Volvo Will Not Compete With Germans In The Large Sedan Segment

It looks like Volvo won't be getting a new flagship sedan anytime soon.  The Automotive News is reporting that the brand's current revitalization strategy won't include taking a shot at its German competitors in the full-size four-door market.  This meshes perfectly with recent rumblings from Volvo executives concerning the viability of small-displacement engines and the need to move away from eight-cylinder drivetrains in the pursuit of fuel efficiency.

Volvo will continue its attempt to pierce the European premium market with a fleet of compact and mid-size offerings, including the Volvo V40 and the Volvo S60.  Even before any kind of confirmation from Volvo's CEO, the mindset behind this decision could be seen in action even several years ago when Volvo elected to let the S80 full-size sedan die on the vine while instead plowing development capital into the smaller and more affordable S60 platform.  While a replacement for the S80 will eventually come to showrooms, it will be a model informed by Volvo's 'small is beautiful' philosophy.