Volvo's new 40 series small car concepts look phenomenal

As part of Volvo's top-to-bottom redesign of all its cars, the Swedish carmaker is showing us a pair of concepts for its smallest car lineup, the 40 series. First teased last week, the 40 series concepts are a spectacular take on small cars, unlike anything else in the segment.

Sharp lines and innovative design elements will definitely make them stand out from the competition, and if the final product ends up looking anything like these, I think Volvo is going to do very, very well.

"Each member of our product family has its own distinct character, just like the members of a real family," Thomas Ingenlath, Volvo's head of design, said in a statement. "They have an energy, a disruptive and engaging urban character that makes them stand out amongst the crowd. This is the flavor of small Volvos to come."

The first car from the new 40 series is expected to go into production next year, with pure-electric and plug-in hybrid variants to come as well. Volvo has already launched its XC90, S90, and V90 cars, with versions of the mid-sized 60 series coming up next, followed by the new, smaller 40 series.