ROLE MODEL

摘要

When the 2016 Volvo XC90 arrives in the U.S. this spring, the seven-passenger SUV ought to play "Thou Ancient, Thou Free," the Swedish national anthem, at start-up. That, or some ABBA. Sure, Volvo is owned by the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which bought it from Ford in 2010. But Geely is investing some $11 billion in Volvo, allowing it to get back to its roots of designing and developing vehicles entirely in-house. The first such car from the new-era Volvo is the notably upscale XC90, and it's strikingly Scandinavian in its emphasis on ergonomics and safety. Says Thomas Ingenlath, the brand's senior vice president of design, "One thing that's been strong for Volvo historically will also be strong in its future: We're centered on the human over the machine."