Volvo's New SUV Is More Powerful Than A Muscle Car And As Clean As A Prius

Volvo just released information about the engine it will install in its new SUV, and both extremely powerful and clean.

The XC90, set to debut in 2015, is the company's first major major redesign of the SUV in over a decade. Its top-of-the-line T8 model will have a four-cylinder engine that produces 400 horsepower and 472 lb./ft. of torque, Volvo announced this week.

At 400 horsepower, the XC90's tiny two-litre inline four-cylinder engine outpowers sportscars like Dodge's Hemi powered Challenger (375 hp) and even Porsche's legendary 911 (350 hp). The technical wizards at Volvo managed to squeeze all of this power out of the pint-size engine by installing a supercharger and a turbocharger along with an 80 horsepower electric motor in a system the company calls "twin engine."

In the T8 plug-in hybrid, the twin engine will function by having the gasoline engine send power to the front wheels while the electric motor powers the rear.

The "twin engine" system is also clean. Volvo's plug-in hybrid technology emits only 60 g/km of carbon dioxide, putting the SUV squarely in Toyota Prius territory. (Normal hybrid models produce 94 g/km and plug-in Priuses pump out just 49 g/km of CO2.) The difference is even more stark when you compare the Volvo to its likely competitors, the Mercedes ML350 BlueTec diesel and BMW X5 xDrive 50i, which emit 179 and 292 g/km of carbon dioxide, respectively.

Those looking for a less ambitious powertrain in their XC90 can opt for a T6 model, which will by powered by a two-litre 316 hp four-cylinder; the same engine found in Volvo's S60 T6 sedan. The XC90 will also be available with a series of diesel engine options, but Volvo has not yet released further details.

The engine announcement is part of Volvo's scaled reveal of the XC90. The SUV's interior design was released in May, and a final reveal with exterior styling and pricing is scheduled for next month in Sweden.