Volvo has announced a joint venture with Geely Auto to develop an all-new vehicle platform.
The new platform will be aimed at the next generation of C-segment vehicles for both companies.
The platform should allow Volvo the freedom to push ahead with its XC40 compact SUV. The company previously told Autocar that it would like to build the model, which would rival the Range Rover Evoque, but that it didn't have a suitable engineering architecture.
Geely Group says the platform will "help achieve synergies through economies of scale and scope in terms of development, testing, and procurement, without the slightest compromise on brand value."
Volvo says the new architecture will not be used to underpin vehicles in an as-yet un-named new brand, which would sit in-between Volvo and Geely.
Expected to underpin smaller models in Volvo's range, the new platform will act as a smaller alternative to Volvo's new Scalable Product Architecture platform.
The SPA platform, first seen on the Volvo Concept Coupé at the Frankfurt motor show, will eventually underpin everything from the Volvo S60 up in the Volvo range. It will first be seen on a production car with the new Volvo XC90, on sale next year.
A Volvo spokesperson told Autocar: "If you're in the automotive industry today creating a new architecture, you need to create a sustainable model because that is the modern way to reduce costs. The obvious example of this is the MQB platform, and of course we are doing something similar.
"If you stretch an architecture too much you have to compromise - we don't want to do that. To stretch the SPA platform down to the C-segment would mean too many compromises."
Research into the new platform has already begun at a custom-built facility in Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Lanehogger, unless I missed something,
I read the article, it says Volvo is to work with Geely Auto to develop an all-new platform. similar to the VW MQB platform.
Obviously both companies are aware such a development takes time and money but do not want to continue to work with the restrictions of dated hand me down FORD platforms.
Don't they already have a suitable platform?
I'm not exactly an expert in platform architecture and engineering, and I'm probably looking at this from a simplistic and ignorant perspective, but could not the XC40 use a development of their current Y20 (aka Ford EUCD) platform which also underpins the Mondeo, the current S60 and S80/V70, not to mention the 4x4 XC60, XC70, Freelander and Evoque? And EUCD is a development of Ford's C1 platform which underpinned the previous Focus, the C30/S40/V50 and the current V40, not to mention another 4x4, the previous Kuga. It's not as if Volvo doesn't have access to a suitable platform.
Re: Don't they already have a suitable platform?
Volvo Cars is owned by Geely, so it is obvious they no longer want to underpin their product range with old FORD platforms with associated licensing fees.
devil's advocate wrote: Volvo
Yes, but it wil take some years before a suitable platform is developed, and it will take a hell of lot more sales to recoup development costs. A platform may be readily available now which they could cash on in with the XC40 while their own platform is in development in the background. It's what JLR was doing with some success.
Lanehogger wrote: devil's
I would imaging Geely's potential sales volumes of this size of car just within China's own market would go a long way to helping to justify the development costs, allowing Volvo brand the freedom to develop away from Ford.