Volvo #1 - Volvo's 60 series of cars gets overhaul ready for new product in two years time

• New design focusing on quality and attention to detail
• Fuel consumption down to a class-leading 70.6mpg and CO₂ emissions of just 106 g/km in the Volvo S60 D2
• New, more comfortable sport seats in the R-Design range
• Sensus Connected Touch system with unique on-line possibilities
• Permanent high beam with groundbreaking technology

"This is the most extensive development of existing models in our company's history. Each of the enhancements is designed around our customers' needs. We have focused on quality and attention to detail in order to give these dynamic models a major boost and sharpen their competitiveness," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Group. He continues: "The S60 and XC60 are our best-selling models in several important markets, and the innovative V60 Plug-in Hybrid has got off to a flying start. We have been listening very carefully to our customers in order to make improvements that ensure that we make these successful cars more attractive."

Emphasised attention to detail

Scandinavian design is exemplified by beautiful, simple shapes and surfaces with any unnecessary clutter removed.

This is evident in the redesigned interior and exterior of the new 60 cars. Inside, the attention to detail, the authentic materials - such as wood and leather - and the easy-to-use controls contribute to the in-command driving experience.

Supportive yet comfortable seats that ensure a fresh and relaxed arrival after the longest of journeys have been a Volvo strength for decades. The buyer of a new S60, V60 or XC60 in R-Design specification now benefit from a new sport seat that retains this traditional comfort and makes a perfect addition to the in-command feel of a true driver's car.

"The new sport seat has great hugging side support all the way from the thighs to the shoulders, so the seat keeps the driver firmly in position when cornering fast. We've had nearly one hundred people of all shapes and sizes test this seat and we received a really enthusiastic response. We've also made adjustments to the seat back, so it provides more legroom for passengers in the rear," says Project Director Patrik Widerstrand.

There are several other examples of the attention to detail in the new 60 cluster cars. The previously visible washer nozzles have been relocated out of sight under the bonnet. The radar cover has been painted gloss black, which practically makes it disappear in the grille. The chrome frame around the grille has been removed and the new, bigger ironmark badge enhances the new cars' self-confident look.

The new integrated tailpipes, which can be specified with some engine variants, are the physical and visual link to the technically advanced engines. But it's not just about beautiful design: the designers have had to cope with the fact that at operating temperature, the tailpipes have to remain perfectly in place despite the exhaust system expanding in length by up to 25mm. This is another example of true Scandinavian precision engineering.

The new S60, V60 and XC60 offer an extended wheel choice with a variety of designs that increase the personalisation possibilities for customers.

"To enhance the visual appeal of the car, customers can now specify their S60 or V60 with expressive 19-inch wheels and keep the same profile height as 18-inch ones, so they don't lose any comfort," says Patrik Widerstrand.

The XC60 is available with 20-inch wheels while keeping the same tyre profile height and ride comfort as with 19-inch wheels.

The new Volvo S60 - more dynamic and elegant

The new dynamic S60 design, with its purposeful, dynamic appearance, accentuates the car's sporting nature.

"We've really increased the S60's road presence with a new front design. The more focused and determined-looking headlamps help create this new, expressive face," explains Fedde Talsma, Design Director, Exterior. He adds: "We've emphasised the S60's horizontal lines at both the front and rear. Together with details such as a wider grille, daylight running lights and a new LED light guide on the tail lamps, they give the S60 a striking, road-hugging presence. The car has a beauty that is rooted in the natural world. The clean surfaces and contours give it a very Scandinavian feel."

Inside, there are upgrades such as new upholstery colours, new wood inlays, a new headliner, and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls.

"The overall effect is very warm and cosy, like being in a warm Swedish house on a cold night. The colour themes correspond beautifully with the backlit white controls in the dash and elsewhere in the car," adds Lena Jiseborn, Design Director, Colour and Trim.

Under the skin, at the heart of the dynamic driving experience, is a wide choice of chassis settings, designed around the customer's personal requirements. The S60 buyer has a choice of three chassis types - Dynamic, Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and the R-Design Lowered Sport Chassis.

The new Volvo V60 - more versatile, more dynamic and more elegant

The new Volvo V60 is the car for people who need the versatility of an estate but want the handling of a sports sedan - all in a stylish Scandinavian package. As with the new Volvo S60, the design team has increased the new V60's road presence by emphasising its horizontal lines, which visually connects the car directly to the road. The V60's silhouette is a visual reminder that this is no ordinary estate - it's a wagon with a coupé-like appearance.

The V60 delivers a dynamic driving experience, with the same pin-sharp handling as its sister saloon and with the same chassis options and the same levels of customer preference - Dynamic, Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and Lower Sport Chassis.

"We're really proud of the standard Dynamic chassis. It offers a responsive, in-command driving experience and we genuinely believe that it's one of the best in the segment," says Patrik Widerstrand.

At the heart of the extra versatility of the V60 is its intelligent seating. The rear seats can be folded down in three 40/20/40 segments, so that the rear 430 litres of load space can be supplemented quickly and easily. Parents favour the V60's two-stage integrated booster cushions for children. With one simple movement, the booster cushions pop-up from the seat base giving a comfortable and safe ride height for children from three years and upwards.

The new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid - still in a class of its own

Following the successful introduction in its high-specification ‘Pure Limited' guise, the ingenious Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is now available with a full range of colours and options, including most of the design and technology upgrades of the standard V60, while retaining its unique and class-leading 48 g/km emissions.

"We've made the car look more purposeful and dynamic, reflecting its personality. And your every interaction with your car is more intuitive, expressive and customisable," says Patrik Widerstrand.

The tailgate on the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid still displays the D6 AWD badge, hinting at the high levels of performance under its skin. The front wheels are powered by a five-cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine producing 215 hp and maximum torque of 440 Nm, all conveyed through six-speed automatic transmission.

The rear axle is powered by an electric motor producing 70 hp and 200 Nm. The electric motor is supplied with power from an 11.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment.

The driver selects the required driving mode via three buttons that give the car three entirely different temperaments: Pure, Hybrid or Power.

• In Pure mode, the car is powered solely by its electric motor as much as possible. The range is up to 31 miles.
• Hybrid is the standard setting whenever the car is started. The diesel engine and electric motor cooperate to achieve CO₂ emissions (NEDC, mixed driving cycle for certification) of just 48 g/km.
• In Power mode, the technology is optimised to give the car the maximum possible power. The diesel engine and electric motor combine to deliver a total power output of 215+70 hp and maximum torque of over 600 Nm. The car accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 6.1 seconds.

The new Volvo XC60 - in-command capability with around-town style

On the exterior, Volvo's best-selling model, the XC60, gets a more urban twist. The redesigned front features a new hood shape that emphasises the wide, confident look.

"We've taken away any black trim so the car is now all one body colour. The new headlamps look very focused and determined, and the horizontal lines on the grille with its chrome bars emphasise the car's width," says Fedde Talsma.

The XC60 also benefits from an interior upgrade. The new features include new wood inlays, a new headliner, textile B-pillars and the silk metal frames around the air vents and light controls.

The refined XC60 has a commanding driving position supported by generous ground clearance and the class-leading chassis. The XC60 is designed to feel every bit as nimble and agile as a standard height road car.

Corner Traction Control now comes as standard. This torque vectoring system helps the driver avoid understeer by applying just the right amount of brake force to the inner wheels while powering the outer wheels when accelerating out of a corner.

With All Wheel Drive, the XC60 becomes an extremely capable vehicle on any road, in any kind of weather. Hill Descent Control boosts this capability by automatically controlling the car's speed when driving down steep slopes.

Enhancements across the new S60, V60 and XC60 range

Sensus Connected Touch - connectivity on a new level

Sensus is the name Volvo uses for all its HMI (Human Machine Interface) functionality and the all-new Sensus Connected Touch accessory is the latest addition.

It enables connectivity and Internet in the car and turns the 7-inch display into a state-of-the-art infrared, beam-scanned touch screen that can be used even when wearing gloves - a world first in cars and handy in winter.

Connection is made either via a car-mounted 3G/4G dongle or the driver's mobile phone.

The user has access to full Internet browsing (except when driving), Internet streaming of music, Internet radio (TuneIn and Orange Live Radio) with thousands of channels from all over the world, on-line (Google) Map and Search, Embedded Connected 3D navigation with online traffic info and dangerous zone warnings, Free Parking locator, weather information, a number of native and web applications, App Store for new functions and updates as well as a Volvo service locator.

It is also possible to share a WiFi network with everyone in the car.

"You can find the track you want just by saying its name. The voice-activated system works on all music sources connected to the Sensus Connected Touch," explains Patrik Widerstrand. "TripInfo is another great feature that can read out Wikipedia information about interesting points along the route via the audio system."

It is also possible to fit Connected Touch to previous model years where Sensus is fitted.

Adaptive Digital Display

The Adaptive Digital Display, which debuted in the all-new V40, is now available in the new S60, V60 and XC60. This active TFT (Thin Film Transistor) crystal display takes the interaction between car and driver to a new dimension, always displaying the most important information in any given situation.

The Active TFT screen is fitted as standard on SE Lux and is available as an option on all other specifications.

The driver can choose between three graphic themes:

The Elegance theme is the base mode with a traditional and calm aura.

The Eco theme features green background illumination, designed to create an environmentally inspired look. An Eco meter is displayed on the left. The current and accumulated fuel consumption figures are displayed - and the driver is rewarded with a green E light when eco-driving is optimal.

The Performance theme has red background illumination, creating a sporty atmosphere. In the centre, a rev counter scale replaces the speedometer displayed in the Elegance and Eco versions. Vehicle speed is shown digitally in the centre of the display. The right display includes a power meter - a gauge that informs the driver how much power is available and how much power is being used at any given moment in time.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid also comes with an additional Hybrid Theme with blue illumination. It includes hybrid and battery information that supports energy-efficient use of the ingenious driveline.

Lower fuel consumption

Volvo Car Group continues to push the boundaries of fuel efficiency and CO₂ actions across the model and engine range.

The fuel consumption of the 115 hp, four-cylinder D2 diesel in the new Volvo S60 with a manual gearbox has been improved to a class-leading 70.6mpg (EU Combined, preliminary figures), translating into CO₂emissions of only 106 g/km. The corresponding figures with the automatic gearbox are 68.9mpg and 107 g/km (preliminary figures).

Its estate cousin, the new Volvo V60 D2, also has class-leading fuel consumption at 68.9mpg (109 g/km) with the manual and 67.3mpg (110 g/km) with the automatic gearbox (preliminary figures).

The automatic D3 (136 hp) and D4 (163 hp) versions of the new Volvo S60 and V60 now come with CO₂emissions of 129 g/km (57.6mpg).

The new Volvo XC60 has also been improved, with both the D5 (215 hp) and the D4 (163 hp) versions with a manual gearbox and All Wheel Drive, delivering a combined fuel consumption of 53.3mpg (139 g/km).

There are improvements with petrol power too, with the S60 with the 1.6-litre GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) engine T4 (180 hp) or T3 (150 hp) and automatic gearbox now offering fuel consumption at 41.5mpg (159 g/km). The corresponding figure for the V60 T3 and T4 is 39.2mpg (167 g/km).

Full information on all engine and gearbox variants will be available in the Technical Specifications.

Heated steering wheel and paddle shifters

Volvo now offers drivers in cold climates extra comfort, with the introduction of an optional heated steering wheel. Cars with an automatic transmission can also be specified with paddle shifters, enabling the driver to shift gear manually with both hands on the wheel.  The paddle shifters give the enthusiastic driver an additional edge, particularly when powering round twisty roads. The heated steering wheel is available on all engines/specification levels and paddle shifters can be ordered on D2, D5, T3, T4 and T6 on all specification levels.

Permanent high beam with groundbreaking technology

The new Active High Beam Control makes journeys in the dark safer and more comfortable.

The technology eliminates the need to switch between low and high beam. Instead, Active High Beam Control makes it possible keep the headlights on full beam continuously.

When another car approaches from the opposite direction, the system helps to prevent dazzling of the oncoming driver by shading out only as much of the beam as necessary. This is done by an ingenious projector module mechanism integrated into the headlamp.

The same benefit applies to drivers in vehicles in front.

Cornering Light for better visibility

Another innovative option for driving in the dark is the low-speed Cornering Light feature. As an extension of the current Active Bending Light system, it lights up the area the driver is steering towards for safer manoeuvring - for instance, when turning into a small road or driving through a narrow gateway at night.

Heated windscreen

Cars equipped with a rain sensor can now benefit from an electrically heated windscreen for rapid de-icing on cold winter days.

The S60, V60 and XC60 are also available with outer rear view mirrors with auto dim. Using chromatic glass, the mirrors automatically dim to avoid glare from other traffic, just like the inner rear view mirror.

IntelliSafe systems supporting the driver

IntelliSafe is Volvo's blanket name for all active safety systems, and Volvo's world-first City Safety technology plays an important part. Fitted as standard, this advanced safety system works at speeds of up to 31 mph. All three models can also get Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake, which watches out for people walking into the car's path and automatically brakes the vehicle if there is an impending impact.

The S60, V60 and XC60 can also be specified with the enhanced Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which is now radar-based. The technology can also monitor and alert the driver to rapidly approaching vehicles up to 70 m behind the car, while still informing the driver about vehicles in the blind spots on both sides of the car.

Cross Traffic Alert uses the radar sensors at the rear end of the car to alert the driver to crossing traffic from the sides when reversing out of a parking space. This is especially helpful in tight and crowded areas where the side view may be restricted.

Road Sign Information supports the driver by displaying road signs on the instrument display.

"As the leader in automotive safety, we have reduced the risk of being involved in an accident or being injured in one of our latest car models by around 50 per cent since the year 2000. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our safety vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Car Group.