Volvo says its all new S90 is the brave new face of the company's sedan future

Has Volvo got what it takes to beat the Germans with its all new S90 premium luxury segment fighter? Jonathan Disley (JD), Vice President of Design, and Henrik Jarlebratt (HJ), Senior Director Product and Revenue, Region APEC certainly think so. We speak to the two men, who swear by the S90's long dash-to-axle ratio and award-winning design.

SGCM: In terms of design, what sort of inspirations were drawn during the development process?

JD: We wanted to reflect Scandinavian values - simplicity, high quality and advanced technology. The face of the car for sure, can't be anything other than Scandinavian. We are also a coastal brand, and the city of Gothenburg, which has a lot of yachts also inspired what we did.

SGCM: What challenges, if any, did you have to overcome while designing the interior of the S90?

JD: To design a new seat was tough, as our seats are considered to be the most comfortable in the world. But now we've got seats that are thinner and more sculptured, yet still made to be the best in the market. If it isn't, people will instantly question its design. It's a challenge to make something as good, or if not better than the previous.

Then, there were the car's air vents. Because they are designed to be vertical, you need stiffness in the blades. If you make the blades quite short, you can get away with using plastics. But if you have it long like the S90's, you need to make it out of magnesium, and therefore you'll need new tooling techniques and new patents.

SGCM: In order to keep up with appearances, the new Volvos now look very different to what they looked like before. Are you afraid some might mistake it for a German make.

JD: No. When you see the T-shaped headlamps coming towards you, it's distinctive. You can go back to your friends, even if you don't know a thing about cars, you can explain to them in one simple sentence - I saw headlamps that resemble Thor's hammer.

You won't find another car like that.

SGCM: What is it like designing with the new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform? What were its advantages and/or disadvantages?

JD: We had so many advantages. We basically designed the car from scratch. Normally, when you design a car, any car, you have so many carry-over parts. This stops you from designing the next generation because you're held back by grassroots. As soon as you start with a new platform and new technology, you're free to do whatever you want. This almost never happens.

With the SPA platform and the way that the underpinnings are, we could work with the engineers to say - we need this here and that, there.
Lifting the brand to a new level, Henrik Jarlebratt, Volvo's Senior Director Product and Revenue, Region APEC says Volvo's approach to the premium luxury sedan segment is Scandinavian - the simpler the design, the more exclusive - and that it pays little heed to what the Germans are doing.

SGCM: The S90 is built to compete with the best luxury cars on the market. Apart from safety, what else makes a Volvo a Volvo?

HJ: Design is often discussed when Sweden is mentioned, the more simple the design, the more exclusive it is. It is from that viewpoint that the brand is recreated.

BMW is about the drive, Mercedes-Benz is about luxury and Audi is about technology. Volvo wants to break out, and stand for something unique. We want to make you feel special. That is our approach coming to the premium segment. We aren't Germans, we're a Scandinavian brand.

SGCM: Have you tried the Road Edge Detection and Pilot Assist systems? If yes, would you mind sharing the experience with us?

HJ: It's an interesting feeling when you can feel the car giving you feedback. It's like playing games where you feel the feedback in the steering wheel, when the car pushes you back into lane.

It's totally addictive once you get used to the systems. Especially when you drive in traffic jams or on highways and engage Pilot Assist, you don't need to do anything once it's on. Once you had a taste of the technology, you can't be without it.

SGCM:  What are your thoughts on autonomous driving and the reception it will get from people?

HJ: Autonomous driving will be challenging as it requires you to mentally leave the control to the car. I think that's going to be a tough challenge for many. I've tested the technology and it's very strange of course. But in the end, you learn to trust the car as time goes by.

Looking forward, this could be really good as it will free up a lot of time, especially in congested cities with traffic jams et cetera, you can do something more productive with your time. Volvo takes autonomous technology very seriously, and is pushing the envelope.

SGCM: What else can we expect from the brand in the future?

HJ: Our cars will be designed around you, as a person. We'd like to think that our cars will make you feel special in that when you sit in the car and you want to do something, it comes to you intuitively. Like using your iPhone or iPad, you know roughly what to do without having to depend on the manual.

You want your car to talk to you, you maybe want it to ask you a question, or have it book you tickets to the theatre - this is also an area that is advancing very fast, and is something we have very high on the agenda.