(Thu 02 Oct 08)

4x4 versions of the Volvo XC60 are available to order now and will appear in UK dealerships in mid-November, but gazing into our crystal ball we discover that a front-wheel drive variant will join them during the first half of 2009.

It uses Volvo's 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine which, as well as being more powerful than before with a maximum output of 175bhp, also benefits from a lower compression ratio, more efficient combustion, new-generation management and a revised turbocharger to use fuel more efficiently than before.

Combine all that with the reduced friction involved in taking out all the stuff that drives the rear wheels and you end up with an XC60 which boasts combined fuel economy of 41.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 170g/km in manual form. The automatic version is thirstier and dirtier, but it still manages 38.7mpg and 193/gkm, which is far better than anything in the four-wheel drive line-up.

"This is the first step in a determined drive towards systematic reduction of CO2 emissions from our conventional drivelines," says Magnus Jonsson, Volvo's Senior Vice-President of Research & Development. "The next stage for the XC60 is a micro-hybrid with the potential for reducing emissions to about 140g/km."

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