Volvo XC60 pictures leaked

German magazines Auto Zeitung and Auto Motor und Sport earlier today broke an embargo on pictures for the new Volvo XC60 concept, to be shown in a few week’s time at the Detroit Motor Show. That’s why our friends at Swedish magazine Auto Motor & Sport also released the pictures today, and tipped us off that theirs were in high-resolution.

According to the report, the XC60 concept will be built on the EUCD platform that forms the basis for the Freelander 2 and Iosis X concept. The exterior design is a break from Volvo’s traditional boxy approach and we can clearly see that Ford’s kinetic design principle has been applied to it. It’s the first vehicle to be designed under the eye of Volvo’s new design director, Steve Mattin, and previews the design cues we’ll find on future Volvos.

The interior is in some ways even more stunning and futuristic, with instrument panel that looks like it glows in the dark, and no sign of a gear lever anywhere. The whole fascia is a touch screen that changes to suit to suit the function you're using. Making a call? It'll become a phone numberpad. Playing some tunes? It'll show the track names and information on the display. It’s unlikely the production interior will be anywhere close to this concept, but we may be presently surprised. Volvo has been improving their interiors of late with designs such as the floating centre stack, also shown in this concept.

Production is already planned for the XC60, and it’s likely to be built on the same line as Ford’s upcoming C-cross, which Auto Motor & Sport is saying will be the production version of the Iosis X concept.

Engine and transmission variants will be mainly from the S80 sedan, including a V8 model, and five and six-speed automatics. The crossover will come with a Haldex-developed AWD system, but may also be offered as a FWD only in the future. Volvo also has the option of increasing its off-road capabilities, but will likely avoid doing so because it doesn’t want to spend money developing an off-road vehicle that will remain on normal roads 99% of the time.



Click here to see more high-res images of the new XC60 concept.