The new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid R-Design, power, looks and savings, the perfect choice.

The super-efficient Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid - one of the best-selling hybrid-electrified vehicles in Europe in 2013 - is now also available in Volvo Cars’ R-Design specification.

“We sold almost 8,000 plug-in hybrids in 2013. Adding the R-Design dynamic attributes to the V60 Plug-in Hybrid - the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid - will further broaden its appeal. The customer gets segment-topping performance combined with outstanding efficiency,” says Alain Visser, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group.

The Volvo V60 D6 AWD R-Design Lux Nav is available from £51,675 (excl £5000 Plug-In Car Grant) on-the-road and can be ordered now, with expected deliveries from August 2014.

Unique exterior and interior

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid R-Design features a number of unique interior and exterior features that create a sporty presence. The exterior blends the Plug-in Hybrid identification with the R-Design front bumper and grille, rear diffuser and 18-inch Ixion wheels.

Inside, the car comes with a full R-Design interior, featuring sports seats as standard with a blend of black nubuck textile and perforated leather. Amongst the other unique R-Design features, it also includes sports pedals, sports floor mats and charcoal headlining. The car retains the special plug-in hybrid instrumentation and information.

Also fitted as standard on all PHEVs is Volvo's telematic system, Volvo On Call. This system allows users to use a free mobile app to access a number of functions and keeps the driver in constant contact with the vehicle, no matter where he/she is.

Ingenious power blend

The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid are powered by a five-cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel producing 215 hp and 440 Nm of torque. The car has a six-speed automatic transmission.

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

Pure Hybrid Power

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

In the default hybrid mode, the carbon dioxide emissions are down to just 48g/km. This corresponds to fuel consumption of 155.2 mpg (NEDC certification driving cycle for hybrids).

What is more, at the touch of a button the driver can choose to cover up to 31 miles on pure electric power – or utilise the combined capacity of the diesel engine and electric motor to create a veritable driving machine that offers 215+70 horsepower and 440+200 Nm of torque.

Volvo says The next time you feel lazy for ordering food to your house, don't.

The next time you feel lazy for ordering food to your house, don't.

Volvo announced what it calls "the world's first delivery of food to the car," a new service available via the automaker's new digital key technology. In a nutshell, buyers can order goods online, and once the goods are ready for delivery, buyers will be informed on their smartphone or tablet. In the process, they authorize a delivery person to open the car via a digital key. Once the pickup or drop-off is complete, the digital key no longer works.

This is all well and good, but it begs the question, "Why?" This feature helps demonstrate the capabilities of the Volvo On Call telematics app, which offers a range of services designed to help drivers stay connected to their cars when they are away from their cars. One popular feature is remotely heating or cooling the car so that it reaches the perfect temperature once the driver is ready to get in.

As for the food delivery service itself, while it may seem ridiculous, there are some key advantages. In a pilot program, 92 percent of people surveyed found it more convenient to receive deliveries to the car than to the home.

“By turning the car into a pickup and drop-off zone through digital keys, we solved a lot of problems delivering goods to people, not places," said Klas Bendrik, Group CIO at Volvo Car Group, in a recent statement. "The test customers also indicated that the service clearly saved time. And there are benefits for delivery companies as well because failed first-time deliveries generate significant costs for companies." He said the company will continue to investigate the future of digital key technology.

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