Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Volvo S60




In the past, the word ‘Volvo’ was referred to grannies, snails, along with the word ‘boring’. With the introduction of the funky S60 in the market by new parent owner GEELY, things seem to change…
·         Design & Engineering:
Modern. Sleek. Aesthetic. These are the words that come to mind when I glimpse at the fierce, ready-for-anything face of the new S60. Characteristics of the XC60 are visible on the face of the car, simply with the word ‘sexy’ mixed in. Conventional headlamps stay put on both the 2.0T and T6 trim, with an option of bi-xenon headlamps. Brushed aluminum outlines the rear and front of the car, increasing sportiness. From the side, the roof seems to slope upwards, giving the S60 a swifter and more aerodynamic look. The rear seems a tad narrow, due to its somewhat pinching design. Eye-catching 18in. rims come standard on all trims. This new S60 seems to wear the classic VOLVO sash across its grill with the help of re-known designer Steve Mattin quite well…

·            Interior
A leap above other VOLVO’s, just on par with German rivals. Interesting to look at. Open the driver’s door, and you’re greeted with a grippy and highly adjustable steering wheel, S80 style speedos, 7-inch display screen, along with an array of buttons to play with. A remarkable 8-speaker stereo with AUX-in/USB input enables tunes on the go at all times, making sure those at the back still have a good time. The S60 is relatively spacious for rear passengers, with more than enough head and legroom. Boot space is cavernous enough to swallow 2-3 golf bags. With the introduction of Volvo’s City Safety, there is a 99.99% chance that you will never crash into anything or anyone while you luxuriate in the vehicle. Settle into the soft, high-quality ergonomic leather seats, and you’re ready to go.

·            Ride & Handling
Let’s start with the 2.0T, 6-speed, 4-cylinders-in-line 16-valve engine, that is able to leap from 0—100km/h in 8.2 seconds. Thankfully, there are no signs of turbo lag. Acceleration is swift and snippy, and surprisingly not lethargic at all! Sticking to its roots, paddle shifters are omitted on the steering wheel, as old-school +/- manual shifts stubbornly stay put on the gear shifter. Mated to a lively, leather-wrapped steering wheel, whether working with the default Comfort chassis, or the optional Dynamic chassis, body control is quite impressive. Bumps and uneven roads are soaked up by the car, and barely felt on board. As with all Volvo’s, wind and road noise are barely evident. Moving on to the T6, 6-cyliner-in-line, 24-valve engine, with a sprint from 0—100km/h in 6.5 seconds. Incredulously fast. Acceleration in this trim is brisk and robust, with all the needed traction available from the All-Wheel-Drive system. Firmer bushings, stronger damping rods, and a stiffer front sub frame all work together to increase sportiness on the standard Dynamic chassis. Then comes the BUT—as the T6 embodies an AWD system, understeer is evident when going round bends. Also, fuel consumption on this model is relatively thirsty at 9.8km/l.

·            Verdict
Impressive. Not much to argue about with this car, due to the moderate pricing, array of safety features, technology, quality, and drive. The 2.0T is the most practical model to buy—safety is still there along with technology quality, drive, features, etc, ALONG with a much better fuel consumption. The T6 trim is for those who appreciate safety and quality, but have a desire for more spunk. Nevertheless, both models are a tempting and sexy alternative to German rivals.

o   Personal advice: What is your lifestyle? Find out yourself and then choose between the 2.0T and T6 engines—both enjoyable to ride in.
   

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Like that--gives me good description of car!