Looks like Aston’s going to avoid the Porsche path and not release an SUV.  The Lagonda concept premiered in Geneva earlier this year to poor reviews.  Add to that the hard downturn in company revenue and you have a formula prevent “branching out.”  Aston CEO Ulrich Bez confirmed the Lagonda plan was on an indefinite hold, with insufficient funds and interest in building the sport-ute.

Think of the XC60-R as Volvo’s modest effort to make a modest sport-ute modestly sporty.  The exterior is now kept in single-tone, as opposed to two; trim accents are decorated in glossy silver; and duo-tones and aluminum finish line the cabin.  Mechanical adjustments are minor, limited to a revised steering system for precise handling, a strengthened chassis, and an upgraded suspension.

It’s not a lot, I know, but it is a tiny step to making Volvo an interesting marque.