Volvo Korea rolls out SUV designed by first Korean designer

Volvo Car Korea, the local importer and distributor of the Swedish automaker, rolled out a fully changed second-generation model of the carmaker’s best-selling XC60 midsize SUV in the hope of catching up with rivals in the premium luxury auto market here, the company said.

According to the Swedish carmaker, the new Volvo XC60 was made as an urban ride built on the carmaker’s latest platform and powertrain. Volvo’s first Korean designer Lee Jung-hyun focused on coming up with a sophisticated Swedish luxury look for the new XC60.

“The XC60 is a best-selling model. We expect to sell 1,500 units of the XC60 including first-generation cars this year, and over 2,500 units next year,” said Volvo Korea CEO Lee Yoon-mo during the unveiling of the new model at the Grand Hyatt Seoul hotel.
 

Lee highlighted the price competitiveness of the XC60, which is up to 30 percent cheaper than in Europe, largely due to the growing importance of the Korean market.

The new XC60 D4 diesel model and the new XC60 T6 gasoline-powered model are priced between 60.9 million won ($53,600) and 75.4 million won.

Despite its outstanding performance in the European market, a total of 911 units of the XC60 were sold here in 2016, the company said.

Showing improved sales due to marketing efforts, the company sold 1,166 units of the XC60 SUV between January and August this year.

According to Volvo, over 1 million units of the first-generation XC60 were sold in the European market since its 2008 launch, ranking first in the premium midsize SUV segment there for three straight years from 2014 until 2016.

Introducing himself as a perfectionist, expert senior exterior designer of Volvo Lee Jung-hyun said “the XC60 is flawless in terms of design.”

“Timeless beauty” and “beauty of negative space” were key design philosophies he had in mind while putting together the exterior design of the second-generation XC60, Lee told The Korea Herald.

The latest model is 45 millimeters longer, 100 millimeters wider and 55 millimeters lower than the first-generation model.

Inspired by the side view of the first-generation XC60 that reminded Lee of an arrow, the side view of the new model was designed to look more dynamic. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)