of production, the XC40 will be available with a T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E powertrain. Further powertrain options, including a hybridised as well as a pure electric version, will be added later. The XC40 will also be the first Volvo model to be available with the marque’s new 3-cylinder engine.

Production of the XC40 starts in Volvo Cars’ plant in Ghent, Belgium in November and it will be available in the Middle East as of January 2018.

Prices will be announced shortly.

For more information contact Motorcity Volvo Showroom in Sitra on 17736104 or visit www.motorcity.com.bh

Cracking down on clutter with clever design

Volvo aims to help end the clutter problem faced daily by drivers around the globe: a lack of suitable and functional storage space inside their car.

With its innovative approach inside the new XC40 small city SUV, set to be launched in the coming weeks, the marque takes the lead in the small premium SUV segment in terms of space, storage and all-round functionality.

As part of the XC40’s development phase, Volvo Cars’ customer research team spent considerable time investigating how city dwellers around the globe use their car on a daily basis – and, more importantly, how they store their belongings in their cars. Customers were also asked how they would like to see the interiors of their cars improved.

It turned out that different regions and cities produced remarkably similar results, providing valuable input as Volvo’s designers got to work on the interior of the new XC40.

“As we spoke to people about how and where they store the things they carry with them daily, it was quite clear that most of today’s cars are falling short in this area. Phones slide around in the mid-console, takeaway bags are at constant risk of falling over and people fumble behind the wheel as they try to get service cards out of their wallets. We set out to solve these and many other issues we encountered,” says Louiza Atcheba, model brand manager for the 40 Series at Volvo Cars.

“A lot we have done with the XC40 is based on extensive consumer insight. With the XC40, we declare the end of clutter, making sure that everything is within arms-reach but also out of sight. It’s about clearing the clutter so you can clear your mind.”

For instance, in order to provide better storage space in the doors of the new XC40, Volvo designers chose a radical new approach. By moving speakers from the door and developing a world-first, air-ventilated dashboard-mounted sub-woofer, Volvo created enough storage in the door compartment for a laptop and a tablet, or a couple of water bottles.

“When we designed the tunnel the focus was not only on creating a nice design, but also to ensure that cup-holders can be used as cup-holders and that the design itself provides areas for coins, cards or charging cables. Another focus area was to make a usable space for your phone which offers wireless charging as well as USB ports,” revealed Conny Ewe Blommé, senior design manager at Volvo Cars.

A small fold-away hook has been added to the glove compartment, allowing you to secure small shopping or take-away bags. Both front seats offer a storage space under the seat, large enough to a mini tablet or other smaller items.

The XC40 also offers slots for credit and service cards that can be neatly inserted into the dashboard, making them readily available when needed. In the tunnel console, under the armrest, there is a large storage area with room for a tissue box. A special, removable bin allows you to discard and quickly get rid of waste.

“In the boot we have designed a smart floor system which can fold and separate your luggage and allows you to use the full luggage space without removing the floor from the car. The rear-seat electronic folding mechanism gives you a flat loading floor at the touch of a button,” Conny Ewe added.

The XC40 includes a fold-up boot divider with two hooks to help secure shopping bags or other luggage, along with four load hooks that make loading luggage a simple task. A private locking storage compartment has also been added under the load floor.