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8553
12-31-2003, 04:00 AM
Friday 21st November 2003

Volvo Ditches Plan For Baby Off-Roader

Having put the finishing touches to its 3-Series-rivalling S40 and V50, Volvo has taken the shock decision to axe the XC50 Land Rover Freelander rival. Despite the success of the XC90, Auto Express's Car of the Year, bosses will concentrate their efforts on developing the C50 coupé, to be produced in conjunction with Pininfarina. Meanwhile, engineers are also working on a flagship V8-engined XC90 to take on powerful versions of VW's Touareg and Porsche's Cayenne.

Auto Express

NeuDaddi
12-31-2003, 07:11 AM
That stinks.  I wonder if Ford had anything to do with it.  Maybe afraid of competition for the Ford Freestyle or something else they have in the pipeline.

coastal
12-31-2003, 06:02 PM
That would be a real shame as there is substantial interest for a more value oriented Volvo Cross Country derivative.

To illustrate, almost 15% of all search engine traffic to this site in December has been from people looking for information on the proposed "Volvo XC50". This is the most popular search phrase for this site in December.

This is the only report I've seen mentioning the end of the XC50 and considering it's over a month old I suspect, or at least hope, it's incorrect. I'll email my contact at Volvo to see if there's any news on this and will post back.

holly72
01-03-2004, 09:16 PM
Please, say it isn't so!!! I think Volvo would be making a big mistake. I understand Ford doesn't want to saturate the market, but given the success of the XC90, they'd be crazy not to bring a smaller version to market. And quickly too, before BMW takes over with the X3.

Raynald
01-03-2004, 10:02 PM
What a shame http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif ! Indeed, it would have been an nice alternative to the BMW X3. I saw the BMW "little thing": a killer I might say. Oh! well! Maybe they know things we don't... hopefully!

8553
01-05-2004, 01:55 AM
Dear Kim,
Thanks for your message regarding the Volvo XC50. I've forwarded it on to
our news guys, who will have a better idea of what's going on than I do.
However, my understanding is that the XC50 has been put on a back burner,
and is unlikely to be seen for at least a couple of years, if at all.

Regards,

Oliver Marriage
Road test editor, Auto Express
30 Cleveland St, London
W1T 4JD
Tel. 020 7907 6210



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8553
01-06-2004, 12:51 AM
ANOTHER REPLY FROM AUTOEXPRESS:

Kim,

As far as Auto Express is aware, the XC50 project is currently on hold, as
Volvo concentrates on building a V50/S40 based coupé together with
Pininfarina. It is not impossible that the small off roader will be
brought back to life. However, its cost and impact on sister machine (the
next generation Land Rover Freelander) would have to be assessed before
any green light is given. However, if you have reliable information that
this is not true, I would be glad to hear from you.

I hope this email helps to answer your question.

Regards

Dan Strong
Deputy Motoring Editor

lvmopt
03-25-2005, 07:08 PM
ANOTHER REPLY FROM AUTOEXPRESS:

Kim,

As far as Auto Express is aware, the XC50 project is currently on hold, as
Volvo concentrates on building a V50/S40 based coupé together with
Pininfarina. It is not impossible that the small off roader will be
brought back to life. However, its cost and impact on sister machine (the
next generation Land Rover Freelander) would have to be assessed before
any green light is given. However, if you have reliable information that
this is not true, I would be glad to hear from you.

I hope this email helps to answer your question.

Regards

Dan Strong
Deputy Motoring Editor

What is the XC50 doing now? It it dead or alive?

AWD*V70XC
04-20-2005, 12:44 PM
This is all my own work! therefore anything I say is down to me and not to any information leaked by anyone else, where I say I have seen, this could relate to a dream.

As far as I am concerned the XC50 is on a life support machine, it is not dead yet but was recently attacked and left for dead. The EMT's found it gasping for O2 and now it is in intensive care, this could be the situation for a couple of years.

On the other hand I have seen the new H30 and I think that a XC30 is being made for the younger owner, who will be hit with a H30, C30 and a XC30, I don't think a V30 is on the cards, even though the XC30 will be the same shape, but by not producing a V30 anyone wanting an estate will be forced to buy the XC30.

I have also seen the new replacement for the XC70 and all I can say X3 look out, it looks like the relationship that the X3 has with the X5. From a distance you could never tell the difference between the XC90 and the XC70 (sorry the XC?0) as they are soooooo alike.

So getting back to the XC50, I think Volvo will wait and see how the XC30 & the new XC?0 do before launching a XC50.

lvmopt
04-25-2005, 06:00 PM
Thank you for you insight and possibilites for the future.
Lee

Low Tide
05-04-2005, 10:04 AM
Thanks to my dentist...

There is a XC50 blurb in the May 2005 issue of Motor Trend that says the XC50 launch has been scheduled for 2007.

The new Land Rover Freelander, which is based on the XC50 Platform will be available in 2006.

The delay in the release of the XC50, according to Volvo, is due to the current anti-SUV backlash among buyers in the EU.

ifnt420
05-05-2005, 12:24 AM
Some XC50 news: the P1 codenames are replaced by the new Ford names. The XC50 project is now known as project Y360. He won't be fabricated in Ghent, or Gothenburg but in Halewood. That's in Engeland folks. I can add that the XC50 'll be the sister of the new Land Rover Freelander.
From someone in Ghent...:D

Also other Volvo news:





1) The C70 is delayed. Background for this are the unforseen troubles with the ceiling. The car wasn't showed at Genève (which was the original plan). The new plan is to introduce it in the '05 season. 2) The new S80 (they use the Ford codenames, project Y286) has some unforseen troubles too. These troubles are far more important, because the S80 is the base for all the new big Volvo's (and planned for begin '06). IF he 'll be late too, that's a big problem because the successors (Y285 (V70) and Y283(S60) 'll be delayed too.

v70+xc70
05-05-2005, 03:35 AM
The freelander replacement lives on. Most recent spy shots show it with v50 wheels, longer wheelbase and a little wider. Looks to me like LR took the v50 chassis which has a longer WB etc and is adding their own body to it. I wonder if internal Ford squabbling over models/market positions kill the xc50. see this thread for pictures, the Black vehicle is the real shot
http://www.carspyshots.net/zerothread?id=12333&page=3