OREANDA-NEWS. The Volvo XC60 was the most sold midsize SUV in Europe in 2015, according to independent figures compiled by automotive research firm JATO.

This landmark is another indicator of Volvo Cars’ ongoing transformation and growth story. It also highlights the lasting appeal of the elegant and adaptable XC60, which has been Volvo’s best-selling model since 2009.

The leading position for the XC60 comes as the SUV segment emerged for the first time as the most popular car segment in Europe in 2015, according to JATO. The XC60 has allowed Volvo to compete head-on with and beat its German competitors in the segment, one of the most competitive in the market.

Europe is Volvo Cars’ most important sales region, representing more than half of the company’s total global sales.

Volvo XC60

The XC60 was launched in 2008 and has recorded steadily improving sales figures every year since. Now in its ninth year of production, the XC60 remains relentlessly popular among car buyers and over 750,000 units have been sold since its introduction.

In 2012, the car breached the 100,000 mark for the first time and in 2015 almost 160,000 XC60s were sold around the globe. The most important markets for the XC60 in 2015 were China, the United States and Sweden. Within Europe, the XC60 has also proven to be highly popular in key markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

Annual XC60 sales since 2008:

2008

6 954

2009

61 667

2010

80 723

2011

97 183

2012

106 203

2013

114 010

2014

136 993

2015

159 617

Volvo Car Group in 2014/15

For the 2014 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 2,252 MSEK (1,919 MSEK in 2013). Revenue over the period amounted to 129,959 MSEK (122,245 MSEK). For the full year 2015, global sales reached a record 503,127 cars, an increase of 8 per cent versus 2014. The record sales and operating profit cleared the way for Volvo Car Group to continue investing in its global transformation plan.

About Volvo Car Group

Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 503,127 in 2015 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.

As of December 2015, Volvo Cars had almost 29,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium) and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Sk?vde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofstr?m (Sweden).