When I worked for a computer workstation company we took great pains to
make sure the sales staff new very little about upcoming products. If
they did, sales of current products would dry up. Now, in the car businees
it may or may not be the same. I suspect they know, but don't want to say,
since the would rather sell what they have now, not what they will have.
Or, if they know, they don't know enough details to make you any promises
or book an order (a contract) that they can hold to (hard details like
color, option packages, wheels, picing, etc. are probably not available to
them yet). Could also be the sales guys are not "car guys" and don't really
care.

> From a marketing perspective, this vehicle may already be doomed unless there > is some reason why Volvo chooses to remain so hushed about it.

Maybe its just not ready yet. They could doom it if they promote it before
it is ready for prime time. Also, if they miss the ship date (and that can happen, BMW missed the new 7 series by months and I think the S80 was very late) then that can cause grief in more lost sales and customer displeasure.