Volvo Takes S60 Sedan for Cross Country in Detroit

Does anyone really need a jacked up sedan? No, but Volvo is crossing its fingers and hoping that many will want its new S60 Cross Country.

You see, “needs” and “wants” are two very different things, with Volvo trying to catch on a niche that, while not new – our readers mentioned a number of similar models in our previous post, offers buyers a fresh alternative in a sea of bland mid-size sedans.

This is the first time that Volvo has applied the Cross Country recipe, which made its debut back in 1997 on the XC70 station wagon, on a traditional sedan model.

“We want to further explore the market with our Cross Country brand,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars. “We did this back in 1997 with the V70 Cross Country and it led to the birth of a whole new segment. We have included all the capability-driven benefits of the Cross Country brand in this new model, while offering a completely unique expression of adventure and all-road readiness in a distinctly sporty and stylish package.”

Much like the recently introduced V60 Cross Country, the off-road-ish S60 has increased ride height of 65mm (2.5 inches), 18-inch or 19-inch wheels with high profile tires, plastic cladding around the wheel arches and decorative aluminum skid plates on both ends of the car.

In the U.S., the S60 Cross Country will launch with Volvo’s 250hp 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five and standard all-wheel drive, while Europe will also get a diesel and front-wheel drive versions.

Look for the rugged S60 in Volvo showrooms this summer.