2011 Volvo Concept Universe

Volvo Car Corporation presents Concept Universe:

A luxury Volvo for China and the world

At the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2011, Volvo Car Corporation visualises a masterpiece of Scandinavian Design for car buyers with exquisite tastes.

The Concept Universe is a large, luxurious sedan with a new human-centric design language that honours the beautiful lines of classic Volvo models.

"The Concept Universe offers the world a sneak preview of what people can expect from our next top-of-the-line sedan," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Volvo Car Corporation's long-term strategy is to be a successful, truly global company with products designed around our customers' needs and lifestyle.

Scandinavian Design is about understanding and caring about people. Volvo Car Corporation aims to be the brand that best interprets what buyers of modern luxury cars want.

The Concept Universe has been designed to spark a subconscious desire and a feeling of eternal beauty.

It moves towards the future with its coupe-like roofline and contemporary, solid rear, but it also echoes Volvo's proud heritage by borrowing design cues from classic models of the past.

"Just like fine luxury goods, this design feels handcrafted and durable enough to stand the test of time," says Peter Horbury, Vice President Design at Volvo Car Corporation. "We will compete with the best with our special kind of Scandinavian Design. It is unmatched in performance and technology, but without superficiality or complication."

User-focused and pure

The interior of the Concept Universe is a comfortable, cultivated environment that is also user-focused and refreshingly uncomplicated. It is driver-orientated in the front and comfortably relaxed in the rear.

The in-command driver environment has intuitive controls and a touch-screen that approaches the hand when the driver reaches towards it - with everything operated from a seat that is inspired by ultra-comfortable chairs.

Passengers in the rear seat are embraced by pure comfort. The interior moulds into the rear seat and becomes part of the seating environment.

The dynamic feel and the dark colour scheme of the front seats fades seamlessly towards the rear until it fully transforms into a light rear seat haven of calmness. Concept Universe is full of classic forms, materials and textures, used with a twist to create a special contemporary luxury experience.

"The Concept Universe is exceptionally refined, yet with all the simplistic assets that make Volvo champions of the uncomplicated. There is a growing appreciation for this ingenious blend of design and technology among modern luxury car buyers. This trend paves the way for our success. We are convinced that our special brand of luxury has a great future," Peter Horbury concludes.

"Our aim is to be the brand that best understands what buyers of modern luxury cars want. We are eager to hear what the most demanding Chinese customers think of this luxurious concept. Later, we will show the design in Europe and the United States in order to bring it into the global context that we are aiming for with all our car models," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

---

Volvo Car Corporation presented luxury sedan concept at Shanghai Auto Show

In a press conference held at the Shanghai International Auto Show on Tuesday, Volvo Car Corporation presented Concept Universe, a design study for a future luxury Volvo sedan.

"Shanghai is the perfect place for the world première of a superb car that is tailor made for the most demanding luxury car buyers", said Stefan Jacoby, President & CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Stefan Jacoby also revealed that the first quarter of 2011 was one of the best global sales quarters in the history of Volvo, sales figures up 13.7 percent to 106,827 cars.

"This is the next step in the proud history of luxury Volvo sedans", said Stefan Jacoby before revealing the Concept Universe.

He continued:

"We will listen very carefully to what the Chinese car buyers think of the design. Later, we will also show the Concept Universe in other parts of the world. This brings it into the global context we are aiming for with all our cars."

At the press conference in Shanghai Stefan Jacoby also announced that Volvo Car Corporation is developing an all-new platform architecture for the next generation cars from Volvo: SPA - Scalable Platform Architecture.

"When our next luxury sedan arrives in a few years, it will be among the first Volvos built on our new Scalable Platform Architecture. All our large and mid-size cars will eventually be based on SPA."

Stefan Jacoby also revealed that the 2010 full year result for Volvo Car Corporation will show a profit when communicated in a few weeks time.

SOURCE: Volvo