Volvo has so far struggled to get a firm hand on the fast accelerating Indian luxury market and their sales were slowly dropping. They were finding stiff competition from the other European brands and it looked like they needed to do something about it. For one, not taking part in the Delhi Auto Expo was probably a big mistake, but it actually looks like the Swedish car maker had other tricks up their sleeves.
Last month the entire Volvo range was re-launched featuring a brand new engine known as the D3. The D3 engines are smaller than the already existent D5 engine found in most Volvos, and they are apparently also better refined and more fuel efficient. The introduction of the smaller 2.0 litre engines has also significantly brought down the prices of the XC60, S80 and S60. The new variant boast power figures at 163bhp and all D3 variants come standard with plush leather interiors and a significantly lower price – XC60 D3 for Rs 33.2 lakhs, S80 D3 for Rs 31.2 lakhs and the S60 for Rs 23.2 lakhs.
It looks like Volvo is really trying to grab a chunk of the market with these new variants that offer Indian consumers exactly what they are looking for – power, comfort, economy, status and a cheaper price tag.
