Volvo S60 R

Rob Mullner The S60 R's greatest strength is its engine, without question. It is superb at lower elevations and in cooler weather, pressing the driver back in the seat from low speeds. In spite of their generous dimensions, the Volvo's brakes can overheat when driven hard in the mountains, leading to a pulsing pedal. The six-speed manual is slicker than the S60 T5's five-speed. The automatic is for posers, as the engine's torque is electronically limited to 242 lb-ft rather than 277 lb-ft as with the manual.

The Volvo S60R has electronically-controlled all-wheel drive. The AWD system is combined with Four-C Technology, and optimises road-holding and stability. Like Four-C, the AWD system is connected to the car's Multiplex computer system, and can, therefore, handle large quantities of information. With its extremely short engagement and disengagement time, the AWD system can react immediately to the position of the accelerator and the torque of the engine.

The S60 R went on sale in May for a base price of just over $38,000. The companion V70 R station wagon delivers all the neat stuff found in the S60 R plus a high degree of utility. In keeping with past custom, Volvo has painted the first R models in special colors, Flash Green and Titanium Gray. Subsequent colors include Black Metallic, Silver Metallic, Cosmos Blue Metallic and Passion Red Solid. The sport seat upholstery is available in Dark Blue, Gold Beige or Natural Leather, all with unique stitching. The remainder of the interior is off-black, except for the door inserts, which are coordinated with the seats.

Inside, the S60 R offers more upscale furnishings than regular S60s, namely laterally bolstered leather sport seats, stylish silver and blue gauges and real aluminum trim. Comfort is exceptional in front, but rear passengers may find legroom a bit tight. The control layout is more complex than in other cars, and new owners may need to sit down with the owner''s manual in order to master everything. Trunk capacity is 13.9 cubic feet.

Just like the Volvo S60 R, Volvo V70 R and Volvo XC90, the new Volvo S80 is now equipped with a steering gear from ZF of Germany. The result is more direct steering response and enhanced steering precision

The Volvo S60R will be built at Volvo's factory in Ghent, Belgium, and the V70 R at the Torslanda plant in Sweden. The start of production is planned for early 2003 and the volume will be limited.

From www.lycos.com