Volvo Auto India Pvt. Ltd. introduced 2.0-liter diesel-engine-powered variants of its S60 and S80 sedans and its XC60 sport-utility vehicle. The base variant of the S60 has been priced at 2.32 million rupees ($47,025), while the S80 is 3.12 million rupees and XC60 is 3.32 million rupees at showrooms in New Delhi.

The three new variants are 600,000 rupees cheaper than the comparative models, which are sold with a 2.4-liter diesel engine, the company said. Volvo also sells the sedans and SUV with gasoline engines.

The auto maker has lagged behind BMW AG, Audi AG and Daimler AG in India’s luxury car market, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest in the next decade. Volvo doesn’t produce cars in India, making its models more expensive due to taxes on imports.

The company said it will introduce newer models to increase its share in India and that it aims to be one of the top three luxury car makers in the country by 2020.

“[The] luxury car segment is growing at a good pace in India but it is still very small. The segment comprises 1% of total car sales in India compared to 10% globally, and we expect it to grow to 3% by 2020,” Tomas Ernberg, managing director of Volvo Auto India, told reporters.

Volvo Auto India Pvt. Ltd. introduced 2.0-liter diesel-engine-powered variants of its S60 and S80 sedans and its XC60 sport-utility vehicle. The base variant of the S60 has been priced at 2.32 million rupees ($47,025), while the S80 is 3.12 million rupees and XC60 is 3.32 million rupees at showrooms in New Delhi.

The three new variants are 600,000 rupees cheaper than the comparative models, which are sold with a 2.4-liter diesel engine, the company said. Volvo also sells the sedans and SUV with gasoline engines.

The auto maker has lagged behind BMW AG, Audi AG and Daimler AG in India’s luxury car market, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest in the next decade. Volvo doesn’t produce cars in India, making its models more expensive due to taxes on imports.

The company said it will introduce newer models to increase its share in India and that it aims to be one of the top three luxury car makers in the country by 2020.

“[The] luxury car segment is growing at a good pace in India but it is still very small. The segment comprises 1% of total car sales in India compared to 10% globally, and we expect it to grow to 3% by 2020,” Tomas Ernberg, managing director of Volvo Auto India, told reporters.

He said the company wants to sell 800 cars in India in 2012, up from 320 it sold last year.

“With new models and marketing push, we expect our sales to grow to 20,000 by 2020. We expect to have a 15% market share of India’s luxury car market by then,” Mr. Ernberg said.

So says John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo North America in the opening statement of the Chicago Auto Show preview Wednesday in McCormick place.

The carmaker will do that by expanding on its systems that automatically stop a car to prevent a low-speed crash.

Volvo also is protecting the safety of the environment by shifting to 4-cylinder engines across its lineup. “The days of measuring performance by counting cylinders are over,” Maloney says.

Trumpeting a 25 percent increase in sales in 2011 that made Volvo the fastest-growing luxury brand in the U.S., Maloney expects strong sales to continue, and says high gas prices are “no barrier.”

He cited the average age of cars in the U.S., which are at an all-time high of 11 years, for his optimism.

Caught undergoing testing in Scandinavia, the five-door hatchback is reportedly based on the C30 and will eventually replace S40 and V50. Styling will likely be influenced by the S60 and XC60, so expect a prominent grille, a sloping roofline and distinctive taillights.

Additional information is limited, but the car is expected to be about the same size as the Volkswagen Golf. However, the company has already confirmed it will compete with the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3.

Anders Osberg, chief financial officer of the Volvo Group — which manufacturers trucks and construction machinery parallel to Volvo Cars, the consumer cars division — was speaking in advance of Volvo’s 2011 fourth quarter results due on Friday.

“It is an attractive place to be, we are looking at relationships with banks and so on to try and sell our products even further,” Osberg said. “There are potential markets for us today where we haven’t been that active before but are trying to break into now.

“Saudi Arabia, for instance, is a potential good market from the trucks and construction equipment perspective.”

Comfortable

Osberg said that Volvo Group, which had sales of $45 billion (Dh165.15 billion) in the third quarter of 2011, was comfortable with its presence in emerging markets, including China and the Middle East, and was waiting to see what picture would develop in Europe and the United States.

“We see a much more balanced picture and this is how we would like to be in the future,” he said. “In an economic downturn it is good not to have to rely on a single market… The first six months of 2012 will be very much guiding where we are heading in these different key markets. I think we’re coming into a situation where it is very hard to make any kind of economic forecast.”

Speaking about China, a key market for Volvo Cars especially since its highly publicised tie-up with Chinese automaker Geely, Osberg said that Volvo Group benefited from brand recognition in the country.

“The awareness of the brand name Volvo is never a disadvantage for us,” he said. “The perception in China is because of the passenger car and it is easier for people to put their hands on a car and say, it’s a Volvo. Our task is to make sure our products are recognised in China too.”

Small cars

But he admitted that, unlike some other markets, China was very much dependent on the macro-economic policies in Beijing. In the years following the financial crisis, China provided subsidies on small cars which boosted the domestic market, but has since taken measures to try to cool it down.

“I think you expect a little bit to have the market on [the government's] radar screen so that every-thing is compliant with their inflationary goals and objectives,” he said. “They are quite direct on that.”

Speaking about the Volvo Ocean Race, which Volvo has owned and operated for more than a decade and was held in Abu Dhabi this month, Osberg said that the firm deliberately chose ports that could be beneficial in wooing customers.

“We are open for partners,” Volvo’s chief executive Stefan Jacoby confirmed to the Financial Times. “We are open for collaboration in a win-win situation for sharing platforms, for sharing engines and for a general higher scale of economics.”

Since taking the lead, Volvo’s new boss, former Volkswagen man Stefan Jacoby, has set a focal point on streamlining the company using a Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA). The architecture allows almost any Volvo car to be built on the same core set of chassis components, and can apparently be scaled to suit everything from the smallest, simplest cars, to the largest and most complex.

The Swede’s potential partner will also be able to benefit from the new Volvo Environmental Architecture of four-cylinder engines, which will be available in either diesel-fueled or direct-injected gasoline variants. The VEA can be used to produce a variety of engines, ranging from higher-powered engines for sportier cars, to fuel-sippers for city cars.

But small cars seem to the top priority so far, considering the V40 was pushed up the product cycle ahead of a much-needed replacement for the XC90.

As for the match-making, Jacoby told the Financial Times it had some potential partners in mind, but remained tight-lipped when it came to names.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Jacoby said, “We are open for partners. We are open for collaboration in a win-win situation for sharing platforms, for sharing engines, and for a general higher scale of economics.”

Jacoby, a former executive with Volkswagen, added that “no decision has been made” by Volvo regarding a potential partner.

Volvo was acquired in 2010 from Ford Motor by Chinese automaker Geely. Last year, it built and sold just under 450,000 cars.

Volvo’s smallest car, the C30, is based on the platform of the Ford Focus.

Other European automakers have forged similar platform-sharing partnerships, notably PSA Peugeot Citroen and Toyota and, more recently, Daimler and the Renault-Nissan alliance.

The previous course record was 68 set by Tim Clark and Ross Fisher in the first round of the 2005 South African Open.

“I’m very happy. Having a course record on a course like this is obviously a pretty big thing,” Colsaerts said. “You hear about this place, being ranked No. 1 in South Africa, it’s quite special.”

Known as one of the longest drivers on tour, Colsaert’s iron play and putting drew attention instead on Thursday.

He rolled in the longest putt of his round when he holed a 12-footer for birdie on the second.

“Then every birdie just seemed from pretty close range. I holed every chance I had,” he said.

He birdied nine of 11 holes from the eighth.

“I kept hitting the irons very, very close to the flag. You know, once you hit three or four in a row you feel you can kind of hole from the fairway pretty much,” he said.

History/Description

The XC90 was Volvo’s shot at machines like the Mercedes ML, Audi Q7 and Acura MDX. A premium four-wheel drive SUV, it boasted uniquely rugged styling, available V8 power, and a long-lived reputation for safety and occupant protection.

At launch in 2003, two turbocharged engines were available — namely a 2.5 litre turbo five-cylinder engine with 208 horsepower, or a 2.9 litre turbocharged straight six with 268. Look for a five-speed automatic and AWD with both engines.

A 3.2 litre straight-six with 235 horsepower was also available in later years, fitted with a six-speed automatic, and a 4.4 litre, 311-horsepower V8 engine was added to the lineup later in the XC90’s life.

Look for the XC90 in five or seven-seat configurations, and with features like heated leather, premium audio, a sunroof, self-dimming rearview mirror, keyless engine start, heated mirrors, bi-xenon lights and plenty more.

What Owners Like

XC90 owners typically rave about sport-sedan road manners, smooth and refined performance and a safe and stable road feel with plenty of traction in virtually any condition. Performance with the V8 engine is also highly rated. The xenon lighting system is said to be excellent in inclement weather.

Common Issues

Start your XC90 test drive with an inspection of the interior, ensuring all electronics work as expected, and that no trim pieces are missing or broken. Check for proper operation from the stereo and climate control system.

A full check-over by a Volvo-trained mechanic is also advised and have said mechanic check for excessive tire and brake wear, the condition of the suspension system and for any fluid leaks from the engine, transmission, transfer case or differentials. Ask the mechanic to check for signs of excessive rust, or any undercarriage damage that may have been caused by careless off-roading.

Note that well-documented transmission failure issues with the T6-powered models should be considered when shopping a used XC90. Where possible, avoid a used XC90 with the T6 engine.

Higher-mileage turbocharged XC90s should be checked for turbocharger condition by a mechanic or mechanically-inclined friend. A turbocharger replacement will run into the thousands of dollars, so avoid any XC90 that smokes at startup or under hard acceleration and be sure to check inside the ‘charge pipe’ coming out of the turbocharger for pooling oil. A mechanic or mechanically-inclined friend can help here.

Where maintenance is concerned, the XC90’s naturally-aspirated 3.2 litre engine will likely be the cheapest to run.

Finally, scrutinize the XC90’s interior condition, including the seats, carpeting and trim around the cargo area. If any part of the interior is showing excessive wear, be sure to call it into pricing negotiations.

The Verdict

Comfort, styling, capability and safety will be the most compelling reasons to check out an XC90 as a used buy. Major issues are well documented, and shoppers avoiding the T6-powered model can likely expect a relatively affordable used premium SUV ownership experience.

If you were at an international airport and had to choose between a German, British, French or Swede to leave your one-year-old child with as you went for a ‘long call’, who would you settle for ?

Perhaps you would hold on until you relieved yourself at 39,000 feet but if things got worse you might settle for the Swede as they build safe boring cars like Volvo and Saab. Well things are changing fast and while they still might hold the safety crown, they would like to make it to the finals of the beauty pageant.