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It is wonderful to see Volvo shedding its image of being the maker of boxy vehicles. Even though the company has always fitted its products with the latest technology that the automobile industry has to offer, Volvo cars have simply looked too bland to entice young buyers. The Swedish company does have the reputation of manufacturing some of the safest cars around, but it sorely needed some magic to redeem its image. This it achieved with the launch of the S60. It showed the world that Volvo was no longer a predictable car maker that everyone thought it was. The S60 is one of the most radical-looking sedans in the market and has infused a sporty vision into the Chinese-owned Swedish company.
The latest avatar of the S60 comes with a new and powerful 4-cylinder, 2-litre diesel engine. But Volvo, not satisfied with a new power block under the hood, has made the S60 bolder in its look, as evidenced by its "R Design". The S60 R Design is by far the most striking sedan in the entry-level luxury segment. Bathed in light blue, it stands out on the road and has an arresting presence.
In the new compact executive sedan, Volvo has gone with a flowing coupe-like design, which gives the car an aggressive profile. The three-box shape of the vehicle has been beautifully crafted. If there is a bone to pick in terms of design, then it has to be the rear windows, which shrink in size drastically due to the sloping roofline. The wider and all-black front grille gives the S60 a more imposing look, while the R Design kit brings in a lot of goodies like more muscular bumpers, outside rear-view mirrors painted in silver - which in my opinion exquisitely complements the blue colour - and at the rear, tail lamps resembling a Tomahawk, a native American axe. If that is striking, then there's more. The S60's dual, chrome-finished exhausts are wonderfully housed in a silver lower bumper. I have always loved the looks of this wedge-shaped sedan and it continues to impress me without even trying. I have to admit the new 18-inch low-profile wheels really sex up the S60's dynamic profile even further.
Beyond all this beauty, how does the new diesel engine fare? Fire it up and there is quite an audible diesel rattle. Don't mistake me, nowadays diesel engines are tuned for comfort and are so refined that they lack character. Given this, the S60's grunt is music to the ears. My pleasure is accentuated by the rude jerk that the car's Drive-E power plant gives me when I press the accelerator. Now, we are talking - the engine's ponies start galloping even before I can settle down nice and proper. It is evident that the extra 15 horse power have made a serious difference from the earlier model. With 178 bhp under the hood, which is more than in the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and just a fraction less than in the BMW 3-Series, the car is very agile and quick off its feet. And if the Pied Piper lured the rats out of Hamelin, the S60's new eight-speed gearbox may similarly tempt buyers in droves, for with the low ratios it changes gears precisely, making the car quick to accelerate while easy to handle in city conditions. What is worth noting is whether on the highway or in crawling traffic, the power delivery is right on the dot and never leaves you praying for more juice. I would have preferred the gear shift to be slightly quicker, but then it's not a BMW.
Since the S60 is not a rear-wheel drive like most of its German rivals, it does not go berserk in handling. It remains planted and feels solid as a rock. It does not shy away from taking on the curves and it does all these without understeering and making the hair at the back of your neck stand up. What is important is that the car ensures you know you are in total control. The ride quality can be quite unforgiving as the stiff suspension and the low-profile tyres make you sense every bump on the road. I suppose that is the sacrifice you have to make if you want to go all sporty.
I left the discussion on the interiors till the last. The S60 comes with fabulous seats that provide excellent support and hug the body tightly. And even though Volvo will insist the sedan is a 5-seater, I would suggest that you ask the fifth passenger to walk! The rear seats are carved to provide great comfort, but will not please three people there. What is more, with the sloping roofline, they have to mind their heads while getting in. The simple all-black and aluminium inserts look classy, though the design now comes across as more functional than luxurious. It is perhaps time for Volvo to up its game in the cabin, especially since its Mercedes-Benz counterpart, the C-Class, now resembles the legendary S-Class.
Does the Volvo S60 R Design have the cojones to take on the German trinity? It does when it comes to power, styling, comfort and safety but falls behind when it's about exuding an air of invincibility. The S60 falls in the same price bracket as the C-Class, that is, in the region of Rs 40 lakh. This pricing will probably go against it, but if style is your game and you don't want to be an owner of a German car, then you can well stand apart with the S60.
VOLVO S60 R DESIGN
Engine: 1,969 cc
Power: 178 bhp @ 4250 rpm
Torque: 400 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm
Price: Rs 40.25 lakh (Ex-showroom, New Delhi)
Arup Das is Features Editor at AutoX
