At the same time as it introduces the XC40, Volvo Cars also is reinventing the traditional model of car ownership with its new ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription service. Care by Volvo, first available on the XC40 from launch, makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a phone.
After ordering online, Care by Volvo customers will be able to drive away in a new Volvo without having to worry about the traditional extras such as down payments, insurances, taxes, service fees and geographical or customer age related differences.
Furthermore, Care by Volvo will, depending on regional availability, offer a range of digital concierge services, such as fuelling, cleaning, service pick-up and e-commerce delivery to the car.
XC40 drivers will also be the first Volvo customers who can share their car with friends and family via Volvo on Call with a new digital key technology. Car sharing comes as standard for Care by Volvo customers.
The new XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all other upcoming cars in the 40 Series including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed within Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.
In terms of technology, the XC40 brings the award-winning safety, connectivity and infotainment technologies known from the new 90- and 60 Series cars to the small SUV segment. Like its larger siblings, the XC40 highlights the transformational effect of these new technologies on brand and profitability.
These technologies make the XC40 one of the best-equipped small premium SUVs on the market. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360° Camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.
The XC40 also offers a radically new approach to storage inside the car. Ingenious interior design provides XC40 drivers with, among other things, more functional storage space in the doors and under the seats and a special space for phones including inductive charging.
From start of production, the XC40 will be available with a D4 diesel or a T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E powertrain. Further powertrain options, including a hybridised and a pure electric version, will be added later. The XC40 will also be the first Volvo model to be available with its new 3-cylinder engine.
Production of the new XC40 starts in Ghent, Belgium in November.
Earlier this month, Volvo announced the acquisition of the technology platform and key staff of Luxe, a US-based premium valet and concierge service company. The acquisition is another example of Volvo’s ongoing development in the area of digital consumer experiences.
Care by Volvo is first available for buyers of the new Volvo XC40 in the following markets: Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Norway, Poland and the United States. Other markets will follow at a later stage.