New Volvo S60

New CEO looks to rework lineup, may add two new vehicles

2010-10-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

Volvo's new CEO Stefan Jacoby is planning the automaker's future after Ford ownership as it plans to rework its portfolio in advance of vehicle refreshes. Not only is Volvo planning to drop several models, it may add two small vehicles to help it better compete with luxury marques like BMW.

Main points:
No more wagons in North America
S40 being removed from NA lineup - presumably will remain elsewhere
Small CUV/crossover to compete with BMW X1
S80/XC90 to share platform

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6714909/news/new-ceo-looks-to-rework-volvos-lineup-may-add-two-small-vehicles/index.html

Images of the new Volvo S60

2010-05-14T05:15:00.000-07:00

New Dynamic Chassis

2010-04-25T06:02:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Volvo S60 is the most sporting Volvo ever built and during the development process, the chassis team refined every single detail to fine tune the driving experience. The result of their labours is a newly-developed Dynamic chassis, standard on every 2011 Volvo S60.

The steering gear ratio is 10 per cent faster than in previous models to give enhanced steering feel and sharper response. The steering column’s thicker tubing and stiffer bushes have increased torsional rigidity by 100 per cent. This also contributes to the increased feeling of direct contact with the wheels and the road.

The front spring struts have thicker pistons compared with the sports chassis in the Volvo S80. The resultant 47 per cent increase of stiffness means that the body structure is better able to absorb lateral loads. The springs themselves are shorter and stiffer than before and the Eigen frequency has increased by 10 per cent. At the front, spring strut mounting stiffness has increased by 50 per cent. The front and rear subframe bushes are up to twice as stiff compared with previous models. The link arm bushings have also been optimised for sporty driving and full control.

The damper mountings at the rear are made of PUR (polyurethane) instead of rubber to provide better balance between comfort and dynamic control.

Stefan Sällqvist, responsible for the S60 chassis development explained: “We spent many weeks fine-tuning the dampers out in the English countryside. We drove on old Roman roads that have only ever received a few layers of tarmac over the centuries – a perfect environment for finding the right damping qualities.”

Engine Range

2010-04-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

At launch, the S60 range will be available with a choice of two diesels and one petrol engine. All the engines have been developed to meet the highest demands on sporty, dynamic driving with competitive fuel consumption.

2011 Volvo S60 engine programme from start of production:

Petrol engines Displacement Configuration Output Torque
T6 AWD 3.0 6-cyl in-line 304 bhp 440 Nm
Diesel engines Displacement Configuration Output Torque
D5 2.4 5-cyl in-line 205 bhp 420 Nm
D3 2.0 5-cyl in-line 163 bhp 400 Nm

Two five-cylinder turbo diesels
The high-performance twin turbo D5 produces 205 horsepower and 420Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 7.8 seconds (manual and automatic) and top speed is 146mph (manual) and 143mph (automatic). In the most recent D5 version, introduced in spring 2009, the performance and driveability requirements have been met by fitting two turbochargers of different sizes, one taking over from the other and providing added power within a broader rev range. The result is alert response and rapid acceleration at all speeds, with seamless transfers in the turbo rev range between the two turbochargers. The complementary properties of the two turbos combine high performance with lower fuel consumption of 47.9mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figure).

Advanced fuel injection technology using piezoelectric fuel valves gives exact distribution of fuel in the combustion chamber, with efficient combustion and low emissions as a result.

Smaller displacement lowers fuel consumption
In addition there is the newly-developed 2.0-litre D3 engine producing 163hp and 400Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 9.2 seconds (manual and automatic) and top speed is 137mph (manual) and 134 mph (automatic).

The new five-cylinder 2.0D is, in principle, the same engine as the present 2.4D, but cylinder capacity has been reduced with a shorter stroke to optimise fuel consumption. With a manual gearbox fuel consumption is now up to 54.3mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figure).

The engine has been optimised to offer reduced fuel consumption and the injection system has a different type of piezoelectrical fuel valve compared with the D5 engine. These valves keep fuel consumption to a minimum thanks to exceptionally fast and precise injection pulses under high pressure. This results in far more efficient combustion.

In order to give the car better driving properties, the turbocharger has been fine-tuned for high torque from low revs.

Both turbodiesels are available with six-speed manual gearbox as standard or an optional six-speed automatic transmission. A maintenance-free particulate filter that traps about 95 percent of the soot particles is fitted as standard in both engines.

High-performance T6 petrol engine
The 3.0-litre T6 petrol engine generates 304 hp and 440 Nm of torque, enhancing acceleration and smooth progress on the road. Acceleration from 0-62 mph takes 6.5 seconds and top speed is 155 mph. Volvo Cars’ engine specialists have succeeded in cutting fuel consumption by about 10 per cent to 27.7 mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figure).

The engine’s power is delivered to the wheels via Volvo’s second-generation six-speed automatic Geartronic transmission. New valves and lower friction mean faster gear changes than before. AWD (All Wheel Drive) is standard on the T6.

Engines to be added during first year of production:

Petrol engines Displacement Configuration Output Torque
T5 2.0 4-cyl in-line 240 bhp 320 Nm
T4 1.6 4 cyl in-line 180 bhp 240 Nm
T3 1.6 4-cyl in-line 150 bhp 240 Nm
Diesel engines Displacement Configuration Output Torque
1.6 D DRIVe 1.6 4-cyl in-line 115 bhp 270 Nm

DRIVe diesel below 115 g/km
During the first year of production a DRIVe version of the 2011 Volvo S60 will be introduced, featuring a new 1.6-litre diesel engine. Fuel consumption will be an impressive 65.7mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figure), corresponding to CO2 emissions approximately below 115 g/km. The uprated engine produces 115 hp and 270 Nm of torque, and will only be available with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Later during the first year of production, the 2011 Volvo S60 will also become available with a 2.0 GTDi variant (T5) producing 240 hp and torque of 320 Nm. Furthermore, there will be a 1.6-litre GTDi engine available in two versions: 180 hp (T4) and 150 hp (T3) with torque of 240 Nm.

All the GTDi engines will be available in combination with Volvo’s optional automatic six-speed Powershift transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The Powershift concept works like two parallel manual gearboxes with separate clutches, giving quick and fuel-saving gearchanges.

The all-new Volvo S60: sculpted to move you - and your feelings

2010-04-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

The all-new Volvo S60 starts a new era in the Swedish carmakers more than 80-year long history.

No previous Volvo model has ever before etched itself in your mind charged with so much feelings, self-confidence and promise of enjoyable days on twisting roads.

"The all-new S60 has been sculpted to move you. Every single line in its design is there to transport you both physically and emotionally. Its profile radiates so much coupe feeling that the rear doors come as something of a pleasant surprise when you examine the car close-up," says Volvo Cars' Design Director Peter Horbury.

After spending seven years at Ford, Peter Horbury returned to Volvo in summer 2009 - and the all-new S60 is a crystal-clear reflection of what is perhaps his most distinctive experience from his years in the United States.

"There's little point playing the polite Englishman or reserved Swede if you want to make a lasting impression. Translated into a car market packed with extrovert models from all the leading makers, this means that you have to sharpen your design pencil like never before if you want to be seen. That's why it's so important for the all-new S60 to be more daring than our previous models."

He adds:

"The front is a good example. It was a bit too minimalist in the previous model. That's why I have nothing but praise for the changes that have been made during my absence. The grille, the large iron mark and the front position marker lights in the all-new S60 are immediately noticeable in your rear-view mirror. The attitude is proud and self-confident, but without appearing too aggressive. There is no doubt which car is behind you."

Promise of a great drive

Örjan Sterner is responsible for the exterior design of the all-new Volvo S60. For him, the direction was crystal-clear from the very outset:

"In its overall shape, the new S60 is a coupe, sportier and more distinct than any previous Volvo. Virtually all the lines were penned to carve out a look that crates a strong sense of motion. It carries a sporty appeal that promises great driving pleasure before you even get behind the wheel," he says.

The C-pillar of the all-new S60 stretches sensually all the way to the tail lamps - and the slim coupe-like roof line is accompanied by a new contour on the shoulders on either side of the lower body, creating a gentle yet powerful double wave from the headlamps at the front to the tail lamps at the rear.

""The dip in the middle of the double wave visually pushes the car down and puts focus over the wheels. This enhances the stance and makes the car look sleeker and lower. The sculpted bonnet and the short overhangs front and rear also emphasise the sports car feel," explains Örjan Sterner.

The dynamism of the design is further enhanced by what Volvo's design team calls the "racetrack" design. The car's lines do not end abruptly but instead continue to flow organically, continually, echoing the smooth shapes of the racetrack.

An exterior styling kit gives the customer an opportunity to further enhance the already sporty appearance. The styling kit comes as an accessory. It includes front and rear skid plates, a front deco frame, side scuff plates, exhaust tailpipe finishers and 18-inch alloy wheels.

LED technology carves out a distinctive S60 profile in the dark

Volvo's designers have also used LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology to create distinctive yet fluid light streams front and rear. The vertical position lights at the front, the eyebrow like side marker lights, the turn indicators in the door mirrors, the position lights in the tail lamps all help give the new S60 an unmistakeable profile even after night falls.

"Some of the rear lamp units are integrated into the boot lid. This creates a horizontal light pattern that helps make the car look even sleeker, lower and broader from behind," says Örjan Sterner.

New copper and gold paint options

The all-new Volvo S60 is being introduced with a range of exterior colours chosen with considerable care to emphasise the model's inspiring lines. Among the 15 colours are two new shades; the sporty and exclusive Vibrant Copper and the sophisticated Electrum Gold.

"Exclusive metals such as gold, silver, copper and bronze are strong colours in both the fashion and sports industries as well as in interior design and architecture. In recent years, improved technology and processes have made these pigments increasingly available to us in the car industry too," says Anders Sachs, who is responsible for colours and materials in the all-new Volvo S60.

Taped design brief

The story of how he inspired his designers with a roll of white masking tape in the run-up to the first S60 project is one of Peter Horbury's favourite memories from his first period (1991-2002) as Design Director at Volvo Cars.

"I rolled the original Volvo C70 into the studio, pulled a roll of tape out of my pocket and marked out a rear door onto the coupe body. It felt like the simplest way of describing exactly what I was looking for. After that it was just a matter of the team getting down to work," says Peter Horbury. He adds:

"I was an immensely proud "father" of the first-generation S60 almost ten years ago. It took our design language a major step forward. Now we are taking an even bigger visual stride forward with yet more emotional and sporty dynamism. But the basic idea is and will remain the same: a coupe with four doors."

Scandinavian design at its best

Volvo's design language has undergone dramatic change over this past decade - without compromising in any way on the core values that have made the brand one of the strongest in the automotive world.

"The all-new S60 is sportier and more dynamic than any previous Volvo. But it is still an unmistakeable representative of Scandinavian design at its best. Flowing organic shapes hand in hand with user-friendly functionality - as well as a car aiming to be the safest in the world," says Peter Horbury. He adds with a laugh:

"Anyone with money can buy any car he or she wants. But if you have something more than money, you're definitely going to choose the all-new Volvo S60..."

Enthusiast or Pragmatist?

2010-04-25T03:46:00.001-07:00

For Tomas Ahlborg, who also served as one of the driving forces behind the first-generation S60, responsibility for the development of the all-new Volvo S60 has been the most exciting challenge of his career.

"The brief from the company's executive management was short and to the point: create Volvo's sportiest car ever. Personally, I'm one hundred percent delighted with the result. The all-new S60 is an uncompromisingly sporty sedan. Every single detail is in total harmony with the car's dynamic credentials," he explains.

In simple terms, car buyers can be divided into two main categories: enthusiasts and pragmatists. For the enthusiast, the car is a high-priority conversation topic that can never be exhausted, while the pragmatist only shows interest in cars when it is time to replace his or her current vehicle with a new one every three or four years or so.

In a historical perspective, Volvo's brand has attracted more pragmatists than enthusiasts. However, as each successive generation of Volvo models became increasingly emotional, that picture has changed - and the all-new S60 is packed with all the ingredients from the enthusiast's favourite menu.

"The number ‘60' in our model range nowadays indicates our sportiest models. The XC60 was the first step. Now, with the all-new S60, we are placing ourselves right on the car enthusiasts' radar screen. Later in 2010, we will expand the range by introducing the new Volvo V60 sportswagon," says Tomas Ahlborg.

Volvo USA cuts back 2011 model range

2010-03-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

From Swedespeed:

The V70 is gone, so is the V8 engine in the XC90 and S80.

The S40 and V50 drop the 2.4i engine, AWD and manual box options.

We are warned to brace ourselves for more.

In terms of new cars, we have the announced S60, the forthcoming V60 and a rumoured 5 door crosswagon(?) along the lines of C50, XC30 C03X or whatever you're having yourself.

Volvo confirms new S60 engine range ahead of March 2nd in Geneva

2010-02-28T03:39:00.000-08:00

Engine range from start of production

Petrol engines	Displacement	Configuration	Output	Torque
T6	3.0	6-cyl in-line	304 bhp	440 Nm
2.0T	2.0	4-cyl in-line	203 bhp	300 Nm
Diesel engines	Displacement	Configuration	Output	Torque
D5	2.4	5-cyl in-line	205 bhp	420 Nm
D3	2.0	5-cyl in-line	163 bhp	400 Nm

Engines added during first year of production:

Petrol engines	Displacement	Configuration	Output	Torque
T5	2.0	4-cyl in-line	240 bhp	320 Nm
T4	1.6	4 cyl in-line	180 bhp	240 Nm
T3	1.6	4-cyl in-line	150 bhp	240 Nm
Diesel engines	Displacement	Configuration	Output	Torque
1.6 D DRIVe	1.6	4-cyl in-line	115 bhp	270 Nm

This is a very excitinh departure for Volvo, the first time an entire model will be powered exclusively by turbocharged engines. Furthermore, it is the first time that virtually all of the petrol models will achieve 100bhp per litre of capacity - this was previously the preserve of the 2.5T and it's variants. This will put Volvo on par with it's German contenders - Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz - in terms of engine output and power levels.

What the range really needs, though, is a "Halo" car in the form of a great S60R - I predict this will come along with the launch of the new V60 perhaps early in 2011.

Another interesting point to note is the extremely low CO2 output of the DRIVe 1.6D - 115 g/km. This, as far as I know, is the lowest CO2 output for any compact executive on the market today.

Congratulations Volvo, you really seem to have pulled it out of the bag when it mattered most.

Volvo website updated with new S60

2010-02-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.volvocars.com/intl/all-cars/volvo-s60/Pages/default.aspx?hub

Looks good, still no news on V60 estate counterpart.

Interestingly, the video at naughty.volvocars.com hints at the possibility of an S60R, or at least a fast S60, thrown in for good measure at the launch.

Volvo to reorganise badge system - S, V, C, XC to be forced into proper numerical order at last

2010-02-10T03:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk report that new CEO Steve Odell was rather confused by the odd badging regime used by Volvo to date, i.e. the C30, S40 and V50 are all built on the same underpinnings.

The new S60 will be the first car to slot into the new naming system in August 2010, fitting in neatly alongside the XC60 and the to-be-announced V60 wagon.

The same logic will be applied to all future model lines, cutting down on a range that current spans from 30 to 90; the S, V, C and XC letters will continue, however.

First official video of the 2010 S60 from Volvo

2010-01-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

The all-new Volvo S60 is being unveiled to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in early March 2010. Production of the sporty sedan model will start in early summer 2010 at the Volvo Cars plant in Ghent, Belgium.
The video is shot in Volvo's photo studio in Torslanda. The music is specially composed for this film, and not available in stores.

S40 & C30 to remain, possibly in hybrid

2009-12-17T05:23:00.000-08:00

This press release from Volvo Australia hints that at least the C30 and S40 will be retained into the future as premium compact cars for at least some markets, where they are still doing well, and that they would be the first models featured in the bottom-up roll out of diesel hybrid technology.

At that launch of a refreshed engine and pricing line up for the small cars, Volvo Australia Managing Director Alan Dressells went into more detail about the upcoming S60/V60 compact executive models also, indicating more about engine line up:

2.0(?) GTDi petrol
2.4 i5 petrol
D5 turbo diesel

and confirming the availability of an AWD drivetrain. Read the full story below:

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/46868/volvo-introduces-new-diesel-powertrains-to-australian-line-up-outlines-future-green-strategy/

Blind Artist's Painting of All-New Volvo S60 Goes on eBay Auction

2009-12-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Volvo_News/article_1681.html

What's new and cool with the 2010 S60?

2009-12-11T17:22:00.000-08:00

Styling - with a short rear deck and highly distinctive front lights and grille, it is a big departure from the previous S60, while retaining the four-door coupe aspirations. Featured from Volvo's new corporate design language are a new large Volvo iron symbol, parallel to the grille day running lamps, and larger spaced letters in the brand name on rear.

This is the first Volvo to have dimensions placing it head to head with German premium makers. Previous Volvos were half a class between the Germans: The old S60 was smaller than the 5 Series/E-Class/A6 of its day but bigger than a 3 Series/A4/C-Class, while the S40 was smaller than the 3 Series/A4/C-Class but bigger than the 1 Series and A3. The new S60 will tackle the 3 Series and Audi A4 head on. "If we were a market leader, we could do cars outside the established size classes, but at our size we can't", an unnamed Volvo exec is quoted.

Safety will be high on the innovations list: Collision Warning system with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection will be the highlight. This goes one step further than the Collision Warning with Brake Support system in the XC60 - the system in the XC60 is not intended to fully brake the car to a stop, even though it will (very sharply!) stop you hitting an obstacle by abruptly slamming on the stoppers at a critical distance from an obstacle.

Engines - I predict 9 engine options - 4 diesel and 5 petrol/gas:
DIESEL: in Europe, I expect a 1.6D (DRIVe - 109bhp), 2.0D (136bhp), 2.4D (173bhp) and D5 (twin turbo 2.4D - 205bhp)
GAS/PETROL: 3.2 (235bhp) and T6 (3.0T - 281bhp) as in present XC60. Also more or less for certain is a 1.6 GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct injection) four cylinder based on Ford EcoBoost technology offering outputs from 150 to 180bhp - replacing current generation 2.0 and 2.5T gas power plants. Fingers crossed for an R engine to go into a revived S60R/V60R - probably a direct injection 3.0T upped to 300+bhp, or if Volvo were out to emulate the M3/C-Class AMG, the Yamaha V8 with a few tweaks to bring the output up around the 360bhp mark (the current M3 is good for 414bhp from it's 4 litre).

Transmissions - given the current crop of Volvo transmissions, and the stated intention of developing Powershift for engines larger than 4 cylinder, I would assume that both gas and diesel engines will come with a choice of 5 and 6 speed manual (5MT/6MT) and 6 speed Powershift dual clutch (6DCT). The older, less efficient Geartronic ought not to be installed in the new car, although it is used in the closely related XC60. At least the T6 and D5 will offer 4th generation Haldex AWD to avoid help distribute the power and torque. And hopefully a version of Haldex XWD as used on the Saab Turbo-X exclusively to date in the S60R to really make it a machine to trash around. Imagine how neatly Volvo could integrate paddle-shifters into the steering column? Yes, please!

Cross Country - will we see a smaller, less aggressive sibling to the XC60 and XC70? Audi have released an A4 Allroad based on the current A4 Avant to join their Q5 and A6 Allroad, and Volvo have the technology and styling know how from the XC60 and XC70 mentioned above to make a slightly raised AWD V60 with plastic side mouldings and skid plates to cater for those who live in the snow belt or occasionally tow a boat or horse trailer. V60XC anyone?

Video of the new S60 in testing

2009-12-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

Video of the S60 in action including new safety innovations

via Car Buyers Guide

Volvo testing new Collision Warning system with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection in a disguised 2011 S60 prototype in Copenhagen.

2009-11-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

Volvo announced today that it was recently testing its new Collision Warning system with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection in a disguised S60 prototype in Copenhagen. The technology will be introduced with the 2011 Volvo S60 next year.

http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/10/12/official-spy-shots-2011-volvo-s60-tests-new-collision-warning-system-in-copenhagen/

The same site has some more....
http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/10/07/2011-volvo-s60-swedens-bmw-3-series-coming-next-year/

First official Volvo photos of new S60 - just in time for Geneva Car Show

2009-11-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Geneva International Motor Show runs 4th - 14th March 2010.

Swedish carmaker Volvo has popped the covers off its new S60 sedan that will make its first public outing at the Geneva Salon in March 2010 with production and sales set to start in early summer of the same year. Albeit toned down a notch, the exterior design of the production model has remained incredibly close to the concept model that appeared at this January's Detroit Show retaining its sloping, coupe-like roofline and curvy waistline as well as the distinct front-end styling.

While Volvo has yet to release any photos of the interior, it is believed that the styling will again be influenced, though to a much less degree, by the concept model's cabin featuring a same shape dashboard.

Contrary to its predecessor that was awkwardly positioned between the BMW 3- and 5-Series, the new S60 is sized and designed to compete directly against the smaller bimmer and the Audi A4 in the small executive sedan segment.

Underneath the sheetmetal, the 2011 S60 uses a variation of Ford's EUCD platform that underpins cars like Volvo's own S80 and the European Mondeo and S-MAX / Galaxy.

No technical details were disclosed, but Volvo promises that the new S60 will be more driver orientated that its predecessor.

"The all-new Volvo S60 is sculpted to move you. It looks and drives like no other Volvo before and the car's technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel," says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

The new sedan is expected to be offered with a variety of gasoline and diesel engines including Ford's new EcoBoost 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine featuring turbocharging, direct injection and outputs ranging from 150 to 180 horsepower.

Among other highlights will be a new Pedestrian Detection system that can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver does not react in time.

Powershift Dual Clutch Automatic/Manual Transmission

2009-10-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Volvo S60 will feature Powershift dual clutch automated transmission in at least some of the engines in the range.

Volvo/Ford Powershift is a development of Getrag Ford Transmissions GmbH, a 50:50 Ford and Getrag JV. The new gear box was jointly designed by Ford, Getrag and Volvo. There are currently two versions and Volvo is rumoured to be working on a third heavy duty version for use in upcoming larger engines.

The Powershift box is reported as being fantastic to drive, with incredible levels of smoothness. Shifts are reported to be almost imperceptible. It has all the benefits of an automatic when cruising and stuck in traffic etc but none of the annoying 'kick down' associated with standard automatics. As the current Powershift has been developed for the Volvo/Ford 2.0D with its 320Nm of torque, the transmission electronics are intelligent enough to make full use of that wide spread of torque to accelerate, without having to sort through the gears looking for more revs. If extra grunt is called for however, the gearbox will drop down to give more urgent acceleration, but again this is very smooth. It doesn’t have the vagueness of a CVT.

In 'manual' mode it is reported to be excellent. A little known and undocumented feature of Volvo autos is “Sport mode” – where you move the shift lever to the manual position without making gear changes – this tells the electronics to implement a sportier shifting pattern, hanging on to each gear longer on the way up and downshifting sooner.

In current cars, average fuel economy of 38, 39 and 40 MPG are reported during normal, day-to-day driving. Cruising at 70 mph on the motorway gives instantaneous economy in the mid 50's.

Like VW’s DSG, there are two versions of the Powershift transmission – one with wet clutches and another with dry clutches. The Powershift unit used by the Ford Focus 2 litre diesel and Volvo C30, S40, V50 and C70 2.0D at the moment is the wet clutch version. Generally dry clutch versions like Volkswagen’s 7-speed DSG (the 6-speed used a wet clutch) are more efficient and lighter because an oil bath is not necessary, Ford/Volvo says wet versions have reduced wear and tear and thus last longer. Ford will use its dry clutch version on smaller cars like the Fiesta.

With the current wet clutch version fitted to the small Volvos, a transmission oil change is required at 75,000 miles – but this compares well to the VAG units which need a change at 40,000 miles.

New S60 to compete directly with 3 series & A4, to have V60 as wagon variant

2009-09-22T03:27:00.000-07:00

Motor Trend cites an interview with an un-named Volvo marketing source who confirmed the sizing and market placement of the new 2010 S60 model. While the outgoing S60 sat in a size category above it's perceived main competition, the new model will compete head-on with the German trio of the BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class.

A more controversial statement is that the wagon or estate variant will be confusingly called the Volvo V60 - this remains to be seen, since as recently as 2004 Volvo separated the S40 and V40 into S40 and V50 to give the wagon/estate it's own distinct personality. While the previous V70 was based on the S60 platform (same car from the drivers door forward), the all-new 2007 V70 is based on the 2006 S80, continuing the theme of odd numbers for estates, even numbers for saloons/sedans.

I'm not sure will this see a return to the S40/V40 way of doing things - but it does signal the possibility that the current V50 - a remarkably handsome and uniquely sized estate - will live on, perhaps in a C30 - XC30 - V50 hatchback trio to compete with the Audi A3 and BMW 1-series. A possible XC30 model would be an unlikely competitor for a number of off-road-styled compact hatches like the Dodge Caliber and Nissan Qashqai which have been doing well of late, particularly in economical diesel engined versions in Europe.

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifSpy Shots of All New S60

2009-09-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Autoexpress have the clearest spy shots yet of a S60 test car with only the slightest hint of camouflage. Following a preview in concept form nine months ago in Detroit, today the car is clearly ready to be let out into the world. Very little has been lost in transition from concept to production - even the paint colour remains the same deep ochre-orange.

If all goes to plan the new Volvo S60 will go on sale in Summer 2010.

Preview of new 2010 Volvo S60

2009-09-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Motor Authority published a post and a rendering outlining what seems to be the common position on the next generation Volvo S60. I have read similar information around the web in various forms, but this article ties it together nicely.

All that they have missed out is the change in the launch date to 2010, as per previous post here.

New Volvo S60 launch delayed until 2010

2009-09-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

Left Lane News and The Motor Report run stories stating that Volvo has scrapped plans to unveil the production S60 sedan at the Frankfurt Auto Show, instead holding off until 2010 due to uncertaintity about Volvo's future sale.