Volvo is not your grandmother's car anymore. I should know; my grandma had one! These days, Volvo has completely revamped its image, designed to provide advanced performance and driving pleasure, without sacrificing Volvo's core value of safety. The active chassis settings make driving the S60 R a performance car and a pleasure at all times and in all situations. The 2005 Volvo S60 R is a driver's dream come true! Recently, I had the good fortune to test drive one of these sexy, cool, yet classy machines and I have to say "I want one!"
Boasting a 300-horse power engine, this car can give any unsuspecting sports car drivers a run for their money. Its streamline body gives it a classy touch and merely hints at the tremendous power concealed under the hood. Hidden below the surface, the technology built into these cars has been enhanced to provide a genuinely sporty driving experience with a very high performance combined with excellent stability and driving safety.
The S60 R's active performance chassis is based on technology called FOUR-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and the electronically controlled chassis system. This system has been developed in cooperation with the renowned Swedish racing company, Hlins. FOUR-C technology allows the driver to reset the chassis characteristics while driving when the type of road changes, or when he or she would like to change driving style. The change takes place almost instantaneously. The system continuously controls the car's movements and reactions with the assistance of a number of sensors. They monitor factors such as the car's lateral and longitudinal acceleration, the vertical position of each wheel, and the speed of the car, the position of the steering wheel, the engine's current torque and the degree of braking. The S60 R's unique features come from a Volvo concept car. A brand known for its functional approach, it only seems fitting Volvo turned concept into reality.
With coupe-like styling, a rigid structure, low center of gravity, and series of high output engines, the S60 has served to greatly strengthen Volvo's position as a manufacturer of fun to drive saloons. The R is the most powerful and responsive engine Volvo has launched. The engine has Continuous Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) on both the inlet and exhaust sides. This technology makes it possible to provide the engine with a maximum amount of air and fuel over a wide range of engine speeds. This makes the engine stronger and more efficient.
When it comes to deciding which kind of gearbox, the choice is really up to the individual driver. Both the "space ball" manual and automatic Geartronic gearboxes are specially adapted for high performance and fast gear changes. The manual gearbox has six speeds. The gear selector is short with a very short throw, minimal lateral movement and precise positions. It offers a very distinct gear change feel and fast, sporty changes. This contributes to increased acceleration. The automatic gearbox has five speeds and Geartronic as standard. It also has a selector for Comfort or Sport driving modes. In sport mode, the gearbox is quicker to change down and changes up at higher speeds. It also responds better to pressure on the accelerator pedal, with a focus on performance. The Geartronic function makes it possible to change gears manually without a clutch. Ultimately, the S60 R is built to be pushed to the extreme with no risk of the driver losing control. Many of the S60 R's features that make it such a pleasurable performance car to drive also help to make it one of the safest performance cars in the world.
On my test drive of the car I was told to push the car at my leisure... At first I hesitated, but soon had the feel of the car, I let it rip! Reaching 0 to 100mph in 13.9 seconds, I felt like I was flying at low altitude! Entering the first curve I slowed down, since I wasn't aware of the car's capacity to grip the road. As I continued, I quickly realized that this was not a car that would easily disappoint me so I pushed it harder into the next few turns. This car corners like its on rails! Near the end I drove casually enjoying the comfort of sitting luxuriously behind the wheel of a powerful beast of a machine. It was a pleasure to know that I was at the wheel of a car that if anytime I wanted or needed, it could provide me with a sporting fun drive as well as being a stable, reliable, every day car.
I say again, "I want one!"