irishcar.com - Volvo S60

If I was Mercedes-Benz or MBW, one thing I would not be telling customers right now is: “You’ll have to join the waiting list.”

I would be so afraid of the new Volvo S60 taking my customers away that I would do everything possible to fulfil their needs immediately. Anyone with around £30,000 to spend could be very enticed to buy Mercedes-Benz new C Class, BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS200 competitor.

Without even driving this new Volvo, the sporting coupe-like style and the car’s firm presence glanced at through a Volvo dealer’s showroom window could, in itself, just be enough to have you reaching for your cheque book.

Based on the S80/V70 platform, but in a shortened version, the S60 is a brand new addition to the Volvo range that slots in between the present S40 and S80 models. The S60 combines classic coupe lines with the practicality of a real four-door five-seater saloon.

Indeed, its striking looks portray traits of the Volvo C70 Coupe, and S80 saloon. The car’s rear lights, for example, are direct descendants of those on the S80.

Tested by me in 2.0 litre turbo format, the new S60 is the type of car I could hardly wait to write about. This is the type of car that could make you believe there is more to life than a Merc or a Beemer. Not since the introduction of the Alfa Romeo 156, the new VW Passat and the Skoda Octave has a car come along to get me this excited.

Volvo have done to this car what Alfa did to the 156, only this time the Swedes went further than just concealing the rear door handles; they took a four-door saloon, left the door handles prominent and gave the S60 a coupe-like profile.

The sloping roof, which does not, by the way, restrict head space, and the fastback tail, do all the talking. Add to this the prominent haunches or catwalks running along the entire length of the car and you have one classy piece of automotive engineering, one that even prompted one elderly lady to describe the S60 as ‘gorgeous’.

The beauty of this car is that its attractiveness goes further than its sleek 0.28 cd drag co-efficient body. Let’s face it, looks these days are not sufficient to put up a fight to the likes of the C Class or 3 Series. The Volvo’s beauty is more than skin deep and extends to its lively range of engines.

Available also with 2.4 litre turbo and 250 bhp T5 petrol powerplants, the tested 180 bhp 2.0 litre petrol unit is expected to be the big seller in this country. This five cylinder 2.0 litre turbo engine offers power, torque and a tone to whet the appetite of any enthusiast.

Plenty powerful for a car of its size, the 2.0 litre S60’s fuel economy averaged between 23 and 31 mpg for the type of driving I was doing. Driven during the height of the recent atrocious weather conditions, the S60 is the type of car that really offers its driver confidence.

It goes without saying that the name Volvo brings with it feelings of security and safety, but the S60 goes further still. Its wide stance, finely-tuned MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension gives this front-wheel-drive car the ability to deliver excellent handling and ride comfort.

Until the 850 model came along in the early 1990s, Volvos, in my view, never showed themselves to be drivers’ cars. They were strong, sedate and just went beyond the threshold of boredom.

Today’s S60, however, has all the good Volvo qualities we have come to expect and more, but this machine is also the most driver-focused Volvo I have driven. Besides offering a feeling of quality, the S60 is fun to drive; it’s responsible and relays a real feel good factor.

Take the spaceball gear level as another example of this car’s sporting character. For £100 extra - like all Volvos today, they can be made to measure - you can put the dust collecting gear lever gaiter as we knew it to rest for ever. A large aluminium ‘spaceball’ moves with the lever and replaces the sometimes plastic, sometimes leather cover. It also proved very precise in action.

The whole inside environment of this car proved very pleasing. I liked the driver-orientated cockpit and the new three-spoke Volvo steering wheel. Not since the 1800ES of the early ‘70s has Volvo given us a three-spoke steering wheel.

Of course, there is also a very practical side to this new Volvo. The boot is almost as large as that of the S80 and it is just as flexible. Featuring folding rear seat backrests, it also offers two separate floor sections - where one can be folded upwards and forwards, thereby forming a protective wall.

As one would expect from Volvo, the S60 bristles with safety technology and standard features. There are enough airbags, for instance, to take Richard Branson on one of his round-the-world voyages.

Besides front driver and passenger units, there are side airbags which move with the seat adjustment as well as inflatable curtains. Then there is SIPS - Volvo’s side impact protection system; WHIPS, the whiplash protection system; seat belt pretensioners, ABS, STC (stability and traction control) and an ISOFIX child seat attachment.

Standard features are too numerous to mention but, like all of today’s Volvos, the S60 can be tailor-made to suit one’s needs and requirements. Simply choose one of the packs on offer or pick and choose from the vast optional list. For example, if you are not content with the standard air conditioning, a sunroof can also be supplied for an additional £1,290.

Volvo’s new compact executive saloon is sporty, practical, extremely well-built and has the ability for the first time to really frighten the daylights out of Mercedes and BMW. Good availability from Volvo could see the S60 become a popular option for those Mercedes or BMW customers whose patience has either run thin or out as they await delivery of their Teutonic chariots.

Volvo put frighteners on Germans	November 2000
If I was Mercedes-Benz or MBW, one thing I would not be telling customers right now is: “You’ll have to join the waiting list.” I would be so afraid of the new Volvo S60 taking my customers away that I would do everything possible to fulfil their needs immediately. Anyone with around £30,000 to spend could be very enticed to buy Mercedes-Benz new C Class, BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS200 competitor. Without even driving this new Volvo, the sporting coupe-like style and the car’s firm presence glanced at through a Volvo dealer’s showroom window could, in itself, just be enough to have you reaching for your cheque book. Based on the S80/V70 platform, but in a shortened version, the S60 is a brand new addition to the Volvo range that slots in between the present S40 and S80 models. The S60 combines classic coupe lines with the practicality of a real four-door five-seater saloon. Indeed, its striking looks portray traits of the Volvo C70 Coupe, and S80 saloon. The car’s rear lights, for example, are direct descendants of those on the S80. Tested by me in 2.0 litre turbo format, the new S60 is the type of car I could hardly wait to write about. This is the type of car that could make you believe there is more to life than a Merc or a Beemer. Not since the introduction of the Alfa Romeo 156, the new VW Passat and the Skoda Octave has a car come along to get me this excited. Volvo have done to this car what Alfa did to the 156, only this time the Swedes went further than just concealing the rear door handles; they took a four-door saloon, left the door handles prominent and gave the S60 a coupe-like profile. The sloping roof, which does not, by the way, restrict head space, and the fastback tail, do all the talking. Add to this the prominent haunches or catwalks running along the entire length of the car and you have one classy piece of automotive engineering, one that even prompted one elderly lady to describe the S60 as ‘gorgeous’. The beauty of this car is that its attractiveness goes further than its sleek 0.28 cd drag co-efficient body. Let’s face it, looks these days are not sufficient to put up a fight to the likes of the C Class or 3 Series. The Volvo’s beauty is more than skin deep and extends to its lively range of engines. Available also with 2.4 litre turbo and 250 bhp T5 petrol powerplants, the tested 180 bhp 2.0 litre petrol unit is expected to be the big seller in this country. This five cylinder 2.0 litre turbo engine offers power, torque and a tone to whet the appetite of any enthusiast. Plenty powerful for a car of its size, the 2.0 litre S60’s fuel economy averaged between 23 and 31 mpg for the type of driving I was doing. Driven during the height of the recent atrocious weather conditions, the S60 is the type of car that really offers its driver confidence. It goes without saying that the name Volvo brings with it feelings of security and safety, but the S60 goes further still. Its wide stance, finely-tuned MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension gives this front-wheel-drive car the ability to deliver excellent handling and ride comfort. Until the 850 model came along in the early 1990s, Volvos, in my view, never showed themselves to be drivers’ cars. They were strong, sedate and just went beyond the threshold of boredom. Today’s S60, however, has all the good Volvo qualities we have come to expect and more, but this machine is also the most driver-focused Volvo I have driven. Besides offering a feeling of quality, the S60 is fun to drive; it’s responsible and relays a real feel good factor. Take the spaceball gear level as another example of this car’s sporting character. For £100 extra - like all Volvos today, they can be made to measure - you can put the dust collecting gear lever gaiter as we knew it to rest for ever. A large aluminium ‘spaceball’ moves with the lever and replaces the sometimes plastic, sometimes leather cover. It also proved very precise in action. The whole inside environment of this car proved very pleasing. I liked the driver-orientated cockpit and the new three-spoke Volvo steering wheel. Not since the 1800ES of the early ‘70s has Volvo given us a three-spoke steering wheel. Of course, there is also a very practical side to this new Volvo. The boot is almost as large as that of the S80 and it is just as flexible. Featuring folding rear seat backrests, it also offers two separate floor sections - where one can be folded upwards and forwards, thereby forming a protective wall. As one would expect from Volvo, the S60 bristles with safety technology and standard features. There are enough airbags, for instance, to take Richard Branson on one of his round-the-world voyages. Besides front driver and passenger units, there are side airbags which move with the seat adjustment as well as inflatable curtains. Then there is SIPS - Volvo’s side impact protection system; WHIPS, the whiplash protection system; seat belt pretensioners, ABS, STC (stability and traction control) and an ISOFIX child seat attachment. Standard features are too numerous to mention but, like all of today’s Volvos, the S60 can be tailor-made to suit one’s needs and requirements. Simply choose one of the packs on offer or pick and choose from the vast optional list. For example, if you are not content with the standard air conditioning, a sunroof can also be supplied for an additional £1,290. Volvo’s new compact executive saloon is sporty, practical, extremely well-built and has the ability for the first time to really frighten the daylights out of Mercedes and BMW. Good availability from Volvo could see the S60 become a popular option for those Mercedes or BMW customers whose patience has either run thin or out as they await delivery of their Teutonic chariots.	VOLVO PRICES New S60 extends Volvo base (Oct 00) - Brian Byrne Volvo puts frighteners on Germans (Nov 00) - Tony Conlon Volvo and fun is no longer an oxymoron (Feb 01) - Brian Byrne
by Tony Conlon

Volvo put frighteners on Germans