2017 Volvo S90 to get XC90-inspired design, plug-in drivetrain

The S90 will reportedly debut next January in Detroit.

Volvo is in the final stages of developing the all-new S90, and spy shots taken in Holland give us a better idea of what to expect from it when it lands.

Designed to replace the aging S80, the S90 will fall in line with Volvo's newest design language thanks to Thor's Hammer headlights and a bold grille with chromed vertical slats. The S80's raked roof line will carry over to the S90, but the new sedan will gain a set of rear quarter windows and larger tail lamps.

The S90 will launch as a four-door sedan but it will spawn a spacious station wagon dubbed V90 shortly after its introduction.

Reflecting Volvo's premium ambitions, the S90 will benefit from an upscale cabin with acres of leather upholstery and a huge tablet-like touch screen located on the center console. Volvo hopes the posh cockpit will allow the S90 to fight head-to-head against well-established luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series.

Under the skin, the S90 will be all but identical to the XC90. Built on Volvo's new Scalable Platform Architecture, Volvo's next sedan will launched with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that uses both a turbocharger and a supercharger to generate 316 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 295 lb-ft. of torque from 2,200 to 4,500 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission will send power to all four wheels.

Later in the production run, the S90 will get a fuel-sipping gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain made up of the aforementioned 2.0-liter four-banger, a 60-horsepower electric motor located over the rear axle a smaller motor wedged between the engine and the eight-speed automatic. Called Twin Engine in Volvo-speak, the drivetrain will generate about 400 horsepower and 472 lb-ft. of torque while allowing the S90 to drive on electricity alone for up to 20 miles.

Rumors indicate the Volvo S90 will be presented to the public for the first time next year the Detroit Motor Show. If that's the case, it could be previewed by a close-to-production concept next fall in Frankfurt, while its family-friendly V90 counterpart will likely bow next March in Geneva.

The S90 will land in Volvo showrooms across the nation next spring as a 2017 model, but whether it will be joined by the V90 is an open question.