After a couple of very intriguing teasers, Volvo now takes the wraps off its latest concept model, designed and built for the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Simply called the Volvo Concept Coupe, this car shows off the brand’s new design direction, to be featured on the forthcoming XC90 in 2014.

Visually, the Concept Coupe is quite a striking car, what with a low bonnet, roof, and the five-spoke, 21-inch wheels. But Volvo maintains this is no dream car, no flight of fancy. All the design elements you see here will indeed be put to work in future production models.

Among these features there is the new T-shaped DRL lights which give Volvos a distinctive new corporate look. The design of the Volvo Concept Coupe is also inspired, to some extent, by the  iconic P1800 from the 60’s, possibly the sexiest car they ever made. The shape of the rocker panels and C pillars pay homage to the legendary model.

Of course, there are some features in the concept car that are just for the show; stuff like the crystal gear lever, naturally aged wood and the dark blue woven carpets and the portrait touchscreen. But you can count on some of its other features to have a big impact on the production cars of future. For instance, the autonomous technology integrated into the architecture of the car is aimed to be fully utilized for road use by 2020.

The powertrain is complex and sophisticated, consisting of a two-litre high-performance Drive-E petrol engine with a supercharger and turbo, plus an electric motor on the rear axle. Total output of the system is 400 hp and over 600 Nm of torque.