The teaser image tells us that Volvo’s next concept falls in line with the head-turning design language seen on the XC90 and the S90. Notably, the concept gets elongated headlights with integrated T-shaped LED daytime running lights — an elegant styling cue called Thor’s Hammer in Volvo lingo — and it’s fitted with Volvo’s signature curved grille. A sculpted hood promises to give the concept a muscular appearance.
All told, the teaser image does a good job of hiding the concept’s overall lines. However, Thomas Ingenlath, the senior vice president of Volvo’s design department, recently told Digital Trends that Volvo’s smaller models will receive their own design language. In other words, the XC40 crossover won’t look like a XC90 that shrunk in the wash.
What’s under the sheet metal is perhaps even more important. The concept rides on a new platform called Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that was co-developed with parent company Geely to underpin an array of different models and body styles. Switching to the CMA platform will allow Volvo to make its next-gen concepts lighter, while leveraging the benefits of economies of scale.
Power will primarily be provided by a brand new 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that Volvo will introduce in the not-too-distant future. A four-cylinder might be offered for buyers who need more power, and the lineup will be expanded with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain a little later in the production run.
There’s a catch: The teaser image previews a concept, but Volvo confirmed to Digital Trends that it will actually show two concepts based on the CMA platform next week. The first is expected to be a hatchback that will preview the next-generation V40, which will fight in the same arena as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the BMW 1 Series. The second will be a crossover designed to give us a glimpse of a crossover dubbed XC40 that will take on the GLA and the X1. The 40-series family will also include a sedan dubbed S40, but it doesn’t sound like we’ll see it in Sweden.
Read more: Dive deep into Volvo’s diverse, 90-year long history in the company’s official museum
Curious to see what’s next? Be sure to follow Volvo on Snapchat, because the company will publish a new teaser image every day leading up to the concept’s debut in less than a week. And stay tuned to Digital Trends, we’re attending the debut event in Sweden and we’ll bring you live images of the concepts as soon as they’re unveiled.
Updated 05/13/2016 by Ronan Glon: Corrected an error in the platform’s name.
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