Geneva Motorshow news: Volvo S60

In its overall shape, the all-new S60 is a coupé; sportier and more distinct than any previous Volvo. In its design, it promises excellent driving characteristics, even before you get behind the wheel. To deliver the highest levels of driving enjoyment, the chassis team have refined every single detail that influences a car’s driving properties and fine-tuned the driving experience to offer the most dynamic ride ever seen before on a Volvo.

The all-new S60 range will be available from launch with a choice of two diesels and one petrol engine, including an uprated high-performance 3.0-litre T6 petrol version with 304bhp, a 2.4-litre 205bhp D5 and a 2.0-litre 163bhp D3 powerplant.

DESIGN
In its overall shape, the all-new S60 is a four-door coupé - sportier and more distinct than any previous Volvo.

The C-pillar of the all-new S60 stretches all the way to the tail lamps – and the slim coupé -like roof line is accompanied by a new contour on the shoulders on either side of the lower body. This creates a gentle double wave in the line from the headlamps at the front to the tail lamps at the rear.

The S60’s athletic stance is accentuated by a sculpted bonnet and short overhangs front and rear, plus what Volvo’s design team calls the “racetrack” design. The car’s lines do not end abruptly but instead continue to flow organically, echoing the smooth shapes of the racetrack.

This sporty appearance can be further enhanced with an exterior styling kit that incorporates front and rear skid plates, two frames in the lower valence, side scuff plates, exhaust tailpipe finishers and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Volvo’s designers have also used LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology to create distinctive, signature lights at the front and rear that make the car clearly identifiable as an S60, even in the dark.

The all-new Volvo S60 is being introduced with a range of exterior colours including two new shades: Vibrant Copper and Electrum Gold.


The 3.0-litre T6 petrol engine, the variant set to be sold here, generates 304hp and 440Nm of torque, enhancing acceleration and smooth progress on the road. Acceleration from0-100km/h takes 6.5 seconds and top speed is 155 mph. Volvo Cars’ engine specialists have succeeded in cutting fuel consumption by about 10 per cent to 27.7 mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figure).

The engine’s power is delivered to the wheels via Volvo’s second-generation six-speed automatic Geartronic transmission. New valves and lower friction mean faster gear changes than before. AWD (All Wheel Drive) is standard on the T6.

PEDESTRIAN DETECTION WITH FULL AUTO BRAKE
The all-new Volvo S60 features the ground breaking Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake system. Pedestrian Detection consists of a newly developed radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror, and a central control unit. The radar’s task is to detect any object in front of the car and to determine the distance to it. The camera determines what type of object it is.

The full auto brake part of the technology also responds to vehicles in front that are at a standstill or that are moving in the same direction as the car fitted with the system.

The newly developed dual-mode radar’s much wider field of vision ensures that pedestrians about to step into the roadway can be detected early on. The camera has higher resolution than the previous-generation auto brake which makes it possible to detect the pedestrian’s pattern of movement.

“The auto-brake system requires that the object is confirmed by both the radar and the camera. Thanks to the advanced sensor technology used, it is now possible to increase to full braking power,” explains Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Cars.

“Detecting pedestrians with sufficiently high reliability has been a complex challenge. Our innovative technology is programmed to trace a pedestrian’s pattern of movement and also to calculate whether he or she is likely to step into the road in front of the car. The system can detect pedestrians who are 80 cm tall and upwards, that is to say including children.”

New technology permits full braking force
In an emergency situation the driver first receives an audible warning combined with a flashing light in the windscreen’s head-up display. In order to generate an immediate, intuitive reaction, this warning resembles a brake light. At the same time, the car’s brakes are pre-charged. If the driver does not react to the warning and an accident is imminent, full braking power is automatically applied.

This technology has the same limitations as the human eye, and just like us it “sees” less well in the dark and in poor weather.

Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds of up to 21mph if the driver does not react in time. At higher speeds, the focus is on reducing the car’s speed as much as possible prior to the impact. The speed reduction is up to 21mph.

Statistics reveal that the car’s speed has considerable importance for the outcome of the accident. A lower speed of impact means that the risk of serious injury is significantly reduced. For instance, if speed is cut from 30mph to 15mph, Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake is expected to reduce the fatality risk by as much as 20 per cent and in certain cases by up to 85 per cent.

City Safety
The all-new Volvo S60 also features City Safety as standard, as seen on its bigger brother - the XC60. The system can reduce or even entirely avoid low-speed rear-end impacts at speeds up to 18mph.

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