Volvo S60 T5
Volvos Traditionally Older Clientele Arent The Only Ones Likely To Be Tempted By The S60 T5, Thinks Jonathan Crouch
On paper at least, the argument for Volvos S60 T5 is a pretty compelling one. For what seems a pretty reasonable £26,368, it offers a huge 260bhp output much more power than any of its German rivals can muster for similar money. Yet in a market as image and badge-conscious as the compact executive saloon sector, sheer power and value are never quite enough.
Volvo has discovered this to its cost in the past, with turbocharged versions of its mainstream models that all failed to quite make the grade. This applied as much to the twisty stuff as it did to the golf club carpark. But things are changing. The latest S60 is winning the marque a whole new kind of customer.
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The kind who would never have previously considered buying one of the companys cars. As the S60 line-ups mainstream flagship, this T5 clearly has an important role to play in this process. Yes, it has slightly more power than BMWs rival 258bhp 330i. Yes, it costs thousands less and offers a higher specification.
More important however, is the way it handles, the first
Volvo to get anywhere near the Bavarian car in this respect. A recent performance boost has also helped performance. Thanks to a change from the old 2.3-litre engine up to 2.
4-litres, an extra 10bhp is also on offer. This ups the peak power to a not inconsequential 260bhp and peak torque also rises to 350Nm (up from 330). Naturally this has an effect on the performance figures, the S60 T5 managing the sprint to 60mph 0.3 seconds quicker than before at 6.
3 seconds and Volvo being Volvo, the brakes have also been beefed up to cope with this additional urge. Yes, you can buy a 300bhp S60 R, priced from £34,568, but this is a specialist tool and most will feel that the more pliant suspension and 260bhp punch of the T5 represents a more usable everyday alternative. Not that Volvo has ever quite mastered the sporting saloon genre. On the road, the S60 T5s handling response certainly isnt quite as pin-sharp as the all-conquering 3-Series.
Nevertheless, its quite good enough to match other direct rivals like Mercedes C-class and Audis A4. It could be even better too: the chassis is certainly more capable than the slightly vague steering gives it credit for.
"Theres a sense of style and spirit weve not seen from Gothenburg in the past."
So how has Volvo done it? Well handling has much to do with body stiffness as anyone who tried to make an S70 change direction at speed will testify. Without it, you can make the springs as stiff as you like: it wont make much difference. Hence the need in the S60 for a completely new approach, aided by the use of the impressive platform already developed for the larger S80 saloon and the V70 estate. In the case of the S60, this allowed for a 70% improvement in torsional rigidity. The provision of such a strong foundation has enabled much else to be achieved.
Take the suspension, now tuned to deliver progressive movement, rather than lurching forward or back during heavy acceleration or braking. Volvos second-generation Four-C system is available for the first time on the S60. This system enables drivers to choose from Comfort and Sport settings with resultant changes to the suspension and steering feel. The wheel-at-each-corner design with reduced overhangs lowers the polar movement of inertia, enabling sharper steering responses and a crisper turn-in.
Plus there are the usual electronic aids. Like all S60 models, the T5 gets Volvos STC Stability and Traction Control system, plus theres the (sadly optional) DSTC active anti-skid programme: enter a corner too fast and it automatically cuts in, reducing the throttle and selectively applying the brakes. Under new
Ford ownership, Volvo intends to nearly double its current car capacity over the next few years, an objective only likely to be achieved if S60s like this one find instant favour in this most competitive of market sectors. Hence the very obvious price and power attack on its nearest rivals and Volvo has continually refined the S60. The key modifications on the latest model include a more streamlined bumper and grille set with clear rear lights being fitted to all models.
The old wiper system for the front lights has been replaced by a high pressure jetwash instead and the light lenses themselves are a lightweight plastic that offers better resistance to stone chipping. Given that the S40 and V50 models have raised the bar regarding Volvo interior design, the S60 has had to up its game. A passenger airbag cut-off switch has been fitted in response to customers looking to carry child seats up front and theres another Volvo safety innovation that will doubtless find its way into many other rival cars. Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) acts much like an extra set of eyes and utilizes digital camera technology mounted in the door mirrors to monitor the areas 3m to each side and up to 9.
5m behind the driver. If a vehicle enters this area, a symbol appears on the windscreen pillar near the rear view mirror to indicate that somethings there when you take a quick look towards the mirror. Active at speeds above 10km/h, this system isnt the only safety benefit buyers of the latest S60 enjoy. Special water repellent glass is fitted to the mirrors and side windows.
Water beads up on the glass and the airstream quickly clears it, leaving unimpeded visibility. Its obvious that safety remained formost in the designers minds throughout the S60s development: Volvo may have ditched many of its marque values in recent years but it cant afford to lose this one. Hence the inclusion on every model of dual-stage airbags for front driver and passenger, SIPS (the companys patented Side Impact Protections System) with side airbags, WHIPS (the Whiplash Protection System), an inflatable curtain to save your head from smashing against the side glass and five three-point seatbelts. Without any doubt, the S60 T5 is one of the most convincing drivers cars the marque has yet made. Certainly, this is a car that serious drivers cant ignore.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volvo S60 T5
PRICES: £26,368 - £27,018 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 222g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.3s / Max Speed 150mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 28mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver and passenger front and side airbags, inflatable curtain, ABS, STC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4576/1804/1428mm
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