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Overall, Volvo had a pretty good 2014. With global sales of 465,866, the Swedish automaker saw growing success in Europe and China that helped it hit a new sales record, which was up by a whopping 8.9% when compared with worldwide sales in 2013. But rather than being satisfied with hitting such an incredible number in 2014, Volvo is forecasting global sales in the region of 500,000 in 2015, thanks to continued growth in Europe and China, and a return to growth in the US.
"Volvo's story in 2015 will continue to be one of growth and sustainable profitability," commented H?kan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo. "This year, however, we will undoubtedly receive a boost after we start delivering the new XC90 to customers. This car is already a success. We have already received orders for around 17,000 XC90s, around a third of expected volume in 2015."
The XC90 was teased all last year, first with a look inside the luxurious crossover, then with a glimpse at its gorgeous exterior, and most recently with a tantalizing configurator that allowed customers to design their dream vehicles. With the crossover's release date just around the corner, Volvo is expecting drivers to rush out in droves to get their hands on this vehicle.
One of the things that makes the XC90 so exceptional is its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) modular chassis technology. This technology not only improves driveability, but it also provides a wider range of design options. The XC90 will be the first Volvo to be built on this platform, but it won't be the last. Volvo expects to use SPA across its entire lineup in the future.
Volvo has some big plans for the next five years, including 800,000 cars sold per year and zero deaths or serious injuries in or by a new Volvo car by the year 2020. The introduction of the XC90 is certainly a step in the right direction, but only time will tell whether the crossover will be as successful as Volvo expects it to be.