Volvo Concept Car for Frankfurt to Highlight New 4-Cylinder Engines, New Design

After showcasing the Concept Universe (above) at last year’s Shanghai Auto Show, Volvo will unveil an all-new concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show in just a few week’s time. This latest project will be used as a platform to promote the brand’s new 4-cylinder engine lineup that it claims won’t reduce driving pleasure or the luxury experience.

“It’s time to stop counting cylinders,” says Volvo R&D boss Peter Mertens. “At the Frankfurt Motor Show we will reveal a new concept car. It proves that downsized engines can go hand in hand with our customers’ expectations on luxury and driving pleasure.”

The new VEA (Volvo Environmental Architecture) engine range will include both gasoline and diesel engines with power equal to current six-cylinder engines, with efficiency beyond what today’s 4-cylinders offer. In addition, Volvo claims these new engines will use roughly 60% fewer parts than the current engines and will weigh as much as 200 lbs less.

At Frankfurt Volvo will also announce a new SPA (Scalable Platform Architecture) that will underpin a new line of future models. Weighing 220 to 440 lbs less than the current architectures used by Volvo it will also allow for all future models to receive some sort of electric drivetrain, be it hybrid or fully electric.

And on the topic of electrification, Volvo will also tout its new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) that it will test on a road-going vehicle this Fall. Storing brake energy in a flywheel, this system will allow the power to then be used to add power during acceleration or simply to keep the car moving at cruising speeds. Mertens says the Volvo KERS system will add 80 horsepower while improving fuel economy by 20 percent.

Finally, Volvo’s new concept car will also give a hint at the brand’s new styling direction. Often criticized for building boxes on wheels, Volvo promises “to give forthcoming Volvo models more exciting looks.”