2002 Volvo S80 2.9 Sedan 4-door 2.9l on 2040-cars

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Macron hosts BMW and Volvo execs as they consider moving operations to the U.S.

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday will host a dinner with a number of European chief executives to convince them not to move production to the United States, where lower energy prices and the Inflation Reduction Act is proving a lure. European leaders have been alarmed by massive anti-inflation measures passed by Joe Biden's administration, which make tax breaks conditional on U.S-manufactured content and which EU industries say make investment in Europe less competitive. "We're having difficulties with companies which are starting to consider offshoring their production or making future investment outside Europe," a French official said, listing high energy costs and the U.S. legislation as reasons. At the Elysee palace, Macron will seek to convince executives from companies including chemical groups Solvay and Air Liquide, carmakers Volvo and BMW, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and telecom groups Ericsson and Orange to stay in Europe and choose France for their future investments. Macron, who has called on the European Union to launch its own 'European Buy Act' to subsidise European production, has encountered resistance from the more anti-protectionist members of the bloc. It was unclear what Macron would tell the executives to convince them not to move to the U.S. But France has unveiled a number of measures over the weekend to cushion the impact of high energy bills for French companies. European companies have been increasingly strident about the impact of soaring energy prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has pushed up gas and electricity prices. Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, who heads the French federation of metals industries, warned in the Les Echos newspaper over the weekend that Europe should protect its own industry more aggressively or see it move to other shores. Related video: Government/Legal Green Plants/Manufacturing BMW Volvo

Volvo XC40 gets the merest hint of a mid-cycle update

Scandinavian design is known for its subtlety and minimalism, but even by Nordic standards the Volvo XC40 lineup has received the tiniest wisp of change. Volvo Germany uploaded the new crossover a little early by the looks of it. In front, a slightly reshaped bumper frames Volvo's new Pixel headlights and some T-shaped fog light housings. The grille remains on the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid XC40 models, but the XC40 Recharge gets the same solid faceplate as on the C40 Recharge. We can't see a difference anywhere else outside save for the wheels; the updated XC40 Recharge sits on the 20-inch aero wheels that debuted on the C40 Recharge, while the hybrid models get a selection of new wheel designs. Looks like Volvo's reworked exterior pacakges, dropping Inscription and R-Design (at least in the UK and French markets that still show the non-facelifted car) for Essential, Core, Plus, and Ultimate packages, the number of choices depending on the model. After that, Bright and Dark trim molding treatments add flair or shadow to the exterior. The battery-electric XC40 Recharge in the U.S. presents the choice of Plus and Ultimate.   The Sage Green and Fjord Blue hues from the C40 make their way to the XC40 Recharge paint palette as well. Inside, tailored wool joins the Microtech and leather dressing options, and high-zoot configuring can get the Orrefors gear selector. The Android-based operating system has been ported to the nine-inch infotainment screen, too.  Since Volvo hasn't finished rolling out this vehicle in Europe, it's likely we're not going to see it until sometime next year, perhaps as a 2023 model. We expect it will be joined by the refreshed XC60 with the larger battery and extended all-electric driving range. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volvo unveils all-new user interface destined for next-gen XC90 [w/video]

Take a close look at the cabin of the Volvo Concept Estate shown above. One of the big features on the fancy, brown shooting brake is an all-new user interface called, well, it doesn't really have a name, at least not one Volvo is revealing.
The refreshingly nameless system looks seriously impressive based on the short video that accompany's the system's press release. The jewel of the whole interface is a sizable touchscreen that manages most every in-car function save for a few vital functions like volume, hazard lights and other systems that still demand a more tactile interface.
"The basic idea is to organize controls and information in a perfectly intuitive and user- friendly way. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be, making the drive more enjoyable, efficient, and safe," Thomas Ingenlath, Volvo's Senior Vice President of Design, said in a statement.