Volvo Concept Estate revealed ahead of Geneva

The Volvo concept estate (pictured) debuts at Geneva

We had the first glimpse of what we now know is the Volvo Concept Estate over the weekend when a Swedish raincoat manufacturer published a series of teaser photo sof the latestr Volvo Concept, and now Volvo has revealed it ahead of a Geneva debut. Just as the Volvo Concept Coupe was a modern interpretation of the icon Volvo P1800, the Concept estate is a reworking of the car the P1800 became in its final iteration – the Volvo P1800 ES.

The P1800 ES was a Shooting Brake in the proper car sense – none of the modern interpretation where a Shooting Brake has become a four-door coupe estate – and the Concept estate is just the same – a two-door coupe with a stylish estate rear.

In fact, the Concept Estate is effectively the Concept Coupe with a Shooting Brake rear with the same low bonnet, floating grill, new headlights, distinctive rear lights and glass roof whilst still managing to echo some of the design cues of the original ES, particularly at the back.

But it’s the interior that comes to the fore in the Concept Estate with the first proper look at Volvo’s idea of a 21st century Volvo cabin.

Yes, there are many concept flairs like the shaped front seats that look like overgrown child seats and the big slabs of teak that make the centre console look like the side of a 1980s G-Plan coffee table, but the architecture of the dash looks production likely.

That means a similar theme to the Tesla Model S with a big portrait-shaped Infotainment screen front and centre replacing all the usual buttons except for volume, play/pause, hazard warning and window heaters, and which interacts with the digital instrument cluster that sits in front of the driver.

Robin Page, Interior Design Director Interior for Volvo, said:

Not having to deal with buttons and controls for a growing number of functionalities is like being freed from a pair of handcuffs.

This has made it possible to build a beautiful interior architecture around the portrait screen. The concept car showcases how this user interface will be integrated in our new car generation.

Beyond the architecture of the cabin, Volvo has gone overboard with their efforts to make the Concept Estate’s cabin like a Swedish Living room with woven carpets from Swedish designer Kasthall, crystal gear lever from Orrefors/Kosta Boda, naturally tanned saddle leather from Tärnsjö, waxed aged wood inlays, machined copper details and chequered black and white headliner and at the sides of the front seats.

It’s all quite ‘Concepty’ but it’s not too hard to see how it would translate in to a production cabin, and it’s very convincing.

The Volvo Concept estate will debut next week at the Geneva Motor Show.

By Cars UK