• Sporty driving style
• Next in Cross Country line-up
Volvo unveiled the Cross Country version of its Volvo V60 sports wagon at the 2014 Los Angeles auto show earlier in November 2014, a model expected in South Africa during the second half of 2015.
Other versions of the cars were launched in August 2013.
IMPROVED GROUND CLEARANCE
Lex Kerssemakers, a senior VP at Volvo, said: "We are delighted to add the third true Cross Country to our product portfolio. The successful combination of dynamic styling and rugged capability places the Volvo V60 Cross Country in a class of its own.
"With ground clearance increased by 65mm over the standard V60, the Cross Country's sturdy construction offers unparalleled control on and off the beaten track, coupled with a sporty drive thanks to torque-vectoring technology and traction control.”
The new Cross Country can be equipped with 18" or 19" alloys and high-profile tyres, "adding comfort and off-road aesthetics, reducing road noise and providing added wheel protection whether climbing kerbs (why do drivers of such cars believe they have the right to do that, I wonder? – Editor) "or negotiating rocky roads".
IMAGE GALLERY: 2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country
VIDEO: Volvo V60 Cross Country in action
Supporting its high ground-clearance are skid plates (front and rear), side scuff plates and wheel-arch extenders. The V60 Cross Country has black leather sport seats with distinctive brown stitching or two-tone leather.
The US and Canada will receive the first units, powered by a five-cylinder, 242kW T6 petrol, mated to an auto, sending power to all four wheels.
Two all-wheel drive derivatives are expected to reach South African showrooms in the second half of 2015; the Volvo V60 Cross Country D4 AWD (130kW) a/t and Volvo V60 Cross Country T5 AWD (187kW) a/t.
Detailed specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the South African launch.
CROSS COUNTRY HERITAGE
Volvo's Cross Country brand has a long heritage.
Volvo was the first premium brand to offer increased all-road capability and styling on its wagons as far back as 1997 when it introduced the Volvo V70 Cross Country, creating a whole new type of car experience.