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"This is the most extensive development of existing models in our company's history. Each of the enhancements is designed around our customers' needs. We have focused on quality and attention to detail in order to give these dynamic models a major boost and sharpen their competitiveness," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Group.

Scandinavian design is exemplified by beautiful, simple shapes and surfaces with any unnecessary clutter removed.

This is evident in the redesigned interior and exterior of the new 60 cars. Inside, the attention to detail, the authentic materials - such as wood and leather - and the easy-to-use controls contribute to the in-command driving experience.

Supportive yet comfortable seats that ensure a fresh and relaxed arrival after the longest of journeys have been a Volvo strength for decades.

The new Volvo S60 - more dynamic and elegant

The new dynamic S60 design, with its purposeful, dynamic appearance, accentuates the car's sporting nature.

"We've really increased the S60's road presence with a new front design. The more focused and determined-looking headlamps help create this new, expressive ‘face'. We were thinking of a wolf's eyes when we designed them," explains Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. He adds: "We've emphasised the S60's horizontal lines at both the front and rear. Together with details such as a wider grille, daylight running lights and a new LED light guide on the tail lamps, they give the S60 a striking, squat presence. The car has a beauty that is rooted in the natural world. The clean surfaces and contours give it a very Scandinavian feel."

Inside, there are upgrades such as new upholstery colours, new wood inlays, a new headliner, and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls.

"The overall effect is very warm and cosy, like being in a warm Swedish house on a cold night. The colour themes correspond beautifully with the backlit white controls in the dash and elsewhere in the car," adds Lena Jiseborn, Design Director, Colour and Trim.

And under the skin, at the heart of the dynamic driving experience, is a wide choice of chassis settings, designed around the customer's personal requirements. The S60 buyer has a choice of four chassis types - Touring, Dynamic, Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and Lower Sport Chassis, previously only available on the R-Design version.

The new Volvo V60 - more versatile, more dynamic and more elegant

The new Volvo V60 is the car for people who need the versatility of an estate but want the handling of a sports sedan - all in a stylish Scandinavian package. As with the new Volvo S60, the design team has increased the new V60's road presence by emphasising its horizontal lines, which visually connects the car directly to the road. The V60's silhouette is a visual reminder that this is no ordinary estate - it's a wagon with a coupé-like appearance.

The V60 delivers a dynamic driving experience, with the same pin-sharp handling as its sister saloon and with the same chassis options and the same levels of customer preference - Touring, Dynamic, Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and Lower Sport Chassis, previously only available on the R-Design version.

"We're really proud of the standard Dynamic chassis. It offers a responsive, in-command driving experience and we genuinely believe that it's one of the best in the segment," says Patrik Widerstrand.

At the heart of the extra versatility of the V60 is its intelligent seating. The rear seats can be folded down in three 40/20/40 segments, so that the rear 430 litres of load space can be supplemented quickly and easily. Parents favour the V60's two-stage integrated booster cushions for children. With one simple movement, the booster cushions pop-up from the seat base giving a comfortable and safe ride height for children from three years and upwards.

The new Volvo XC60 - in-command capability with around-town style

On the exterior, Volvo's best-selling model, the XC60, gets a more urban twist. The redesigned front features a new hood shape that emphasises the wide, confident look.

"We've taken away any black trim so the car is now all one body colour. The new headlamps look very focused and determined, and the horizontal lines on the grille with its chrome bars emphasise the car's width," says Fedde Talsma.

The new Volvo S80 - enhanced exclusive sophistication

A number of new exterior design cues reinforce the sophisticated contemporary presence of the new Volvo S80. The new front and rear bumpers create a ‘stretched' effect to make it look wider and lower. New rectangular Daytime Running Lights at the front give the S80 nose a more contemporary look, while the rounded off classic Volvo lights at the rear visually pull the car down to the ground. The S80 can be fitted with expressive 19-inch wheels without loss of comfort.

"The whole effect adds a sophisticated elegance to the car," explains Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. "We have created a wider proportion on the front grille and added more detail such as chrome exterior highlights to give the car an elegant and upmarket feel."

It is the attention to detail that gives the S80 its enhanced sophistication. The Executive interior package is the highest level of all-inclusive luxury, blending craftsmanship with technology, while the Inscription is a bespoke palette of options that gives the customer the opportunity to truly design the car to his or her personal taste.

"We are very proud of having Bridge of Weir in Scotland as a supplier of our quality leather seats. Their genuine cowhide has far less surface treatment than that in other premium cars, making it feel softer and more natural," says Lena Jiseborn, Design Director, Colour and Trim.

"The quality of the seats and other materials used in the car give the car a true Scandinavian feel," she continues.

And under the skin, at the heart of the best driving experiences is a great chassis. The S80 buyer can choose from three chassis types - Comfort, Lowered Sport Chassis and Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept).

The XC60 also benefits from an interior upgrade. The new features include new wood inlays, a new headliner, textile B-pillars and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls.

The refined XC60 has a commanding driving position supported by generous ground clearance and the class-leading chassis. The XC60 is designed to feel every bit as nimble and agile as a standard height road car.

Corner Traction Control now comes as standard. This torque vectoring system helps the driver avoid understeer by applying just the right amount of brake force to the inner wheels while powering the outer wheels when accelerating out of a corner.

With All Wheel Drive, the XC60 becomes an extremely capable vehicle on any road, in any kind of weather. The optional Hill Descent Control boosts this capability by automatically controlling the car's speed when driving down steep slopes.

The new Volvo XC70 - rugged sophistication for all-terrain adventures

Volvo Cars paved the way for a totally new segment with the V70 Cross Country in 1997.

"Our main focus in the continuous development of the XC models has been to create a very comfortable on-road car with capable, off-road potential. The rugged and refined contemporary look reflects the XC70's underlying strength and capability. Think of it as an exclusive goose down jacket, designed around those who like their adventure with a true feeling of sophistication," says Lex Kerssemakers.

All-Wheel Drive and the optional Hill Descent Control are a further boost to the XC70's go-anywhere promise.

A number of new exterior design cues sharpen the XC70's contemporary road presence. These include a front grille with a bold, wider proportion, a new bigger ironmark, and details such as the Daytime Running Lights and added matte silver touches. The XC70 is available with wheels up to 19-inches in diameter.

"Our aim is to emphasise the luxurious feel with a more road-hugging stance. The XC70 should look perfectly at home in any environment, whether it's in the middle of the open country or a country club car park," says Fedde Talsma.

The XC70 also features improved off-road design cues such as skidplates that protect the car on really uneven surfaces. The protective black below the belt line now extends to surround the front fog lights giving them a purposeful, functional feel. The rear lights have also been redesigned.

As with the V70, the rear seats can be folded down in three 40/20/40 segments. Fold all of the rear seats flat and the load space grows from 575 litres to 1,600 litres. Another human-centric detail is the power-operated tailgate.

The rear seat can integrate double two-stage child seats - booster cushions that offer children from the age of three and upwards a comfortable and safe ride height.