Volvo debuts range-topping, China-made S90

Volvo's S90 Excellence, the range-topping version of its flagship sedan, will have no front passenger seat to give its chauffeur-driven owners plenty of space to work or relax. The S90 variant also will have a heated and cooled cupholder and a built-in refrigeration compartment.

Volvo debuted the car here today ahead of its public unveiling at the Guangzhou auto show on Nov. 18. Production of the S90 Excellence will begin at Volvo's plant in Daqing, China, next year. Volvo will export its top-of-the-line S90 globally.

Output of the S90 Excellence will be proceed by the long-wheelbase version of the sedan, which will start rolling off the lines in Daqing later this month for sales in the domestic market as well as in the U.S., Volvo said today, making it the Swedish brand's second China-made model to be exported outside the country. The first was the long wheelbase S60 Inscription, which Volvo started shipping exporting to the U.S from China in 2015.

“China will play an increasingly important part in our global manufacturing ambitions,” Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement announcing the automaker's plan to make the country one of its manufacturing hubs. “Our factories here will deliver world-class products for export across the globe in coming years, contributing to our objective of selling up to 800,000 cars a year by 2020.”

The long-wheelbase S90 will be available with a choice of Volvo's T4 and T5 gasoline engines or its T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain. The S90 Excellence will only be sold as a plug-in hybrid. Some of the top-end S90's other comfort features include a fold-able worktable, handmade crystal glasses from Sweden's Orrefors, an adjustable footrest and a built-in entertainment system featuring a large display for work or pleasure.

All versions of the China-made cars will have standard safety features such as a system that detects large animals in the road and helps prevent collisions or lessen their severity as well as Volvo's semi-autonomous driver assistance system that can help steer the sedan at speeds up to 130 kph (about 81 mph).

Volvo's new S90 variants also offer smartphone integration using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.