Volvo Concept 40.1, Concept 40.2 showcase design of future small cars

Swedish car maker Volvo Cars on Wednesday, May 18 released pictures of two new concept cars, christened as Concept 40.1 and Concept 40.2, that hint at the design of future compact cars of the company.

Both the concepts will turn to the new 40 series compact cars of Volvo in the future. Volvo claimed the production version of the concept will combine a bold exterior and interior design with multiple technologies related to connectivity, electrification and autonomous drive.

The new concept cars will be the first to be built on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) of Volvo, which has been specially created for smaller cars. This is the scaled-down version of the SPA architecture that underpins the new S90 and XC90. The new small car range of Volvo will include full electric vehicle as well as twin engine plug-in hybrid powertrain variants. Previously, Volvo had divulged its plan to sell up to 1 million electrified cars by 2025 globally, and small cars are expected to contribute a huge chunk to it.

"Each member of our product family has its own distinct character, just like the members of a real family. CMA has helped us to capture something special, something youthful in our new concept cars. They have energy, a disruptive and engaging urban character that makes them stand out amongst the crowd. This is the flavour of small Volvos to come," said Thomas Ingenlath, the Senior Vice President of Design at Volvo Car Group, in a statement.

The Concept 40.1 and Concept 40.2 are tipped to be the XC40 crossover and the next-gen V40 hatchback. The Concept 40.1 features a hybrid powertrain with a three-cylinder petrol turbo engine working with an electric motor. The powertrain has been described as T5 Twin Engine and uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. The Concept 40.2 is a hatchback with a notchback kind of stance. The production model is expected to rival Mercedes CLA and the upcoming BMW 1-series sedan. The electric powertrain features a battery packed under the floor. A motor will send the energy to the front wheels. Volvo also said this model will have range of around 350km.