Wagons and crossovers accounted for almost half of Volvo’s sales in the US last year, so it comes as little surprise that the company will be adding even more of these models to its lineup in the near future. The first of these will be the XC60 crossover that’s due in early 2009, bringing Volvo’s tally of wagons and crossovers to five. The next phase is to expand the current model range to include more upscale and low-end vehicles.

Volvo exec Steven Armstrong is confident of the trend towards crossover vehicles lasting the long-term. He stated in a recent interview, “we were producing crossovers before the term was even invented. There are still plenty of opportunities to fill in gaps with new things." Autoweek reports that the company is supposedly working on a new vehicle that would be positioned under the XC60 and be similar in size to the S40 sedan.

At the other end of the scale is the possibility of a high-end wagon, labeled the V90, that would be based on the Versatility Concept Car the Swedish brand displayed at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. Volvo currently lacks the financial and engineering resources to develop these new models, "but it is easier to cancel or reduce volumes of a vehicle than to suddenly have to play catch-up," added Armstrong, highlighting the need for more models.