New electric Citroen Berlingo SUV goes 7-Up

Volvo has priced up its first ever coupe SUV, the C40 Recharge. The more svelte version of the pure-electric XC40 Recharge starts from a pretty hefty £57,400.

For now, £57,400 is the price and the only price as unlike other Volvo models there's only one trim level on sale. That's if you want to buy the car outright though, as Volvo will offer the C40 on its car subscription scheme. Packages start from £729 per month for a 36-month fixed contract, or £879 per month if you’d like the ability to cancel with three months’ notice.

C40 gets a rakish look with a low roofline

While there is only one trim level, it is at least well specified. A panoramic roof, 20-inch wheels, a panoramic roof, anti-dazzling 'Pixel' LED headlights, a Harman Kardon stereo, wireless phone charging, Google services and a heat pump (to optimise the car's range) are all thrown in as standard.

The C40 uses the XC40's twin electric motors, so there's four-wheel drive and 402bhp to play with. That means the C40 can race to 60mph in 4.7 seconds, putting it roughly on par with the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

The 78kWh battery gives a range of 261 miles, but Volvo says this range will improve over time thanks to over-the-air software updates. A a zero-to-80% charge will currently take 40 minutes.

Interior is carried over from the XC40 – but not the rear headroom

Volvo will likely offer a range of lower powered models in time so the C40 can compete with cheaper versions of the Model 3 and the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The name itself, C40, hints at the car's more glamorous style as 'C' has previously been used on the C30 hatchback and C70 coupe and convertible models. The exterior is largely the same as the XC40's, but the C40 gets a lower, more rakish roofline. The interior will also be a little less spacious than the XC40's thanks to that car's more boxy shape.

The C40 is on sale now with deliveries expected to begin in early 2022.