In our original road test of the Volvo S60, we likened the car to a cup of green tea and that analogy continues for the performance-oriented S60 R. While sedans like the E55 AMG, Jaguar S-Type R and BMW's M cars might have more in common with a double espresso followed by Red Bull chaser, the S60 R is more subtle and offers less frenetic, aggressive energy and a little more comfort. That's not to say the R version isn't fast; it is. It also delivers very sporty handling and more grip than a pair of Nike track spikes.
The first thing that stands out about the R is the car's six-speed manual transmission. It's a necessary feature for sure and not the type of thing that springs to mind when thinking "Volvo." As much as the transmission itself stands out, it's the shifter that gets noticed right away. There's no traditional shifter boot (usually leather or rubber) but rather a sort of round housing that makes it look like an automatic. Some editors commented they didn't like the design but it did offer a bit of pizzazz, if not curiosity, to an otherwise sedate interior. Even though the interior may look sedate, the front seats are noticeably sportier and offer more lateral support than those found in the normal S60. The R's interior also sets itself apart through its fancier gauges. They sport an anodized blue background ringed with a metal trim. Adding to the upscale look inside is a full color, blue and chrome logo mounted in the middle of the steering wheel.
While the interior clearly communicates the R's sporting nature, the car is somewhat lacking in terms of practicality. The many buttons and switches are just as confusing as they are on the standard S60, and the rear seat and trunk are a little tight on space.
On the road is where the S60 R really shines. Acceleration is very impressive and with 300 turbocharged horsepower under the hood, each flick of the shifter brings on a new rush of power. All this fun comes courtesy of a five-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled, 2.5-liter engine with continuously variable valve timing. Spool the turbos up before the second-to-third shift and the car surges forward. We found ourselves leaving the car in a lower gear longer than normal just for the sheer fun of it. The clutch is near perfect in terms of weighting (neither too light nor too heavy), but the take-up is a little finicky. It was very difficult to get a smooth launch from first gear without almost dumping the clutch. Our editor in chief put it this way: "By revving the engine to about 3,500 rpm and utilizing a controlled clutch release, the sedan would leave the starting line relatively smoothly. There's almost no turbo lag, making the engine feel almost like a small V8 due to its broad power curve and lack of 'peakiness.'" In the event you could get a smooth start without revving the engine up, the car would sort of bog down as the all-wheel-drive system doesn't allow for much wheel slippage.
Braking is excellent. Not only did the S60 R not exhibit brake fade, but the noise level of the ABS was quite low. The Volvo's braking distances actually got shorter with each stop. Volvo claims the S60 R is one of the most agile cars in its class and we cannot disagree. While we may complain that the lack of wheel slippage makes the car bog down on launch, it's that type of sheer grip that makes the all-wheel-drive R feel absolutely stuck to the road. Our dislikes include heavy steering and the fact that the car seemed to lack precise control at the limit. As the car is pushed, and we mean really pushed, it has a tendency to drift in the turns. Again, from our editor in chief, "When laying into the throttle, where one would expect all-wheel drive to dig in and pull the car back on line, the Volvo tended to drift wide (often taking out a cone in the process). This could have been a combination of the car's high weight and strong power." Now, this is in a test track situation — on public roads, the S60 R showed no signs of being anything other than stuck to the road in all kinds of driving environments, including wet pavement, gravel and smooth asphalt.
The S60 R offers plenty of performance, but thanks to the three suspension settings (comfort, sport and advanced), you can pick your level of comfort. This may seem like a gimmick, but there are bound to be days when S60 R owners just don't want to hassle with the jolting suspension and firm ride of a performance sedan. And unlike some other cars, the R's settings really do make a difference.
When utilizing the "advanced" setting, the car takes on a completely different character. Super-firm and very tight, the suspension in this mode gives the car a real aggressive feel and handling that borders on race car precision. In the standard "comfort" setting, the S60 R feels exactly like you would expect a luxury car to feel — soft enough to be comfortable for everyday driving, but with just enough cornering ability to remain pleasant. We found that the "comfort" setting was the mode in which we left the car most often. In between the two extremes is the "sport" setting, which offers a little more firmness than "comfort," but is less serious than the all-out "advanced."
Still not convinced that Volvo can build and successfully compete with European sport sedans? To really drive the point home, Volvo will campaign an S60 R in the 2004 SPEED World Challenge GT. The World Challenge is an SCCA Pro-sanctioned series that features cars like the Audi RS6, BMW M3 and Chevrolet Corvette. This is Volvo's first racing endeavor in the U.S., and just to show that it's really serious, the company has recruited multiple-Le Mans winner Derek Bell as the lead driver. Will this help Volvo sell cars? Maybe. Cost of developing a full racing program — millions. Cost of hired gun Derek Bell — a lot. Seeing a Volvo pass an M3 on the front straight during a televised race — priceless.
OK, so the S60 R doesn't have the 390 hp of a Jag R, or the nearly 500 hp of an E55 AMG, but like those cars, it is an amped-up version of an existing luxury/sport sedan — an in-house hot rod. At nearly half the price of an E55, the S60 R's $38,000 price tag makes the car all the more interesting. With its real and usable suspension settings, 300 hp and stealthy Euro-sedan looks the S60 R is like a factory hot rod for those of us who can usually do little more than dream of such cars gracing our garages.
The first thing that stands out about the R is the car's six-speed manual transmission. It's a necessary feature for sure and not the type of thing that springs to mind when thinking "Volvo." As much as the transmission itself stands out, it's the shifter that gets noticed right away. There's no traditional shifter boot (usually leather or rubber) but rather a sort of round housing that makes it look like an automatic. Some editors commented they didn't like the design but it did offer a bit of pizzazz, if not curiosity, to an otherwise sedate interior. Even though the interior may look sedate, the front seats are noticeably sportier and offer more lateral support than those found in the normal S60. The R's interior also sets itself apart through its fancier gauges. They sport an anodized blue background ringed with a metal trim. Adding to the upscale look inside is a full color, blue and chrome logo mounted in the middle of the steering wheel.
While the interior clearly communicates the R's sporting nature, the car is somewhat lacking in terms of practicality. The many buttons and switches are just as confusing as they are on the standard S60, and the rear seat and trunk are a little tight on space.
On the road is where the S60 R really shines. Acceleration is very impressive and with 300 turbocharged horsepower under the hood, each flick of the shifter brings on a new rush of power. All this fun comes courtesy of a five-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled, 2.5-liter engine with continuously variable valve timing. Spool the turbos up before the second-to-third shift and the car surges forward. We found ourselves leaving the car in a lower gear longer than normal just for the sheer fun of it. The clutch is near perfect in terms of weighting (neither too light nor too heavy), but the take-up is a little finicky. It was very difficult to get a smooth launch from first gear without almost dumping the clutch. Our editor in chief put it this way: "By revving the engine to about 3,500 rpm and utilizing a controlled clutch release, the sedan would leave the starting line relatively smoothly. There's almost no turbo lag, making the engine feel almost like a small V8 due to its broad power curve and lack of 'peakiness.'" In the event you could get a smooth start without revving the engine up, the car would sort of bog down as the all-wheel-drive system doesn't allow for much wheel slippage.
Braking is excellent. Not only did the S60 R not exhibit brake fade, but the noise level of the ABS was quite low. The Volvo's braking distances actually got shorter with each stop. Volvo claims the S60 R is one of the most agile cars in its class and we cannot disagree. While we may complain that the lack of wheel slippage makes the car bog down on launch, it's that type of sheer grip that makes the all-wheel-drive R feel absolutely stuck to the road. Our dislikes include heavy steering and the fact that the car seemed to lack precise control at the limit. As the car is pushed, and we mean really pushed, it has a tendency to drift in the turns. Again, from our editor in chief, "When laying into the throttle, where one would expect all-wheel drive to dig in and pull the car back on line, the Volvo tended to drift wide (often taking out a cone in the process). This could have been a combination of the car's high weight and strong power." Now, this is in a test track situation — on public roads, the S60 R showed no signs of being anything other than stuck to the road in all kinds of driving environments, including wet pavement, gravel and smooth asphalt.
The S60 R offers plenty of performance, but thanks to the three suspension settings (comfort, sport and advanced), you can pick your level of comfort. This may seem like a gimmick, but there are bound to be days when S60 R owners just don't want to hassle with the jolting suspension and firm ride of a performance sedan. And unlike some other cars, the R's settings really do make a difference.
When utilizing the "advanced" setting, the car takes on a completely different character. Super-firm and very tight, the suspension in this mode gives the car a real aggressive feel and handling that borders on race car precision. In the standard "comfort" setting, the S60 R feels exactly like you would expect a luxury car to feel — soft enough to be comfortable for everyday driving, but with just enough cornering ability to remain pleasant. We found that the "comfort" setting was the mode in which we left the car most often. In between the two extremes is the "sport" setting, which offers a little more firmness than "comfort," but is less serious than the all-out "advanced."
Still not convinced that Volvo can build and successfully compete with European sport sedans? To really drive the point home, Volvo will campaign an S60 R in the 2004 SPEED World Challenge GT. The World Challenge is an SCCA Pro-sanctioned series that features cars like the Audi RS6, BMW M3 and Chevrolet Corvette. This is Volvo's first racing endeavor in the U.S., and just to show that it's really serious, the company has recruited multiple-Le Mans winner Derek Bell as the lead driver. Will this help Volvo sell cars? Maybe. Cost of developing a full racing program — millions. Cost of hired gun Derek Bell — a lot. Seeing a Volvo pass an M3 on the front straight during a televised race — priceless.
OK, so the S60 R doesn't have the 390 hp of a Jag R, or the nearly 500 hp of an E55 AMG, but like those cars, it is an amped-up version of an existing luxury/sport sedan — an in-house hot rod. At nearly half the price of an E55, the S60 R's $38,000 price tag makes the car all the more interesting. With its real and usable suspension settings, 300 hp and stealthy Euro-sedan looks the S60 R is like a factory hot rod for those of us who can usually do little more than dream of such cars gracing our garages.
Add A Comment »