Volvo S60 R: North American Debut For Unique Performance Car
...Volvo's "Four-C" technology at the South Florida International Auto Show
Miami, FL (November 8, 2002) - First seen at the Paris Motor Show in September, the new Volvo S60 R rolls into Miami for a first look by North American audiences. The high-performance sedan is a limited-production model, inspired by the technology and performance of Volvo's renowned Performance Concept Car.
Performance AND Safety
Volvo's new S60 R is a true performance car, designed for driving beyond the ultimate experience without compromise to the Volvo hallmark of intelligent functionality.
"Safety is not compromised with the S60 R," says Vic Doolan, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC. "We have a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system that is integrated with an innovative active chassis, which results in superior handling of our 300 horsepower engine," he said.
FOUR-C Chassis
Atop the S60 R list of technological breakthroughs is the Four-C Technology (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept), which is one of the most advanced active performance chassis on the market. Four-C allows both the uncompromising road holding of an extreme sports sedan with the comfort essential in a family car.
Four-C differs from other chassis concepts in its ability to process enormous amounts of information from sensors throughout the chassis. The sensors send signals to the Four-C's microprocessor, which computes the motions of the car, adjusting the stiffness of the shock absorbers so that the car is always parallel to the road surface.
The shock absorbers are updated with new information 500 times per second. This is made possible by a totally new technology, the first in the world of cars, developed jointly with Öhlins Racing AB, one of the world's leading developers of high-tech shock absorber systems, and shock absorber manufacturer Monroe.
Three Chassis Settings
The driver has three chassis-setting options available through three control buttons in the middle of the instrument panel - Comfort, Sport and Advanced Sport. In the Sport setting, which is also the default setting, the chassis is optimized for ordinary driving on winding roads and at high speeds. Pressing the Comfort button increases the softness of the chassis and insulates the body from irregularities in the road.
When the driver presses the Advanced Sport button, the Volvo S60 R is transformed into a pure sports sedan. The chassis is optimized for maximum road holding in all situations, including the racetrack.
The S60 R's electronically controlled all-wheel drive (AWD) system works in concert with the Four-C suspension to optimize road holding and stability. With its extremely short engagement and disengagement time, the AWD system reacts immediately to throttle position and torque.
300 horsepower and 295 ft.-lbs. of torque
Under the hood lurks the most powerful engine in the Volvo range. The five-cylinder 2.5-liter in-line turbocharged engine puts out 300 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 295 ft.-lbs. of torque at 1,950 rpm. Top speed for the S60 is electronically limited to 155 mph and it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph 5.7 seconds with a manual gearbox.
The new six-speed manual gearbox was developed to handle the high torque delivered by the engine. Gearshift travel is short, making for fast, positive changes.
Also available is a five-speed Geartronic automatic transmission, which offers the best of both worlds: the gearbox takes care of all gear changes automatically; or the driver can change gears manually, but without a clutch. It also has a "Sport" mode selector in which the automatic transmission changes gears at a higher engine speed and downshifts faster.
Performance Sedan Design
The styling of the new cars represents a subtle change in Volvo's tradition when it comes to performance-car design.
The S60 R features an aggressively styled front end. The grille has a frame in satin silver, the chin spoiler has been extended and the lower air intake is larger to provide increased airflow and more efficient cooling.
At the back, the Volvo S60 R has a thin trunk-mounted spoiler, expressing very clearly that the R concept philosophy is all about optimization.
The interior is designed to radiate exclusive sportiness - and the driver is firmly in focus. The sport seats have increased side support. They are available in three colors: Dark Blue, Gold Beige and Aniline leather, all with unique stitching. The leather carries a strong visual link with Scandinavian furniture design.
Production of the R Cars
Scheduled to start production in early 2003, the 2004 Volvo S60 R will be built in Ghent, Belgium. Volumes will be limited. A wagon version - the V70 R - will be built at the Torslanda plant in Sweden. Prices have not been announced.
Volvo expects to sell 7,000 S60 R and V70 R cars a year, and the five largest markets are the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Sweden.
For more information: http://vcc.volvocars.se/r/
