Swedish firm discontinues sedan “temporarily”, as EVs and SUVs take precedent, and hasn’t confirmed when it will return.
Volvo has removed the Volvo S60 from its line-up, saying that it’s temporary as it re-evaluates its range.
One of only two sedans offered by the Swedish brand, the BMW 3 Series rival starts at ₹ 45.90 Lakh (ex-showroom, India) and is available in a sole T4 Inscription variant with a 190hp 2.0 mild-hybrid petrol engine and an 8-speed automatic gearbox in India.
Volvo aims to transition to an EV only brand by 2030, and this decision calls into question the future of the compact executive sedan, especially as it doesn’t have an all electric variant.
What the company said
About the S60, a Volvo spokesperson said that any decision about future model plans hasn’t yet been made, and that updates will be communicated as appropriate. The spokesperson also added that they are continually re-evaluating their product portfolio and as part of this process they have temporarily removed the S60 from sale in the UK.
Reasons for pulling the plug
The S60’s sales could be another reason for the decision. Sales figures released by Jato Dynamics (which combines S60 and V60 sales) show that the cars have suffered the biggest fall in the Volvo line-up in Europe – a 51% drop in registrations so far this year (to 16,797) compared with 2021.
It can be assumed that the S60 is mostly to blame for this fall because the V60 remains on sale.
The pulling of the S60, if temporary, might also be a move by Volvo to allow itself to focus on converting its South Carolina, USA factory to EV production.
The flagship Volvo EX90 electric SUV will be built there from 2024, although first models will be produced in China ahead of its 2024 arrival.
