Skip to main content

VIDEO: Volvo revs up to debut something on May 17, but what?

Steve Angello If Volvo’s May 17 “World Premiere” lives up to its digital campaign, it should be pretty interesting – although we still aren’t sure exactly what it’s promoting.

Starring the electropop Swedish House Mafia DJs (Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello), videos and still photos for the campaign appear to be set in some remote rural area and feature some very vague images of a vehicle.   

Recommended Videos

The campaign, which appears to be tied to a project called Leave the World Behind, also features the Swedish music group Lune (pronounced Lynne) fronted by Linnéa Martinsson.

One auto news source speculates that the campaign could be a promo for the new Volvo V40 line-up, which includes a more rugged-style V40 Cross Country − or the XC60, which is getting some minor updates for the 2014 model year.

In a few of the video and still photos, featured on Leave the World Behind, the vehicle definitely appears to have a sport wagon or SUV-like silhouette.   

The world premiere, set to debut at 8:30 PM CET tomorrow, could include some grand stage element at Steve Angello’s performance Friday at the Electric Daisy Concert music festival in New York − though the tone of the video and photos speak to something more subtle.  

Maybe, Volvo is launching a contest where a person can win an all expense paid trip to take three friends to Sweden for a road adventure in a Volvo, with the final destination being an exclusive house party hosted by one of the DJs set in some remote area.

Wishful thinking right?

The carmaker could also be revving up for the launch of a web-series featuring the musicians exploring their native countryside in a Volvo.  

Either way, the overall concept is definitely intriguing – considering I’ve always thought the Swedish carmaker could use a bit more edge when promoting their vehicles.

Let’s just hope that whatever Volvo debuting tomorrow lives up to the hype.

Aren’t you a little curious?  What do you think Volvo is up to? Take a look and leave a comment below.

Topics
Marcus Amick
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marcus Amick has been writing about the world of cars for more than ten years and has covered everything from new automobiles…
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
tesla and spacex CEO elon musk stylized image

Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.

Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.

Read more
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Ride Elite automotive platforms

It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.

The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.

Read more
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra.

Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.

Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.

Read more