Volvo S80L T4 to hit China market in Dec

Shanghai November 25 (Gasgoo.com) The Volvo S80L T4, equipped with the Swedish automaker's new 2.0-liter GTDi (gasoline turbocharged direct injection) four-cylinder engine and PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission, will hit the Chinese market in December, possibly carrying a price tag of below 300,000 yuan ($45,000), auto.ynet.com reported Thursday.

Volvo's GTDi engine will offer up 203 horsepower and 287 Nm of torque at just 1,750 rpm. It also features variable valve timing on both camshafts, further improving efficiency, soruces said.

The S80L T4, a long wheelbase version of the standard S80, weighs 1,745 kg and can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds. Volvo said the middle-class car will meet Chinese customers' needs as either an MPV or an official car.

A relatively lower price will help the S80L T4 compete better with the Audi A4L 1.8TFSI Comfort, BMW318i (Lingxian in Chinese, meaning 'priority'), Mercedes-Benz C180K Classic, Volkswagen Magotan, Buick Lacrosse 3.0L Flagship and Camry 240HG Deluxe Edition, which are currently dominating the segment.