Happenings

Volvo V60 Powers Into Singapore

BY Burnpavement

Volvo claims that this red-hot sports wagon is their most dynamic model to date.

Wearnes Automotive officially unveiled Volvo's latest estate, the V60 in Singapore yesterday. The T4 variant on offer has an aluminium GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) 1.6L engine that's good for 180bhp and a meaty 240Nm of torque which is on tap from 1,600rpm. Mated to an automatic Powershift six-speed twin-clutch transmission, it propels the Swede from 0-100km/h in 9.2 seconds.

Christopher Wailes, Volvo Europe's Product & Pricing Manager also shared with us that the chassis is designed to position the V60 as the best front-wheel drive car on the market. The V60 also has stiffer springs, bushes, more suspension damping and a steering rack that is ten times faster than any Volvo. Advanced Stability Control with a new roll angle sensor helps to improve handling together with the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control.

Like the S60, it gets Corner Traction Control which slows down the inner driven wheel when negotiating a bend and sends more power to the outside wheel to allow tighter cornering capabilities. It's also fitted with Volvo's smallest steering wheel to make it much more driver-orientated and partly to improve road feedback.

Volvo's fresh-looking Scandinavian design principles are found on the V60 as well, with smooth "race track" inspired lines flowing throughout the car's exterior. Also, the V60 is offered in two new body colours, the radiant Vibrant Copper and the more classy Electrum Gold.

Inside, it features a 40/20/40-split rear seat and the fold-flat front passenger seat to make it possible to squeeze in 1,241L of cargo. The rear seat can be specified with optional integrated child booster cushions. Örjan Sterner, head of exterior design for the New V60 says, "The New Volvo V60 does not aim to compete with the traditional estate car. For the customer who wants a lot of load space, there is our V70 or XC70."