For immediate release
An elegant sedan with a coupe profile and a sporting soul, the new 2001 Volvo S60 completes the transformation of the styling of the Volvo line and injects new emotion into the company's most popular product segment.
With fluid styling in the new Volvo design language and stellar performance from a range of 5-cylinder engines, the Volvo S60 emphasizes real world driving enjoyment with extraordinary handling. Described as a marriage of "safety + sporty," the new S60 boasts a full complement of the safety innovations that have made Volvo the industry leader in occupant protection.
Prices for the new sedan begin at $35,995.
Built on Volvo's large car platform, the S60 is shorter than both the S80 sedan and V70 wagon but has a longer wheelbase than the S70 sedan whose place it takes in the model line. While it shares much of the same platform architecture with the S80 and V70, the new S60 has a distinctly sporting character that sets it apart from its siblings.
A trio of 5-cylinder engines and two transmission choices provide S60 with performance in keeping with a fine European sedan. A normally-aspirated, 168 hp 2.4-litre version mated to a smooth 5-speed manual transmission or available 5-speed electronically-controlled automatic are the heart of the base S60. The S60 2.4T generates 197 hp from the same 2.4-litres, thanks to a low pressure turbocharger with intercooling. The 5-speed automatic is standard equipment. The exhilarating S60 T5 delivers 247 hp performance from 2.3-litres with high pressure intercooled turbo and 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic with sequential shifting Geartronic feature.
S60 adopts Volvo's new design language to great effect, with smooth, flowing lines and traditional Volvo design cues combined with an arresting style first seen in North America on the sporty C70 Coupe. The S60, with its longer wheelbase and wide stance, has a coupe profile that belies its sedan configuration and comfortable seating for five. But the taught handling and sport coupe performance do not compromise ride and passenger comfort. The successful balance of comfort and handling is a key part of the S60's credential as a performance sedan with a strong Scandinavian character.
Traditional Volvo safety is still a top priority in the S60. Dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags and three-point seat belts with pyrotechnic pre-tensioners, SIPS side impact protections system with side airbags and Inflatable Curtain protection for front- and rear-seat passengers, WHIPS whiplash protection seating and many other passive safety features are standard equipment. Active safety is enhanced by four-channel anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution, two available traction control technologies and an independent suspension design that ensures the S60 handles completely predictably, whether empty or fully laden.
Dual climate controls with optional Interior Air Quality System, adjustable rear air vents on the B-pillar, comfortable seats with an orthopaedic design (including sport seats in the T5) and 60/40 rear fold-down feature, attractive cloth and supple leather trim choices in Scandinavian designs, and a host of small comfort and convenience features confirm the interior of the S60 as a fine European sedan. Premium audio systems, personal security features and options, and a system that returns the driver's seat and mirrors to the positions used last make the Volvo S60 easy to enjoy.
Comforting, too, is the knowledge that the Volvo S60 carries the Volvo Car Corporation's commitment to improve the environmental impact of the automobile. In addition to the PremAirJ radiator that converts up to 75 per cent of the ground level ozone it encounters into oxygen, and the use of Öko-Tex certified materials inside the car, the S60 with base 2.4 engine meets Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards while the 2.4T and T5 models are classified as Low Emission Vehicles (LEV). All Volvo S60s come with an Environmental Product Declaration, a 'cradle to grave' report on the environmental management measures taken by the company in the design, manufacture, use and subsequent recycling of the car.
The Volvo S60 is available through authorized Volvo retailers in major markets across Canada, and is protected by a comprehensive 48-month, 80,000-kilometre overall warranty and the standard Volvo On Call 48-month roadside assistance program.
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Information:
Lisa Graham
Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd.
(416)490-5834
Doug Mepham
MacDonald & Co.
(416)975-1572
