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im not saying i think i know whats best for ppl. i am backing up the best selling luxury brand, BMW, in design. yes, it is subjective, but from what i stated about audi, merc, and BMW is a general consensus in the automotive design world. its not like i was pushing a minority vote.
if you saw my point, then you would know that certain cars (like the 4G TL) have little automotive inheritance, as its merely gimmicky design. we are actually in agreeance on that matter. im not favoring much of the trendy junk that companies are rolling out.
You might be right or wrong but at least you're presenting an intelligent argument.
It's a nice break from the cage-rattling and poo-flinging that goes on here.
And there is no "general consensus in the automotive design world" that all BMW's are beautiful and the most attractive cars around.
I highly doubt anyone in the "automobile design world" would rate this design as spectacular or anywhere over average, and there are more BMWs that I could put up here but I think I made my point. Its fine if your a fan boy just don't bs me with any superiority talk.
Back on topic, I do like the S60 in black, even if thats just my dumb, know-nothing, average dude opinion.
Last edited by MeehowsBRZ; 11-11-2009 at 09:24 AM.
lol. my general consensus was based on certain brands outperforming other brands. i never said that all cars in those line-ups were knockouts. only a nut would stand by a statement that close-minded.
what kind of debate is this? you get to pick specific cars like the 4G TL and X3 and hold it against my broad statement? this will only go in circles.
granted my theory may be good design = good sales, but that gen X3 could be an exception- a niche-starter, some would even say, a trend setter, and reaped sales. it didnt even have to be a great looking car, nor do i think it is, IMO. the X3 was the first in its class = no precedence. merely having a new look would help put it on the map.
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 11-11-2009 at 09:36 AM.
im not saying i think i know whats best for ppl. i am backing up the best selling luxury brand, BMW, in design. yes, it is subjective, but from what i stated about audi, merc, and BMW is a general consensus in the automotive design world. its not like i was pushing a minority vote.
if you saw my point, then you would know that certain cars (like the 4G TL) have little automotive inheritance, as its merely gimmicky design. we are actually in agreeance on that matter. im not favoring much of the trendy junk that companies are rolling out.
Well in the US, BMW is not the number one selling luxury brand. Lexus is. Does that mean that Lexus has the best designs of any other luxury marque in the country. No. I own a Lexus, but I'm not going to fool myself into thinking all of their designs are top rate. Like for example the new HS has a very ungainly design.
Your whole design based on sales isn't really a good way for determining if a car has a good design. There are many beautiful exotics out there but their sales are nearly zero. Does that mean their ugly? no.
Also back to BMW, 50% of their sales are on the back of one car. The 3 series. All of their other cars don't sell as well as their equivalents from Mercedes. The E class is outselling the 5, the S class is outselling the 7, the GLK is outselling the X3, the ML is outselling the X5, the GL is outselling the X6 etc etc etc. Does that mean all of those cars look better than their BMW equivalents. Not necessarily. IMO they do, but one thing we always come back to is the fact that styling is subjective. What you see as art I might see as trash, what I see as art you may see as elementary. But aside from that if we assume that people in this class purchase based on styling, than we could conclude that most Mercedes look better than BMWs...
Originally Posted by mikeschicagoRL
I highly doubt anyone in the "automobile design world" would rate this design as spectacular or anywhere over average, and there are more BMWs that I could put up here but I think I made my point. Its fine if your a fan boy just don't bs me with any superiority talk.
Back on topic, I do like the S60 in black, even if thats just my dumb, know-nothing, average dude opinion.
The 2011 Volvo S60 suffered an embarrassing snafu last week when its collision avoidance system failed to operate during a demonstration, but this week's price announcement is likely to gain it a more positive sort of attention: it starts at $37,700 and offers features not available on other luxury sedans, including pedestrian detection.
Volvo's touting its advantage in standard all-wheel drive as well, a pricey upgrade when available on competitive cars. The company is even claiming price advantage of up to $7,000 against competitors from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. But there's more to the issue than that first gloss.
Comparing apples-to-apples, the 300-horsepower, 325 pound-foot 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD starts at $37,700--about $2,000 less than the base price of the 2010 Mercedes C350 and nearly $5,000 less than the 2010 BMW 335i xDrive. The Lexus IS 350 is about $100 cheaper than the new S60, but doesn't offer all-wheel drive. So it's very competitive on price before you start adding technology others don't have.
And the pedestrian detection system that's available on the 2011 S60 is pretty cool technology, since it goes a step beyond detecting pedestrians--something BMW and Mercedes have been doing for a while now-- to actually employing an avoidance system. Volvo says it's capable of avoiding all collisions with pedestrians below 15 mph. And a new S60 with the system equipped will run you just $41,400.
For more on the pedestrian detection system, read our article here and hit up page two for the full list of pricing and options.
That's kind of a lot of coin, considering the outgoing model started at several thousand less. The 2011 must not have a base engine like a 5-cylinder or anything.
But I would consider a 2011 S60 T6 AWD. There's a lot of sedans I'm waiting for and this is one of them. Mostly it's between the S60 and the new Regal GS. I wonder which will be the best executed....
That's kind of a lot of coin, considering the outgoing model started at several thousand less. The 2011 must not have a base engine like a 5-cylinder or anything.
But I would consider a 2011 S60 T6 AWD. There's a lot of sedans I'm waiting for and this is one of them. Mostly it's between the S60 and the new Regal GS. I wonder which will be the best executed....
volvo has been behind the 8-ball on "automotive inflation", mostly b/c of struggling sales. i think we might have been a bit spoiled with volvos previous price points...
due to the restructuring of the company, and the actual size of the S60, 38k for a complete redesign in 2011 is pretty acceptable. a lot has / will be changing with volvo...lets not forget, the new TL could now get over the 40k mark too.
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-10-2010 at 09:48 PM.
From Autoblog: Last month, we found out that Polestar and Volvo were hard at work on a special tune of the S60 that would give the Swedish sedan an attitude for "the performance minded driver" and a right to say to the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and BMW M3, "Yes, I'm looking at you." Speculation had been that the S60 Polestar Performance concept could fit the V8 from the XC90, but more frenetic minds prevailed, bolting a Garret turbocharger onto the T6 currently available in the S60 and raising it to 508 horsepower and 424 foot-pounds of torque – boosting the standard numbers by 208 hp and 99 lb-ft. That's good enough for a proclaimed 0-to-62 mph sprint in 3.9 seconds and a terminal velocity of "more than 300 km/h" (over 186 mph).
Wrapped around that engine are the promised 30-mm lower and 20-mm wider body, six-piston Brembos on the 380-mm front discs, a reinforced chassis, upgraded Haldex all-wheel drive, Öhlins three-way suspension and 19-inch wheels on 265-section rubber all around. Other tweaks include a six-speed manual transmission, increased track of 20 mm up front and 40 mm out back and a stainless steel exhaust. Weight has been reduced by 204 pounds compared to the North American-spec S60, and naturally, Alcantara shows up in force inside.
There is only one for the moment, built for "one specific client." Polestar says more details will be revealed soon, and more such sedans could follow depending on market response.
From Autoblog: If, like the rest of the world, you find yourself with an insatiable desire to own the ludicrously-fast and equally sexy Polestar Volvo S60 Concept, we have some bad news for you: The machine has already found a new owner.
Some unnamed soul ponied up $300,000 for the keys to the 508-horsepower, all-wheel-drive sedan. That is a staggering sum of money for a machine that's supposed to lock horns with ilk like the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, BMW M3 and Audi RS4. While it's true the Polestar S60 claws at the tarmac with more power than any of those German creations, we likely don't need to tell you what sorts of machines can be had for that kind of cash.
Still, as of right now, there is only one Polestar S60 in the world, and this is it. Exclusivity has its price, and while Volvo is pretty clear on the fact that it doesn't expect to have to hire on new staff to take on a torrent of orders for the $300,000 sedan, Polestar will be happy to put one together for you if you have the means. Here's hoping demand proves high enough that Volvo decides to put such a machine in series production...
Originally Posted by charliemike
Polestar does some great things ... Volvo sadly doesn't do the volume to justify a true S60R like the concept : /
I wonder what kind of number they would need to make this happen. If a 1,000 car run was possible that'd be great, although who knows how many it would take to actually make a profit. If a one of costs $300K then it'd probably need to be a lot more then 1,000.
Last edited by MeehowsBRZ; 06-20-2012 at 08:25 AM.
A new Volvo S60 Cross Country is set to join the recently revealed V60 Cross Country in Volvo’s growing arsenal of jacked-up soft-roaders, and will create a new niche in the process: the crossover sedan. The vehicle was revealed in full today ahead of a world debut at next week’s Detroit Auto Show.
“The S60 Cross Country is the sole contender in the crossover sedan segment,” Volvo sales and marketing chief Alain Visser said in a statement. “We have identified a clear niche in the market for a more capable sedan with rugged styling cues and a higher stance.”
The S60 Cross Country benefits from an additional 2.6 inches of ground clearance compared to the standard S60 on which it is based, and it also gets underbody protection and an advanced all-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring technology and corner traction control.
The sole powertrain for the U.S. market is a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, rated at 250 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, and the only transmission is expected to be a six-speed automatic.
Volvo will offer S60 Cross Country buyers in other markets the option of front-wheel drive as well as the choice of four- and five-cylinder diesels.
The standard wheels measure in at 18 inches and come with high-profile tires for added comfort, reduced road noise, and increased wheel protection when needed. A 19-inch set will be available.
Volvo says the S60 Cross Country will be available on a limited basis this summer. Pricing information is yet to be released but expect to pay slightly less than the V60 Cross Country’s $41,925 sticker.
The wraps will come off the first U.S.-built Volvo
Volvo is getting ready to unveil its new S60 sedan tomorrow in Gothenburg, Sweden. New teaser shots are cropping up on Instagram and elsewhere, with familiar modern Volvo details visible under the sheet, including the "Thor's Hammer" headlights and a taillight shape similar to the bigger S90. We also get a look at the car's front from above, with the bumper's jutting airdam visible. Other shots depict the S60 placed in a fish tank of sorts, waiting for its moment in the limelight above a Scandinavian-looking living-room setting.
The car will be the first U.S.-built Volvo, replacing the 2010-introduced predecessor, which first entered production in Belgium. Volvo's new South Carolina plant is expected to build 60,000 S60s a year. The powertrain options will otherwise mirror the XC60 and V60 siblings, but no diesel version will be offered. The top-of-the-line version will be the Polestar Engineered edition of the T8 model, which boosts the hybrid car's power output all the way to 415 horsepower.
Volvo’s crossovers—XC90, XC40, and XC60 are hot hot hot. The company can’t build ‘em fast enough. Volvo sales are up nearly 41 percent so far this year largely on the strength of those crossovers. But Volvo’s first product from its new, and first, US plant, isn’t a crossover. It’s not even a wagon. It’s a sedan, the 2019 S60.
The third-generation S60 is aimed at the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and looks like a three-quarter scale S90, a good thing. Built near Charleston, SC, the new S60 rides on the company’s Scalable Product Architecture (also underpinning the S90, XC90) and shares engines with its wagon sibling, the V60.
Four S60 trim levels will be available: The T5 model uses a 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo four driving the front wheels. There's also a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter that develops about 315 hp, drives all four wheels and is badged T6. A hybrid T6 gets about 340 hp wearing the Polestar badge, and the T8 plug-in hybrid is expected to have a stout 415 hp.
Suspension consists of double wishbones front and an integral-link rear axle. Air suspension is optional.
The interior mimics the V60 with a big instrument cluster directly in front of the driver and Volvo’s Sensus iPad-esque screen. Volvo says the latest version of Sensus is 50 percent faster.
There’s standard safety equipment aplenty, of course, including City Safety with Autobrake and steering assist. It recognizes people, bicyclists, and large animals and engages Autobrake if needed.
Buyers can also get the S60 via Volvo’s subscription service, called Care by Volvo; it includes insurance and maintenance and allows a swap for another Volvo after 12 months. The service starts at $775 per month, before taxes and registration fees.
If you plan on buying the new S60, prices range from the font-wheel-drive T5 Momentum at $36,795 to the Inscription trimmed T8 Twin-Engine plug-in hybrid's $56,395 sticker price.
The new Volvo US plant, a $1.1 billion investment, sits on 1,600 acres and can crank out about 60,000 S60s a year, starting this fall. Production of the next-generation XC90 begins there in 2021.
"The S60 will be available via the brand’s Care by Volvo subscription service, whereby customers will only pay a flat monthly fee that covers the vehicle’s insurance and maintenance."
The S60 represents a few firsts for the Swedish carmaker, as it is the first Volvo model to be made in the US. Additionally, it is also the first Volvo not to be offered with a diesel engine as announced earlier, so petrol is the only path here.
All powertrains, of which there are four of them, feature the brand’s 2.0 litre four-cylinder Drive-E engine and an Aisin-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. The first of the bunch is the T5, which comes with a turbocharger to make 254 hp/350 Nm of torque that goes to the front wheels. Further up the notch is the T6 AWD that adds a supercharger to the mix for a total of 310 hp/400 Nm and comes coupled with an all-wheel drive system.
Moving on, we arrive at the plug-in hybrid options, starting with the T6 Twin Engine AWD (340 hp/590 Nm) that is shared with the V60. Also offered is the T8 Twin Engine AWD with 390 hp/640 Nm, which can be enhanced to deliver 405 hp/670 Nm with the optional Polestar Engineered upgrade that is exclusive to the T8 powertrain.
Those that opt for the Polestar route will also benefit from new wheels, upgraded brakes and suspension, plus a revised engine control unit. Keep in mind that power outputs for the US market are slightly different – T5 at 250 hp, T6 at 316 hp, T8 at 400 hp and T8 Polestar Engineered at 415 hp.
[...]
As with most Volvo models, there are a few trim packages to choose from, including the Momentum, Inscription and R-Design. The Momentum is identified by the vertical slats on the grille that are painted black along with the fog lamp surrounds; on the Inscription, these items gain a chrome finish instead.
[...]
What of T8-powered cars with the Polestar Engineered package then? Well, they are almost identical to the R-Design but there are now slats in place of the front fog lamps and there are Polestar badges at the front and rear of the car.
The interior also sees the addition of a leather cushion for the driver’s knee and a redesigned armrest as a result. That’s not all because there’s also contrast stitching on the steering wheel, aluminium pedals, a crystal gear knob and gold seat belts to match the brake calipers on the outside.
The S60 will be available via the brand’s Care by Volvo subscription service, whereby customers will only pay a flat monthly fee that covers the vehicle’s insurance and maintenance.
Their design language is certainly captivating. I love all new Volvos... didn't know they had it in them to design something that looks so good (judging by the last 40 years of Volvos )
Volvo said the 2019 Volvo S60 T8 Polestar Engineered was going to be available in "extremely limited quantities," and the company wasn't kidding. It announced that it will only be offering 20 in the United States. That's not even one for every state.
The S60 Polestar Engineered, with its 415 horsepower and 494 pound-feet of torque, also won't be cheap. It will be the most expensive of the S60 models available through the Care by Volvo subscription service. And yes, it will only be available through a subscription. The monthly rate is $1,100 a month, which includes insurance and maintenance. That's $250 more per month than the next most expensive S60 in the program, the S60 T6 AWD R-Design.
If you're still interested in the Polestar Engineered S60, you'd better get your phone fingers ready. It becomes available at 12 p.m. Eastern on June 28 via the Care by Volvo app. With only 20 available, you'll need to be fast.
Volvo's S60 T6 R-Design AWD is a study in paying attention to the small things. To draw a comparison, the difference between a luxury home and the houses most of us live in is more than just the footprint, the number of rooms, or the setting. It's equally about the design details inside: the finishes, the materials, and the craftsmanship, all of which add up to a big difference. There's nothing wrong with a $69 bathroom-sink faucet that you can pick up at Lowe's (we're speaking from firsthand experience), but the sinks in that renovated brownstone on the tony side of town are probably adorned with something more like a Maestro Bath Swarovski Crystal unit that costs a small fortune. Suddenly, washing your hands is an upscale experience that makes you feel, well, better.
Driving the new S60 is a lot like that. Actually, you don't even have to drive it. Just slide behind the wheel and see if the world doesn't immediately seem like a better place. With each succeeding new model—the latest generation of the XC90, XC60, and XC40 SUVs and the S90 sedan and V90 wagon—Volvo has been pushing its image further away from stoic and safety conscious and closer to design forward. In fact, the brand is already there, and the S60 R-Design puts an exclamation point on that effort.
The R-Design's interior actually feels as if it was designed by a fine-arts major. The instrument panel's roller-coaster lower section, trimmed in textured aluminum, is an intriguing sculptural element. The materials throughout the cabin are rich and handsomely accented with splashes of piano black and delicate touches of brightwork. The front seats, unlike the straightforward leather buckets in many cars, are inlaid with swatches of sporty-looking cloth and have stylish, complex lower cushions similar to what you'd find on a piece of fine furniture. The engine-start toggle and the sound system's volume knob have jeweled surfaces. Wherever leather or vinyl covers a surface, the materials are pulled taut, and every one of the many sewn seams is arrow straight. The graphics of the digital instrument cluster and the Sensus infotainment system's touchscreen are rendered in crisp fonts. In other words, the S60 R-Design's cabin looks a lot like that of every recent Volvo—which is to say, beautiful.
Beyond being a wonderful place in which to sit and contemplate the universe, the S60 R-Design also happens to work well as a car—as a sports sedan, to be exact. In size, price, equipment, and performance, it's aimed squarely at the perennial compact, entry-luxury sedan benchmarks that other aspiring automakers also target: the Audi A4, the BMW 3-series, and the Mercedes-Benz C-class. That's no surprise. What is, however, is how well it works, particularly as a mainstream Volvo model.
The R-Design we tested is the middle child in the S60 lineup, sitting between the base Momentum and more-luxe-but-less-sporty Inscription. All three S60 trim levels can be had in T5 spec with the base 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and front-wheel drive. The upper two trims also can be configured with all-wheel-drive and the 400-hp T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, which utilizes the same T6 engine as our test car as well as a motor mounted on the rear axle. That T6 is the same 316-hp turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter mill available in most of Volvo's recent offerings, and it comes only with all-wheel drive. Our test car was loaded, and in terms of standard and optional equipment there's nothing the competition offers that the S60 T6 R-Design AWD can't match.
The S60 T6 also matches or beats their performance. It launches from rest to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, which is identical to the A4's time and a couple of tenths quicker than the last four-cylinder 3-series sedan we tested. Fitted with optional 19-inch Michelin Primacy MXM4 all-season tires, sized 235/40R-19, it puts a 0.94-g hold on the skidpad—impressive for a car on all-seasons and as good or better than most similarly equipped competitors. Its 166-foot stopping distance from 70 mph also is solidly competitive.
More than that, the Volvo is surprisingly engaging to drive, being both athletic and refined. The turbo- and supercharged four is responsive in all speed ranges, and its exhaust note—growly at lower engine speeds but a little whooshy at high rpm—is more appropriate here than in other Volvo models, which can sound a bit whiny.
Most impressive is the way the S60 T6 R-Design AWD covers ground in big gulps. The ride, even on the optional 19-inch wheels, is taut enough to keep body motions well in check but supple enough to soak up bumps and bad pavement without drama. It's easy to find yourself comfortably flying along an undulating two-lane road at an eyebrow-raising clip. Flog it as we might, it wasn't obvious whether the S60 had two or four wheels driving it. And as athletic as it was, it nonetheless stepped smoothly across all but the most mottled city surfaces.
The great sports sedans do more than just hoover up twisty roads; they connect with your senses on every road. There's no question the S60 is a very good sports sedan. What keeps it from being a great one is its lack of tactility—the nuanced feedback through its primary controls that talks to you. Its steering is accurate but numb, its brakes lack the initial bite that gives you confidence, and the chassis doesn't telegraph enough through the cosseting seats to your backside. It's easy to drive the S60 fast, but you just don't feel particularly connected to the experience while doing it.
Still, there's a lot of substance here, enough to have us admiring the S60 and even enjoying it. Its exterior is rendered as crisply and skillfully as its interior. The rear seat provides excellent legroom. And its price, $55,490 for our heavily optioned test car—including its excellent $3200 Bowers & Wilkins audio system—is a good value proposition in this class. Then there's its sporty personality, overall refinement, and that gorgeous designer interior. No wonder we found ourselves smiling every time we drove it. The S60 T6 R-Design AWD is simply a car that makes you feel good.
2019 Volvo S60
T6 R-Design AWD
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$55,490 (base price: $47,395)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged, supercharged, and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4; aluminum block and head; direct fuel injection
Displacement
120 cu in, 1969 cc Power
316 hp @ 5700 rpm Torque
295 lb-ft @ 2200 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
Gotta say that I'm impressed by and very much like what Volvo's been doing (with Chinese money from Geely) over the past few years .... IMO, killin' it on both styling and engineering fronts ... TWIN-charged 2.0l 4-pot?? Hellz yeah .... My only gripe is that they don't offer a RWD option ...
That T6 is the same 316-hp turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter mill available in most of Volvo's recent offerings ....
11-11-2009, 09:16 AM
2016 Volvo S60 Cross Country
*gong sound*
)
looker.
