Volvo’s new V8-engined XC90 could be coming to the UK, despite earlier assurances from the company that there would be no right-hand drive production. However, the Swedes are now saying that right-hand drive would be possible and that it is building a business case.Volvo reckons it could sell 500 V8s a year in the UK, but isn’t sure whether this would be new business or simply take sales from the six-cylinder T6 XC90. It is unlikely that the new Yamaha-built V8 engine, created specifically for the XC90, will appear in any other Ford Group product for some time. Yamaha can produce 30,000 engines a year and Volvo estimates it will sell half that number of XC90 V8s annually, with 75 per cent of them going to the American market. The rest could be fitted in the V70 and S80.
Autocar has also learnt that the Ford/PSA 2.7 V6 turbodiesel engine is also likely to be offered in the XC90. Currently used by Jaguar in the S-type, and in the Land Rover Discovery, the 200bhp unit would be positioned above the current, rather sluggish, 163bhp five-cylinder Volvo diesel unit.
Volvo has also introduced a 2.5T 210bhp engine for the XC90. On sale from January, the S will cost £31,230, the SE £33,580.
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