Volvo Aims to Hike U.S. Sales by Nearly Two-Thirds

Hakan Samuelsson

Volvo Car Group, which sold 61,200 cars in the U.S. last year, says it expects to surpass 100,000 units before the end of the decade.

Eventually, declares CEO Hakan Samuelsson, the brand's U.S. sales will surpass the record 139,000-unit volume achieved in 2004.

Samuelsson announced the goals earlier today at the Los Angeles auto show. Volvo used the event for the global unveiling of a crossover version of its V60 wagon. Next year the company also will introduce its redesigned XC90 crossover to the American market.

Volvo V60

Volvo was acquired by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. four years ago. The Swedish brand has said it aims to achieve worldwide sales of 800,000 units, including 200,000 in China, by 2020 compared with 427,800 cars last year.

Volvo and Geely are co-developing two new modular platforms with which to cut costs and expand their product lineups. One chassis is designed to carry C-segment cars each company will introduce in about 2016. The companies also are developing a small-car platform that will be used exclusively by Geely to enter the global auto market a year later, according to reports.