The Volvo Coupe Concept vaporizes your memories of boxy mom cars, recalls P1800

By Nick Jaynes Published August 29, 2013

After a few teaser shots, Volvo has officially unveiled the full specs and photos of its latest Coupe Concept vehicle, which is slated for an in-the-flesh debut at the Frankfurt auto show. And if you were wondering: yes, this is Volvo’s 21^st century answer to the iconic P1800 of the 1960s. This one, however, is no Saint.

The all-new concept, which is the first of three in a series that will be unveiled, is based upon Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform. Despite its sporting looks, the Coupe shares the same platform as the XC90 SUV set for unveil in 2014.

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“The Volvo Concept Coupe is no futuristic dream car. It is designed to demonstrate the capability of our new architecture: the confident stance, the proportions and the most prominent design structures,” said Senior Vice President of Design Thomas Ingenlath in a prepared statement.

“Think about the powerful calmness of a lion. He doesn’t have to prowl to radiate respect. Even lying down he shows very clearly what he is capable of,” Ingenlath added. While I understand his point, equating your car to the power of a cat at rest is less than exciting. But, really, what can you expect from Volvo? It still no Jaguar.

130806_2_1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the interior beats a high-tech heart. Volvo added a portrait touch-screen to the dashboard much like the big screen in the Tesla Model S. This screen interacts with the heads-up and adaptive digital displays throughout the cabin. With the Coupe Concept, Volvo is keen to show its dedication to safe and and enjoyable cars.

In terms of safety, Volvo says the SPA-based cars are set up for full autonomous driving, which will be out on the roads before 2020.

As for powertrain, Volvo has fitted the Coupe with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain centered around a 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder and an electric motor in the rear axle. Total system power output is rated at 400 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque.

Although I have a soft spot in my heart for slow, boxy Volvos of old, I am glad to see Volvo competing with the likes of the Cadillac Elmiraj in both bodylines and pure power.

130828_2_1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

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Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

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Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

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Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.