Called S60L, the stretched sedan will be built next to its Chinese-spec counterpart in a new factory located in the southeastern city of Chengdu. Volvo has not detailed what market-specific modifications it will make to the sedan.
Geely explains exporting cars from China to the United States makes sense from a business standpoint.
“The dollar and the yuan have the best relationship, a more stable relationship than the euro and the dollar,” said one of the company’s executives.
The long-wheelbase S60 will also be sold in other markets such as Russia as well as a handful of countries in Latin America and Asia. All told, Volvo hopes to export 10,000 examples of the Chinese-built S60L each year.
Geely has not provided a precise time frame for when the S60L will reach U.S. shores, but it will likely debut at a major U.S. auto show early next year and go on sale shortly after as either a 2015 or a 2016 model.
The Chinese-spec S60L is 3.1 inches longer than the regular S60, allowing it to provide extra space for the rear passengers. Wheelbase aside, it is identical to the regular S60 sold around the world save for minor details such as a discreet, model-specific L emblem affixed to the trunk lid.
S60L buyers can choose from a wide array of gasoline-burning engines ranging from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that churns out 200 horsepower to a 300-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. All engines are exclusively bolted to automatic transmissions.
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