Safe, Swedish and sexy - S60

Considering its status as rivals to Mercedes, BMW and Audi in the luxury car segment, Volvo hasn’t got a start it wished for in India. Now, it has tweaked its strategy to launch the latest version of its entry level sedan, the S60.

 

For many, Volvo symbolises safety. The Swedish brand is a pioneer in car safety. Their cars are never as beautiful as Audis, or offer as smooth a drive as BMWs, but they keep matching them in sales because they are the safest of the lot. They are not exactly deaf at Gothenburg, and are working on the looks and comfort. The brand new S60 is a good example of Volvo’s evolution.

The design is typically Scandinavian—subtle classic touches mixed with fresh, sporty characteristics. The result is a very smart, good looking sedan. The bonnet is muscular, flowing down into the front grill. Headlights are neat, with little indicators on the snout. Volvos have always come with a conservative, old fashioned design, which never endeared it with generation next. However the S60 is different. While it carries the parent firm’s DNA, the chromosomes are definitely different. Even the side stance is clean, while the rear is sporty, with signature Volvo lights.

Inside, the Volvo S60 is a delight, with plush finish. The top-end version gets neat leather, with gadgets that not all its competitors can boast of. Additionally the interior is cavernous, a far cry from the days when space was a perennial complaint. Check out the 18- inch alloy wheels and extra large boot.

The S60 sedan is available in both petrol and diesel variants—T6 AWD Petrol with 304 hp and 440 Nm (touted as the most powerful engine in its segment), and D5 diesel, with 205 hp and 420 Nm. Besides this, the S60 will offer unique features such as the world’s first ‘Pedestrian Detection’ with full auto brake, Advanced Control with Torque Vectoring, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Laser Assisted Automatic Braking with City Safety, and Active Bending Lights, that bend with each turn of the power steering, among others.

The best for the last: the S60 comes with a smashing price tag starting Rs 27 lakh, which is lower than the competition with entry level luxury sedans.