Volvo’s S90 flagship luxury sedan is due for local introduction later this year, with the R-Design version set to arrive in 2017.

Volvo’s new luxury S90 sedan is bound to garner much attention when it arrives in South Africa later this year. The S90 will share design cues with the hugely successful XC90 SUV (current Cars.co.za Consumer Awards Premium SUV title holder) and it’s expected to feature a host of advanced gadgetry and technology to rival offerings from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

Volvo has announced that the sportier S90 R-Design version will become available in South Africa in 2017, following the new model’s introduction later this year. We will be travelling to Europe later this week to drive the new S90 so stay tuned for updates and first impressions.

Volvo S90 R-Design details

The Volvo S90 R-Design features additional sporty details.

“R-Design delivers an extra edge to our elegant new 90-series sedan, with a winning combination of a sportier, more responsive drive with clearly visible performance styling,” says Björn Annwall, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars.

The S90 R-Design features a different grille compared to the standard model with piano black trim found at the front and rear. Fog lights are integrated into the front spoiler and the R-Design rides on newly designed five-spoke matt diamond-cut wheels, giving the car a sportier persona.

On the inside, R-Design derivatives will feature unique décor trim, pedals and floor mats. Contoured sport seats, a special steering wheel and an interior illumination package will further differentiate th R-Design derivatives from the rest of the S90 lineup.

Local engine and specification details have not been confirmed at this stage but you can expect to see Volvo’s acclaimed four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo- and supercharged T6 engine and the 2.0-litre turbo T5. Also on the cards is the latest 2.0-litre T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, which was recently introduced on the XC90.

We will keep you updated as more details become available for the Volvo S90.