2004 Volvo YCC Concept

•a low front end and a long rear window, for an excellent view all round
•bumpers and lower side sections covered with a tough, durable material, in contrast to its suave upper bodywork
•muscular shoulders and catwalk
•gull-wing doors
•headlights with an ethereal, liquid quality

An excellent view from the driver's seat was high on YCC wish-lists. In many cars, it can be difficult to see to all four corners. This can make a car hard to park or to pilot through tight spots. But in the YCC it is easy to see where the car starts and where it ends, because the front end is low, the fenders have been brought into sight and the traditional Volvo V on the bonnet section has been inverted. The effect is reminiscent of the Volvo P1800, giving the car a sporty look and the driver full command of the situation ahead. The equivalent has been achieved at the rear end, where the rear window extends almost all the way to where the car ends.

The lines of the YCC's 'catwalk' give it a look which is muscular and elegant at the same time.

"It was important to combine beautiful, flowing lines with a muscular look. The strong front end gives a sense of speed, the line flows over the front wheel, then drops towards the rear," says Anna Rosén, who designed the exterior.

Chameleon with variable ride height

The YCC is as big as the Volvo S60. Its variable ride height function enables it to be raised or lowered either when driving or when parked. It is a car which combines sportiness and robustness and the exterior design strives for a balance between these characteristics. Its skidplates emphasize the functionality.

Its bumpers and lower side sections are made of a tough, durable material, for an enhanced functional feel. This effect is balanced by the streamlined beauty of the body panels. They have been finished in Chameleon, a 'flip' (colour-change) paint for an iridescent, silky look. Depending on the light, the exterior flip colour Chameleon changes from green to gold or blue to yellow.

"We chose a paint which would bring out the lines of the car to best advantage,"says Maria Uggla, the Colour and Trim designer.

Ice effect

The head- and tail-lights are important elements of the YCC's styling. The headlights are lenses of transparent thermoplastic which project the light from banks of LEDs. The effect is that of light emanating from a block of ice. No bulbs or LEDs visible, just light.

The rear light clusters enhance the characteristic look of this Volvo. Here the red section flows seamlessly into the yellow.

The high-level brake light is at the top edge of the rear window. If the driver brakes hard, the red area grows bigger. If the driver has to brake extra hard, the brake light pulsates.

Gull-wing doors of short wing span

The YCC was designed with wide side door openings.

•for better display of the car interior
•for easier back seat loading and unloading
•to make it an easier car to get in and out of.