Whenever speaking of nordic countries, we always get this first impression of cold, distant and high quality. However, today we are also here to remind you of the Vikings and Gustavus Adolphus, and the fact that Finland was the only country that made the Soviet Union afraid during The Second World War.
If you have ever noticed Volvo in WTCC (World Touring Car Championship), you will realise that this well-known brand is much more than it’s safety and reliability. It can totally save you from the heart broken from the bankruptcy of Saab.
In the early stage of Volvo’s Ford era, the first generation of S60 models already had a special high-performance version S60 R. And it was in 2004, The S60 R had a 300-horsepower five-cylinder turbocharged engine, an adaptive adjustable shock absorber provided by the old partner Öhlins, and a four-wheel drive system different from the ordinary S60. The British "Autocar" commented that it’s transformation from a car of safety to a potential competitor of BMW M3.
The second generation of S60 us, which we are already very familiar with, has a better performance version, the eye-catching cyan blue S60 Polestar! Since 2016, it has returned to the WTCC, and this cyan blue team later became the partner of Lynk & Co in the WTCR.
Now to the current generation of models S60, which is already the three generation. And it changed from the Ford era to the Geely era, from the internal combustion engine to the electrification trend, and Polestar, which was acquired by Volvo, grew into an independent brand, and the responsibility of touring car racing was also transferred to Lynk & Co, which is also under the same group. Does the new generation of S60 still have the energy to "move" after all those developments?
This question is worry over nothing. Apart from its well-known safety and simple elegant design, there is also the surprise happiness that the Volvo turbo engine can bring you.The level of the models that the S60 focuses on is considered as "luxury brand mid-size car." And several years ago, when the 3 series, C-class, old S40, S60 and other models hadn't "grown up", they were considered as "compact luxury sports cars." As time passes, all the cars grow bigger into “mid size cars”, But they, including the new S60, are still the most sporty four-door touring cars under their own brands.
The new generation of S60, didn’t follow the trend to extend its wheelbase, which made it stand out even more. The 2872mm wheelbase is just right, which not only made the main body proportions elegant and calm, but also avoided the procrastination. If you look closely at the side of S60, you will find that it is slightly different from a conventional transverse engine car: the distance from the front wheel axle to the front door pillar (Dash to Axle), looks like a longitudinal engine rear-drive car, which made the car more sporty and ur driving experience more comfortable.
When it comes to turning, the S60 has an aluminum double-wishbone front suspension, which makes it a rare model in its class. The new S60 is even equipped with the HRS hydraulic shock absorption system, which more effectively suppresses excess rebound and bounce, hence better controls and stabilizes the body posture. In a word, this suspension can make the outer front wheel grab the ground more when turning, which translates into stronger grip and more lateral acceleration, making it more confident and calm performance.
The new S60 also has achieved a "full system hybrid." with the upgrade opportunity this year. As the flagship, B5 model of the new S60 car series (non-plug-in hybrid), has the high-power 2.0T four-cylinder engine and the 48V hybrid system with a peak output of 250 horsepower/350 N·m. The official acceleration of 0-100km/h only takes 6.9 seconds. When the Overboost function is activated, the torque can be increased by 25-30 N·m for a short time. Paired with the high-power engine is an 8-speed automatic transmission with dense gear ratios.
If you still think it's not enough, or you prefer the new energy power, there are plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive T8 models. What’s more, the 2.0T engine is also upgraded to turbo + mechanical double supercharging, and the acceleration time is reduced to only 4.7 seconds. This is a fast enough achievement for almost anyone.
S60 provides four driving mode options, including Dynamic modes, and you can also use Individual personalization mode with your adjusted various characteristics such as steering assist, power response, etc. according to your own preferences.
After all this is a Volvo, even if you turn off all the electrical system and just depend on it’s tough body made of 1600MPa boron steel, it can offer you great protection as well. And this new S60, shows you another side of this simple, elegant brand, which is a face that is strong and agile.
