Leaked last week, the new Volvo V60 mid-size wagon has now been officially revealed.
But there was little glitz or glamour involved in the unveiling: In true understated Volvo style the new Volvo V60 made its global premiere in the driveway of a family home in Stockholm, Sweden.
Revealing a range of high-output, small-capacity engines and offering improved driving support systems that make it "one of the safest cars on the road," new images and information on the V60 paint a clear picture of Volvo's upmarket push to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
It's not yet clear if the Volvo V60 wagon will be offered in Australia but its sedan sibling, the S60, is a slam-dunk for Oz and will be revealed later this year before an expected 2019 arrival locally.
More likely for Australia is the arrival of the V60 Cross Country, a jacked-up version of the wagon which was confirmed during the V60 debut by Volvo's European boss, Lex Kerssemakers, according to CNET.
The bigger, smarter Swedish wagon boasts a sportier attitude than the big-brother Volvo V90, especially when shod with large wheels and fitted with T6 engine's quad trapezoidal exhaust pipes.
"The V60 really is the central point of the Volvo brand," explains Robin Page, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Cars.
"It's refined, has a beautiful proportion and stance, yet delivers on practicality and versatility."
The Swedish car-maker will offer the Volvo V60 with several engine options, including petrol and diesel and a range-topping all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid model.
Range-topping T8 models gets a 2.0-litre twin-charged petrol engine paired with a plug-in hybrid module that bangs out at least 290kW (390hp), giving it loads of acceleration while offering short-range silent EV running.
The T6 model loses the electric bits but still bangs out 250kW (340hp).
Volvo says it will electrify "all new car from 2019" as it spreads its hybrid systems throughout the range. It will also debut its first EV in 2019.
Based on the same SPA or scalable product architecture as Volvo's other new-generation vehicles, such as the XC90 and XC60 SUVs, the new V60 benefits from improved safety features including a stronger passenger cell, a long list of standard safety features and more driving aids.
The latter includes updated versions of its autonomous braking systems, dubbed City Safety with Autobrake, which Volvo claims is the "only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals". It also has an oncoming collision mitigation system and improved semi-automated steering, braking and acceleration.
Within reason, the new model can drive itself at speeds of up to 130km/h (80mph), and the V60 will debut an "upgraded and improved" autonomous cornering system. Volvo has previously stated that it wants to have fatality-free cars by 2020 and a large part of this will be improving the AI and driver assistance systems in its cars.
All Volvo V60 models will come with Volvo's Sensus infotainment setup, which does away with a lot of the buttons and clutter by integrating them into a large central touch-screen. It also gets the usual Apple and Android phone compatibility.
The Volvo V60's cabin design takes a lot of cues from the bigger V90, such as simplified controls and a digital dashboard instrument cluster. There will be plenty of colour options for the interior, including some interesting beige-on-plaid combinations that add even more Swedish attitude to the vehicle.
The V60 wagon and its S60 sedan have never truly challenged the German 'big three' in the sales race but with an upmarket interior featuring all the latest gadgets and a sleek new look, Volvo is hoping to make inroads with its sleek new V60.