FRAMKOMLIGHET – is Swedish for the ability to get wherever you want to go, according to Volvo.
And the company say that spirit is in every Volvo car – regardless of the weather conditions.
At the heart of that philosophy is 20 years of research and development into all wheel drive systems including the latest addition of electric all wheel drive to their top of the line, 90 series , products.
“This is an important part of our heritage and a clear reflection of who we are and where we come from,” said Henrik Green, senior vice president, Research & Development at Volvo Cars.
But it also signposts the way that Volvo is intending to go.
The first Volvo AWD car to go into regular production was the 850 Estate in 1996. It was matched to a 193PS turbocharged 15T engine with a five speed manual transmission.
The 850 was followed closely by the Volvo V70 with AWD from 1997 onwards, and then the V70 XC.
Today the multi award winning XC90 comes with electronically controlled all whee drive which improves handling and stability as well as providing a more powerful driving experience – the 2litre T8 goes from 0 to 62mph in just 5.6 seconds.
The system has now been installed in all the 90 cars including the very latest model, the Volvo V90 Cross Country.
Green went on: “Electrification will bring ever more flexibility to AWD. You can see the first signs of this in our XC90 T8 Twin Engine, where we have an electric rear-axle drive unit powering the rear wheels.
“As we move to full-battery electric vehicles and other powertrain applications, we will see increased opportunities to control each motor and wheel independently, based on either the surface conditions or the desired driving style.
“We understand the need for a flexible AWD solution that quickly and automatically adapts to different real-world, all-weather circumstances.
“AWD is as much a safety feature as it is a vehicle dynamics system, and we are committed to delivering a confident, balanced and enjoyable driving experience that delivers a feeling of full control.”
All wheel drive variants make up 50 per cent of new car orders for the new 90 series and more than 40 per cent of all other cars.