What's all this about?

This is a super-luxurious take on the Volvo XC90, unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show.

I've seen this already - it's called the XC90 Excellence.

Wrong. This is the Lounge Console concept XC90 sitting alongside the Excellence in China, with this vehicle's party trick being that it's a three-seater.

Three seats? Why?

Because the back two are super-voluptuous captains' chairs and the front passenger seat has been ditched.

I'll ask again: why?

The Lounge Console sees a multi-functional, er, console in place of the front passenger seat. This little gewgaw houses a large work table, an illuminated vanity mirror, a storage tray for jewellery and personal accessories (or make-up), a 17-inch media screen for an in-car theatre experience and an area to put your shoes underneath the cushioned leg rest. There's also a lockable box for valuables.

Is it likely to make production?

Possibly for China, where sitting in the back is seen as a sign of privilege, but here in Europe we want more seats in our XC90s, not fewer. If it does ever make production, it's likely to remain something of a curio for markets where business executives are chauffeured around between high-powered meetings - and they don't want to travel around in a Bentley or Rolls.