Click above to enlarge the Volvo S60 teaser image

You would have to set your way-back machine to the year 2000 in order to witness the last time Volvo released a brand-new mid-size sedan. That is an eternity in the auto industry, and competitors from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and even Saab have all since received significant updates. What we're getting at is that it's high-time for Volvo to introduce a brand-new S60 sedan. With the last of the P2-based S60 sedans set to roll down the Swedish assembly line next month, Volvo has just released its first official exterior image of the totally new mid-sizer that's scheduled to be shown for the first time in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

The first S60 was a radical departure from previous Swedish bricks, and Volvo is looking to make another statement with its newest model along those same lines. Volvo's shoulder-like design trademark will get a slight overhaul with a "double wave" accent over each wheel instead of just a straight shot from front to rear. We also see definite Audi and Jaguar XF hints in this car's profile. On the inside, the expected "waterfall" cluster and console will get an update with real crystal, which we definitely don't expect to survive through to productoin. Volvo has got a lot riding on this new P24 platform, and the once-popular and trend-setting S60 needs to be a big hit for the Swedish brand's continued survival.

[source]