At sixes and sevens

How the Volvo S60 T6’s rivals stack up

AUDI A4 3.2 QUATTRO
Price: Rs 38.55 lakh
Essentials: 3189cc V6, 265 bhp@6200 rpm, 33.6 kgm@3000 rpm, 0-100 kmph in 8.2 secs

The other one with an all-wheel drive setup, the A4 quattro was the first of the mass production Audis to get LED daytime running lamps. This rather smart looking Audi’s 3.2-litre V6 gets the car from 0-100 kmph in 8.2 seconds. Push harder and the car will take you to a top speed restricted to 250 kmph. The A4’s key highlights include its leech-like grip around corners and good interior space. Like the C-Chassis system on the Volvo, Audi has its Drive Select system that allows you to shift between comfort and sport oriented set-ups that alter throttle and steering feedback. The steering isn’t very engaging, but until the arrival of the S60, it was the best all-round six-cylinder petrol executive car in the market.

BMW 330i
Price: Rs 34.4 lakh
Essentials: 2993cc inline-six, 255 bhp@6600 rpm, 30.4 kgm@2500 rpm, 0-100 kmph in 7.5 secs

Arguably the sportiest and the most engaging of them all, the BMW 330i is for the type of person who simply enjoys driving. With a cracker of a straight-six under the hood and the most feelsome steering of the lot, this flickable set of wheels is best enjoyed when blasting around a hill or setting the track ablaze. On the highway, the 3 Series demands your absolute attention and that can be exhausting for some. The lack of good rear legroom is another deterrent too, making it a poor chauffeur-driven car. Build quality is close to faultless, while equipment levels can’t be called sparse either. Just a shade higher than the S60 on the price front, the 330i isn’t too bad on the value front either. A new, larger 3 Series is expected next year and we hope it will be just as involving to drive as the current generation.