LA show: Volvo V60 Cross Country revealed

VOLVO’s V8 Supercar is about to get a country cousin.

The Swedish car-maker overnight revealed a high-riding wagon version of its track-honed sedan, called the V60 Cross Country, that will officially go on show at the Los Angeles motor show later this month.

Based on the V60 wagon, the premium SUV-styled BMW X1 fighter adds an extra 65mm in ride height, blacked-out wheel arches to give a sense of loftiness, and high-profile tyres wrapped around 18- or 19-inch rims to improve ride comfort for, as Volvo puts it, “climbing kerbs or negotiating rocky roads”.

Other off-road features include front and rear skid plates to protect the V60 Cross Country’s underbelly, and side scuff plates.

To show it can also kick off its gumboots when needed, the mud-plugging version will feature integrated tailpipes that “reflect its sporty dark side”.

Volvo says all-wheel-drive versions of the V60 will feature either a five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine or a five-pot turbo-diesel, while front-drive models will use either a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol or diesel.

The V60 Cross Country, expected to be priced from about $50K, is due on sale internationally early next year.