When Volvo took the wraps off the new S60 Cross Country, many wondered what the Swedish automaker was thinking. And that's exactly what Car and Driver asked of the Swedish automaker when it sat down with Lex Kerssemakers, Volvo's longtime product chief and new head of American operations.

As it turns out, the Cross Country version of the S60 may be more suited towards some overseas markets than it is to ours. In places like Russia and India – developing countries where not every driving surface is paved – the high-riding version of the premium sports sedan may even replace the standard model altogether.

As for the the US market, Volvo apparently plans to test the waters by offering a limited run of 500 units in a single spec and in only two colors – a gloss version of the Detroit show car's matte gray finish and probably either black or white.

It's a similar approach Volvo took to the S60 Polestar at the other end of the spectrum, and if the first crop of S60 Cross Countries in America sells well enough, it could very well expand the offering. At that point, Volvo may very well create a new market segment for high-riding off-road sedans, like Subaru tried with the Legacy Outback SUS over a decade ago.