Volvo is the first Euro Brand to import cars from China via an all new Train system.

Volvo Cars has become the first car maker in the world to export China-made cars to Europe by train via China’s new ‘One Belt, One Road’ trade initiative.

The first S90 premium saloons, built at its Daqing plant in China, will arrive at a distribution centre in Zeebrugge, Belgium this week.

The cars have been transported to Belgium via the recently opened China-Europe railway link. The connection brings down the time it takes to transport vehicles to Europe by two thirds compared with the naval route, meaning customers receive their car faster after ordering.

The train route ties Volvo’s global manufacturing and logistics strategy to the multi-billion euro trade flows between China and Europe and the so-called One Belt, One Road initiative that seeks to resurrect the age-old Silk Road trade route for a new era of global trade.

The railway link also illustrates how China is turning into a global manufacturing and export hub for high-end consumer products.

Volvo was the first Western car maker to export a premium China-made car to the US in 2015 with the S60 Inscription. In November of last year, Volvo started building high-end versions of its S90 premium saloon in Daqing for global exports, and will soon be building all S90 vehicles in the factory for global export.

Beyond shorter waiting times for customers, rail is also a smarter choice in terms of the environmental impact of logistics operations. Given the same distance, the CO2 emissions per tonne/km are reduced by a third by choosing rail over sea transport. In this case, the savings will be even higher based on the shorter distance.

Each of the Volvo-dedicated trains traveling between Daqing and Zeebrugge carry around 225 Volvo cars, which are transported in specially designed containers. One container holds three cars at different angles in order to maximise the use of space available inside. Special fixtures ensure that the cars are fastened during transport and do not move.

Initially, trains will depart from Daqine in Zeebrugge on May 31, the same week as China’s Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, visits Belgium. In connection with his visit in the country, Li Keqiang is also scheduled to meet with Volvo Cars’ chairman Li Shufu and CEO Håkan Samuelsson.

Volvo Car UK has imprved further its top range of cars with the addition of Android Auto.

• Android Auto joins existing Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• Allows users to access their Android phone’s functions directly from the car’s Sensus infotainment system
• Available now on all S90, V90, V90 Cross Country and XC90 models

Volvo Car UK has further improved its in-car connectivity with the introduction of Android Auto smartphone integration to its range-topping 90 series models.

Android Auto, which is now available as part of a new Smartphone Integration package that also includes Apple CarPlay, allows users of Android smartphones to connect their device directly to their Volvo’s Sensus media system. 

A wide range of Android-optimised apps – including Google Maps and Google Play Music – are then available directly via the car’s touch screen. Users can also make and receive calls, and send and receive text messages using Android Auto. 

Alternatively, these functions can be controlled using the car’s or the phone’s sophisticated voice control system, so users can stay connected while keeping their eyes safely on the road at all times.

Thanks to the touch screen’s large size and portrait layout, the Android Auto apps are displayed in the bottom section of the screen, leaving the top of the screen free to display the car’s other main functions, further enhancing the system’s ease of use.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “It’s more important than ever for our customers to stay connected while on the move. Our Apple CarPlay integration was already the best in the business, and the introduction of Android Auto brings our class-leading smartphone integration to a whole new audience.”

Smartphone Integration includes a second USB socket and is available now on the S90, V90, V90 Cross Country and XC90, priced at £300. Existing owners of these models (those built after April 2016) who already have Apple CarPlay can benefit from a complimentary upgrade to Smartphone Integration as part of their car’s routine servicing schedule at an authorised Volvo dealership.

Android Auto is available on any Android smartphone running 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher.

For more information on the Volvo range and Android Auto, please visit www.volvocars.com/uk/about/our-innovations/connected-car/smartphone-integration

The BBC TopGear Magazine awards the Volvo V90 the Best Estate car Award 2016

The Volvo V90 has been handed the prestigious title of Best Estate in this year’s TopGear Magazine Best Cars in the World awards.

In its review of the car, the magazine praised the V90’s “genuinely brilliant” styling, efficient engines, blend of handling and refinement, interior ambience, and intuitive connectivity.

The TopGear award is the latest in a growing list of accolades for Volvo’s 90 series cars, which also include the new S90 premium saloon and XC90 SUV. 

The latter has picked up more than 10 awards in the UK alone since its launch in 2015, while the V90 was awarded the overall Scottish Car of the Year title earlier this month.

Commenting on the award, TopGear Magazine said: “Somehow, the Volvo V90 manages to be the antidote to 2016’s obsession with total connectivity and instant gratification while being totally connected and instantly gratifying.”

Launched earlier this year together with the S90, the V90 marks another step in the transformation of Volvo’s product range. Its advanced technology includes the standard fitment of the firm’s semi-autonomous Pilot Assist feature, as well as the world-first introductions of Run-off Road Mitigation and Large Animal Detection. The Volvo On Call app allows the driver to control a range of functions from a mobile device, including the ability to remotely heat or cool the cabin before they get in. The car can also be turned into a WiFi hotspot, while smartphone integration is available.

At the heart of the V90 is a simple, luxurious cabin which uses natural materials to take interior design to a new level.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “With its compelling mix of innovation, style and functionality, the new V90 defines the premium estate segment. To receive this award from TopGear Magazine is a tribute to the car’s game-changing abilities in a competitive marketplace.”

USA - Volvo and its new S90 Luxury Sedan are in line for a pair of wins in two Car of the Year awards.

The all-new Volvo S90 luxury sedan is a finalist for 2017 North American Car of the Year and a runner up for 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Volvo Cars is now poised to win a North American ‘of the Year’ award for the second year in a row, having taken top honors for 2016 North American Truck/Utility of the Year with the XC90 SUV.

In addition, the Volvo S90 was the top luxury car in the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year competition, making it to the final round of judging ahead of all other luxury brands.

Both the S90 and XC90 share the same Scalable Product Architecture platform, Drive-E powertrain, and Intellisafe safety features. The S90 is also the first car to come with semi-autonomous driving technology as standard in Pilot Assist.

“We are extremely proud to see the S90 get such recognition,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Americas and President and CEO, Volvo Car USA. “Our global team of designers and engineers has delivered a car that is really turning heads.”

Volvo Cars, the premium carmaker, has unveiled a new upgraded China version of its S90 sedan and a top-of-the-line luxury model called S90 Excellence.

Volvo Cars, the premium carmaker, has unveiled a new upgraded China version of its S90 sedan and a top-of-the-line luxury model called S90 Excellence, both aimed at the high-end sedan market, in advance of their first public appearance at the 2016 Guangzhou Motor Show.

The new S90 will be the most premium car ever made in China. Both versions will be built in Volvo Cars’ production facility in Daqing, China, and exported globally, highlighting the high levels of quality that underpin Volvo’s global manufacturing strategy.

“China will play an increasingly important part in our global manufacturing ambitions. Our factories here will deliver world-class products for export across the globe in coming years, contributing to our objective of selling up to 800,000 cars a year by 2020,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO, Volvo Car Group.

Volvo has paved the way in developing China’s exports of cars to global markets. It was the first Western car maker to export a premium China-made car to the US in 2015 with the S60 Inscription, which received a full 5-Star rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing.

Premium credentials

Both the S90 cars underscore Volvo’s credentials as a premium car maker.

“The first thing you notice in the S90 Excellence is that we have removed the front passenger seat and replaced it with what we call the Lounge Console, designed to meet the chauffeur-driven executive customers’ need to relax or work while on the move. The second thing you will notice is the high quality materials that combine to deliver a well-thought-through and immersive luxury feel,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Car Group.

The S90 Excellence incorporates many features designed to enhance the in-car experience – a full panoramic roof, foldout worktables, clever storage, a heated and cooled cup holder, an adjustable footrest and a built-in entertainment system featuring a large display for work or entertainment purposes. The S90 Excellence also includes a rear-seat touchscreen control interface, a built-in refrigeration compartment and handmade crystal glasses from Swedish glassmaker Orrefors.

The S90 will be available with Volvo Cars’ award-winning T4 and T5 petrol engines and the top-of-the-line T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, delivering an uncompromising mix of performance and pure electric power that makes the most of Volvo’s ‘Relaxed Confidence’ chassis settings. The S90 Excellence will only come with the T8 Twin Engine powertrain option.

The new cars will come with a host of standard safety features including Large Animal Detection as a part of the City Safety system, Pilot Assist, which is a hands-on-the-wheel semi-autonomous driver assistance system that works up to 130 km/h.

Volvo’s new 90 Series cars also come with the convenience of smartphone integration, incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allowing convenient access to familiar smartphone features via the large centre display in the car.

Both cars will be available with a new CleanZone air quality system that employs an ionic air cleaner, a PM 2.5 real-time monitor in the four-zone air conditioning system.

The new S90 goes into production in November. The S90 Excellence follows next year.