The news that India is a ‘developing’ nation is becoming evident in more ways than one. What else can one say when any product which took nearly 2 to 3 years to appear in India is now available in under a month. The Swedish automobile giant, Volvo has also started understanding this and what a way they have chosen to show it to us. By November after the festive season Volvo has given us a chance to celebrate Holi again. That is when Volvo plans to launch its premium variant XC 60 after the European launch. For now, let’s make do with the XC 90 R Design.
The Rs.58 lakh car spells style and substance in one breath. The looks are contemporary without being boring. The car looks extremely bulky in the pictures but up-close at 1.7m it just about manages to touch your shoulder. The European design cues are unmistakable from the rear with the rear lamps showing off the best curves of the car. In other parts the style is quite minimalistic and renders an urban feel to the car. The car is available in 5 colors each sounding as exotic as the next like Passion Red and Magic Pearl Blue, making the target market as clear as the color.
Now as for the heart, it’s a 4.4 liter, 315 bhp mammoth under the skin of a soft-roader. The torque stands at an impressive 440 N-m to pull the 7-seater from 0 to 100 in 7.5 seconds* with a top-speed of 210 Kmph. Volvo says it has made extensive tests and up gradations on its chassis to make the car sportier (read off-roadish). Other highlights of the car include a massive set of 19-inch Vulcanis wheels, sports-tuned twin exhaust and classy (read Volvo) interiors. Volvo has always been known to produce safe cars (and one must admit a little boring). Let us hope that their attempt to add the fun quotient has been successful.
Pictures of Volvo XC90 R-Design
