TORONTO, ON (August 8, 2011) - Based on the same turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 found in the S60 T6 AWD, the S60 R-Design is the perfect tool for those wanting to take driving pleasure to the next level. The S60 R-Design features Volvo's most powerful production engine ever. Generating 325 horsepower at 5,400-6,500 rpm and 354 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,000-3,600 rpm, the S60 R-Design will reach 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds and deliver a smile to the driver's face all the way to its 6,500-rpm redline. The S60 R-Design produces 8 percent more horsepower and 9 percent more torque, rocketing it to 100 km/h 0.3 seconds faster than the S60 T6.
The S60 R-Design gets its mettle through performance tuning to the Engine Control Module (ECM). Provided by Polestar, a Swedish racing and performance company partnered with Volvo Cars, the tuning optimizes engine output in a variety of ways. More air and fuel are funneled into the combustion chambers and spark timing is advanced, creating the performance gains driving enthusiast's demand. More importantly, the S60 R-Design's estimated fuel economy ratings don't suffer. The S60 R-Design achieves 11.3 L/100 km in the city and 7.7 L/100 km on the highway, for a combined average of 9.7 L/100 km.
Power is transmitted to the wheels via Volvo's second-generation six-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic and Sport mode. This new-generation automatic gearbox quickly fires off gear changes, while Sport mode remaps the transmission's shift points, holding shifts deeper into the torque curve. The driver may also shift gears manually. The S60 R-Design is offered standard with Volvo's electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system with Instant Traction® and Corner Traction Control with torque vectoring.
Corner Traction Control uses torque vectoring for smoother cornering. This technology is a further refinement of the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC). When cornering, the car's inner driven wheels are braked while, at the same time, more power is transmitted to the outer driven wheels. This allows the driver to take the corner more tightly while reducing any tendency to understeer.
With the R-Design's engine enhancements looked after, the chassis team focused on further refining the car's ride and handling characteristics. "The challenge was to boost the dynamics without making the chassis feel raw," says Stefan Sallqvist, manager of vehicle dynamics. Taking the S60 R-Design to the next level required a critical dissection of the already capable chassis and the addition of a number of performance enhancing sub-systems.
The chassis team fitted a strut brace under the hood that ties together the suspension strut towers. This is a classic method of stiffening the body structure and improves steering response. At the rear, the S60 R-Design features monotube shocks. Unlike the twin-tube shocks used in the S60 T6, the monotube system features compression and return damping via the same valve. This gives shorter, faster fluid flow, which in turn means the shocks respond faster.
The front and rear springs have been shortened by 15 mm to give the car more visual attitude. What is more, spring stiffness is 15 per cent higher compared to the Dynamic chassis in the S60 T6. The rear suspension bushings are 20 per cent stiffer compared with the Dynamic chassis found in the standard S60 T6. The front tie-blade bushing, that is to say the attachment in the rear of the car, is a massive 400 per cent stiffer than the S60. The increased stiffness helps counteract wheel bouncing and shaking.
Helping to set the S60 R-Design apart from the S60 are a number of visual design cues. On the exterior, an imposing redesigned lower front fascia features a grille painted in glossy piano black. The sporty stance is further enhanced with colour-matched body components, details in matte finish and a hexagonal pattern that is repeated both front and rear. Incorporated within a sporty rear exhaust baffle are distinctive, 90mm twin exhaust tailpipes. Unique R-Design five-spoke 18-inch diamond cut wheels emphasize the sporty overall appeal. The R-Design's is currently available exclusively in Passion Red but will soon be available in four additional colours; Ice White, Black Sapphire Metallic, Savile Grey Metallic and Electric Silver Metallic. Additionally, the S60 R-Design features a rear trunk spoiler and standard active dual Xenon headlights.
Inside, a number of new features help to further differentiate the S60 R-Design. The driver and front passenger are ensconced in sports seats. The highly supportive backrest from the S60 is matched by an all-new seat cushion with deeper side bolsters. The standard upholstery is off-black leather with contrasting stitching and a sport-oriented textured leather accent with an embossed R-Design logo across the front-seat backrests. The interior also features a sport steering wheel with R-Design logo, gear selector, sports pedals, floor mats and the iconic blue watch-dial instrument cluster.
On the safety front, the S60 R-Design comes standard with City Safety, a low-speed collision avoidance/mitigation system first seen in the XC60 premium crossover. City Safety is active at speeds of up to 35 km/h. If the vehicle in front brakes suddenly and City Safety determines that a collision is likely, the brakes are pre-charged. If the driver fails to respond, the car applies the brakes automatically. If the relative speed difference between the two vehicles is less than 15 km/h then City Safety may help the driver to entirely avoid the collision. Between 15 and 25 km/h the focus is on reducing speed as much as possible prior to the impact.
Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is available as part of the optional Technology Package. This driver-assistance system consists of a newly developed radar unit integrated into the S60's grille, a camera fitted in front of the inside rearview mirror and a central control unit. The radar's task is to detect any object in front of the car and to determine the distance to it while the camera determines what type of object it is. Up to 35 km/h, the system helps the car avoid hitting a pedestrian. At higher speeds, the system helps mitigate the severity of an impact.
The function is also programmed to respond to vehicles in front that are at a standstill or are moving in the same direction as the car fitted with the system. Thanks to the newly developed dual-mode radar's much wider field of vision, pedestrians about to step into the roadway can also be detected early on. The camera has higher resolution than the previous-generation unit, which makes it possible to detect the pedestrian's pattern of movement.
Price does not include destination charges of $1095.
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Göteborg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 41 Volvo automobile retailers across the country. The company's product range includes the stylish and sporty C30, the elegant C70 hardtop convertible, the S40 sedan and the S80 flagship sedan. For customers looking for a vehicle with all-road capability, Volvo offers the versatile XC60, XC70 and XC90. The new-for-2011 S60 sport sedan lineup now includes the T6 AWD and T5 FWD, both offering Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake. The S60 recently joined the 2011 S80, C30, XC60 and XC90 as a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
