2012 Volvo S60

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Volvo isn't what it used to be, and positively, the Volvo S60 is a poster child for what the brand has evolved to--combining a more curvaceous exterior with a cool Scandinavian interior design, class-leading safety, and performance that sets its sights on the likes of the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, and Acura TSX. And for 2012, the S60 has a little more appeal yet for driving enthusiasts, with the introduction of a new 2012 S60 R-Design model aimed at those who might just take their Volvo on the track once in a while.

The 2012 S60 is more rakish and aggressive than any previous Volvo sedan on the outside, with smooth contours and swooping lines matched up with a low, wedgy front and pert tail, and framed with large flashy alloy wheels. It's handsome yet expressive from a few paces back. Inside, the S60's cabin is very stylish, yet functional, with a 'floating' center stack of controls that pushes the Swedish design ethos into a hipper direction. Textures and design themes inside are far from the ordinary for luxury sedans.

Last year, all Volvo S60 models came in high-performance T6 form—with a 300-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. Now for 2012, a more affordable front-wheel-drive S60 T5 model (powered by a 250-hp 2.5-liter five-cylinder) has joined the lineup, as well as a new enthusiast-focused R-Design mode that offers a 'chipped' version of the six, making 325 hp. In both the S60 T6 and R-Design models, the engine is smooth, strong, and sweet-sounding, with an uninterrupted rush of power when you need it. The six-speed automatic transmission (there's no manual...yet) doesn't always respond as quickly as you'd hope from a sport sedan.

In T6 or T5 forms, the S60 doesn't feel quite as sharp as focused enthusiast sedans like the Mitsubishi Evolution, Subaru WRX STI, or Nissan G37 or BMW 3-Series, but some will prefer it that way, as a tight, quiet cabin and good ride quality factor in to give it a true luxury-car feel. The 4C dynamic chassis system in the T6 makes it the pick of the bunch for combining performance and comfort; T6 models get driver-selectable steering feel, too. But the T6 R-Design throws that out in favor of a dedicated Sport suspension that's lowered and noticeably stiffer; it also brings out the road noise. 

The S60 is just a bit smaller than most U.S.-market mid-size sedans, yet it's a five-seater with true space for four adults. The swoopy roofline allows enough headroom for most, and provided you're not positioning the lankiest passengers front-to-back, there's decent legroom.

Though the curvy S60 doesn't have the versatility offered by those box-on-wheels designs Volvo built through the 1990s, this sport sedan does hold true to another Volvo expectation: safety. Volvo's Pedestrian Detection safety system can automatically stop the car if it detects a pedestrian and the driver fails to react. And while it hasn't yet been tested by the feds, the insurance-affiliated IIHS has already fully tested the 2012 S60 and made it a Top Safety Pick.

With base prices on the S60 dropping to about $31k for 2012 with the introduction of the front-wheel-drive S60 T5, the S60 is looking like a stronger deal for 2012 for those who simply want a well-equipped yet stylish luxury sedan. The T5 includes a long list of features, including tech extras like Bluetooth calling and audio streaming, HD Radio, dual-zone climate control, and a power driver's seat. The S60 T6 upgrades to leather upholstery and larger alloys, in addition to all the performance upgrades, and the top R-Design includes xenon headlamps and a moonroof among the many trim upgrades.

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Volvo begins production of C30 Electric

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Volvo recalling 2012 S60 for faulty fuel pump software

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Volvo testing fuel-saving, power-adding KERS flywheel tech

Volvo says it is hard at work developing a flywheel energy recovery system that could make a four-cylinder engine have six-cylinder like power while consuming even less fuel than before.

The Swedish automaker isn’t the first to have discussed Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems – or KERS – but it might become the first to conduct serious real-world testing thanks in part to a $1 million grant from the Swedish Energy Agency. The grant will help the automaker put a vehicle equipped with KERS on the road during the second half of this year.

Just what is KERS?
Flywheel KERS isn’t a simple subject. Fitted to the rear axle of a car – in the Volvo’s case – it grabs braking energy that causes the flywheel to rotate as fast as 60,000 rpm during extremely hard braking.

From there, it uses a transmission module to transfer power right back into the rear wheels to help propel a vehicle – all without using other significant sources of energy.

“The flywheel’s stored energy is sufficient to power the car for short periods. However, this has a major impact on fuel consumption. Our calculations indicate that the combustion engine will be able to be turned off about half the time when driving according to the official New European Driving Cycle,” Volvo Powertrain Engineering VP Derek Crabb said in a statement.

Volvo uses a start/stop system to turn off the internal combustion engine located under the vehicle’s hood as soon as the driver starts applying braking, but the engine kicks back on when the gas pedal is tapped. Once the car begins accelerating, the KERS flywheel can add as much as 80 horsepower to the powertrain. Fuel consumption is down about 20 percent in city driving, Volvo says.

The technology is most useful in urban driving, where cars are accelerated and then braked repeatedly, because energy storage ability is limited. To save weight and to increase rotational capacity, the KERS flywheel is made of carbon fiber, a material that Volvo says it wouldn’t have been able to effectively use until now.

Volvo released a video, found below, which helps illustrate the technology.

Real-world applications?
Volvo hasn’t suggested a timetable to indicate when the KERS flywheel might make its way into a production vehicle, although its first test car is bound for roads in Sweden later this fall.

Since the technology is most useful in stop-and-go situations, Volvo would likely offer it first on its smaller models as part of its DRIVe program. Given the relatively low cost of the technology, it could go into production in just a few years. In addition, since the technology is not related directly to the car’s underhood powertrain, it could work with EVs.

“We are not the first manufacturer to test flywheel technology. But nobody else has applied it to the rear axle of a car fitted with a combustion engine driving the front wheels. If the tests and technical development go as planned, we expect cars with flywheel technology to reach the showrooms within a few years,” Crabb said.

“The flywheel technology is relatively cheap. It can be used in a much larger volume of our cars than top-of-the-line technology such as the plug-in hybrid. This means that it has potential to play a major role in our CO2-cutting DRIVe Towards Zero strategy.”

The system is not unlike that under development at Porsche.

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First Drive: 2011 Volvo C70 T5

Famed philosopher Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it." And what better way to stop and smell the roses than in a convertible? Volvo's C70 makes it very easy to drop the top -- push a button, wait 30-40 seconds, and bathe in the sunshine. It's a lot easier than with traditional soft tops: no levers, no latches, no hooks. Heck, you don't even have to stretch your arms if you don't want to. It's leisure at its best. This is not a sports car. It's a comfortable, relaxed cruiser, one of many power retractable hardtops that came out in the mid- to late-2000s. Volkswagen has the Eos, BMW has the 3 Series and Z4, Mercedes-Benz has a few different models, there's one from Mazda (the Miata), and briefly, pre-Fiat Chrysler had two, the Sebring and the Crossfire. The previous C70 was sold as a coupe or a cloth-top convertible, and this change back in 2008 gave buyers the best of both worlds. The sleek, new two-door had the security (who's going to cut a metal top?) and fluid lines of a hardtop coupe, at the cost of a little added weight and the loss of some trunk space. And when it comes to styling, having a cloth top as part of the setup can be very limiting. Since the C70 was introduced, not a lot has changed with the car itself. But Volvo has. The company has made dramatic improvements to its model lineup, adding the XC60, a crossover that is genuinely fun to drive, and, more recently, the fantastic S60 sedan. Every successive product reflects tremendous improvements inside and out, and, not surprisingly, the S60 and XC60 quickly became Volvo's first and second best-sellers in the U.S. Motor Trend Rating:

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First Drive: 2011 Volvo XC60 R-Design

The XC60 has only been on the market for about a year and a half, yet in that time it has become Volvo's best-selling XC. That's not too surprising, considering the small luxury crossover's good looks inside and out, loads of safety features, and excellent power. But for those who crave more thrills from their premium crossovers, Volvo offers a new option: The XC60 R-Design is now available with the 3.2-liter six for 2011. This brings the number of XC60 R-Design engine options to two. The R-Design is Volvo's high-performance trim level, and in the case of the XC60, that means a stiffer chassis, firmer suspension tuning, retuned steering, and unique styling cues. While the 3.2-liter gained 5 horsepower (now 240), we opted to drive the T6 AWD model. (Given the choice between trying out a five-horsepower increase versus a 30-pound-foot improvement, wouldn't you rather go for the T6?) Both benefit from the same chassis and suspension tweaks, but the turbo six now has an output of 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, increases of 19 and 30, respectively. Both engine changes were midyear updates. With the topline T6 AWD R-Design, we had the chance to feel the difference in on-road handling and the power increase over the T6 AWD Motor Trend tested in the past. And the differences are impressive. The crossover quickly gets up to speed, and throttle response is quick-the XC60 is fast, yet power delivery was smoother than expected from this turbo engine. The transmission is wonderfully smooth, whether in Drive or Manual mode. On surfaces that aren't well-maintained, you can feel more bumps and road irregularities, but all is forgiven once you get on a twisty mountain road. The 60 feels strong and confident when cornering, and the new chassis tuning makes this the most fun model in the XC line. Even though Volvo estimates the R-Design will hit 60 in 6.9 seconds, at the hands of the MT test team, the non-R, 281-horse 2010 XC60 reached 60 mph in 6.8, so we expect this new model will fare even better at the track. If there is one weakness with this R, it's that it had low-profile 20-inch wheels and 255/45R20 Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, a combination that wasn't ideal in the hail and snow. Motor Trend Rating:

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Volvo testing fuel-saving, power-adding KERS flywheel tech

Volvo says it is hard at work developing a flywheel energy recovery system that could make a four-cylinder engine have six-cylinder like power while consuming even less fuel than before.

The Swedish automaker isn’t the first to have discussed Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems – or KERS – but it might become the first to conduct serious real-world testing thanks in part to a $1 million grant from the Swedish Energy Agency. The grant will help the automaker put a vehicle equipped with KERS on the road during the second half of this year.

Just what is KERS?
Flywheel KERS isn’t a simple subject. Fitted to the rear axle of a car – in the Volvo’s case – it grabs braking energy that causes the flywheel to rotate as fast as 60,000 rpm during extremely hard braking.

From there, it uses a transmission module to transfer power right back into the rear wheels to help propel a vehicle – all without using other significant sources of energy.

“The flywheel’s stored energy is sufficient to power the car for short periods. However, this has a major impact on fuel consumption. Our calculations indicate that the combustion engine will be able to be turned off about half the time when driving according to the official New European Driving Cycle,” Volvo Powertrain Engineering VP Derek Crabb said in a statement.

Volvo uses a start/stop system to turn off the internal combustion engine located under the vehicle’s hood as soon as the driver starts applying braking, but the engine kicks back on when the gas pedal is tapped. Once the car begins accelerating, the KERS flywheel can add as much as 80 horsepower to the powertrain. Fuel consumption is down about 20 percent in city driving, Volvo says.

The technology is most useful in urban driving, where cars are accelerated and then braked repeatedly, because energy storage ability is limited. To save weight and to increase rotational capacity, the KERS flywheel is made of carbon fiber, a material that Volvo says it wouldn’t have been able to effectively use until now.

Volvo released a video, found below, which helps illustrate the technology.

Real-world applications?
Volvo hasn’t suggested a timetable to indicate when the KERS flywheel might make its way into a production vehicle, although its first test car is bound for roads in Sweden later this fall.

Since the technology is most useful in stop-and-go situations, Volvo would likely offer it first on its smaller models as part of its DRIVe program. Given the relatively low cost of the technology, it could go into production in just a few years. In addition, since the technology is not related directly to the car’s underhood powertrain, it could work with EVs.

“We are not the first manufacturer to test flywheel technology. But nobody else has applied it to the rear axle of a car fitted with a combustion engine driving the front wheels. If the tests and technical development go as planned, we expect cars with flywheel technology to reach the showrooms within a few years,” Crabb said.

“The flywheel technology is relatively cheap. It can be used in a much larger volume of our cars than top-of-the-line technology such as the plug-in hybrid. This means that it has potential to play a major role in our CO2-cutting DRIVe Towards Zero strategy.”

The system is not unlike that under development at Porsche.

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Volvo nearly doubles Q1 earnings, grows sales

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Now hiring: Volvo planning to add 1,200 employees

Tuesday, Mar 29th, 2011 @ 1:44 p.m.

Volvo Cars says it plans to recruit 1,200 workers to build enough cars to fit in its future product plan. The Swedish automaker, recently acquired by China’s Geely Holding Group, says that the hiring will be for both its engineering facilities, home office and assembly plants in Sweden and Belgium.

“We need to expand our operations to enable development of the highly competitive and fuel efficient products and technologies that are part of our growth plan,” CEO Stefan Jacoby said in a statement released to members of the media.

Volvo says that 900 engineers will be hired to work in research and development in Sweden to create a new vehicle architecture that will eventually underpin electric cars. In addition, Volvo is hiring purchasing, IT and marketing workers.

In addition, the automaker says that it will also increase its staff at its Ghent, Belgium, assembly plant, which is expected to hit a new production record this year.

Volvo currently employees just short of 20,000 worldwide, a figure down from 2008 when it was owned by Ford Motor Company. During the last couple of years of Ford’s ownership, Volvo sliced its staff by about 6,000 workers in response to slackening global demand.

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Volvo Trucks, UAW ratify labor contract through 2016

Wednesday, Mar 30th, 2011 @ 4:17 p.m.

This week an important vote took place by members of the United Auto Workers union that work at the Volvo Trucks North America New River Valley plant, located in Virginia.

The vote was held and approved by a majority of UAW Local 2069 members on March 27, securing a five-year labor contract for the second largest producer of heavy trucks and transport solutions in the industry, according to The Detroit News.

The inclusive contract includes health care benefits and upward wage adjustments for active workers, as well as yearly lump sums and pension increases to be paid to retired UAW workers from the plant.

“This contract moves our members forward while protecting jobs and benefits in this competitive industry, and makes way for the return of 862 UAW Local 2069 members who will be recalled from layoff,” said UAW vice president General Holiefield, who is responsible for directing the UAW’s Heavy Truck Department.

The new contract will be effective through March 16, 2016.

References
1.’UAW members ratify…’ view

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Volvo S60 makes IIHS’ Top Safety Pick list

Thursday, Mar 24th, 2011 @ 11:05 a.m.

Volvo, long associated with safety, now has another reason to celebrate: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named its newest model, the S60 sedan, to its coveted Top Safety Pick list.

The S60 performed well in all of IIHS’ tests, including front, side and rear impacts, as well as a newly-instituted roof strength measurement. The ratings apply only to the redesigned 2011 and 2012 S60. Unlike the previous S60, a designed that dated back to the late 1990s, the new car earned top marks all around.

In the roof strength test, IIHS found that the S60 can withstand an application of 4.95 times its curb weight, a figure that puts it second only to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in the midsize luxury sedan class. IIHS has not tested all of the S60's rivals, but the Volvo does rank ahead of the Lincoln MKZ, Audi A4 and Lexus HS 250h.

The S60 joins Volvo’s C30, S80, XC60 and XC90 models on IIHS’ Top Safety Pick list.

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2011 Volvo C70

The 2011 Volvo C70 benefits from fresh new front-end styling, giving it a sportier appearance. With the top up, it's a two-door coupe. Then, 30 seconds later, when the retractable hardtop has folded into the trunk, the peppy turbocharged five-cylinder engine makes it a fast and fun top-down tourer.

Attractively restyled this year, the 2011 Volvo C70?a coupe that becomes a convertible?offers a strong overall package with a clean, pleasant interior.

Its limited cargo space with the top down, however--and the challenge of planning to put luggage in the trunk before the top goes down--combine with the small rear seats to suit the C70 better to a pair of adults than a family of four.

The crisper exterior styling combines well with its interior design, which provides the look you expect in a luxury convertible, with a bit of a Scandinavian twist. The floating console design is distinctive, and the entire package comes off like an audiophile's speaker cabinet, with aluminum trim giving a clean and modern look to the C70's living quarters.

The 227-horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter engine powers the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission that's the only gearbox available this year (a six-speed manual offered in previous years has been dropped). It offers smooth shifts and pairs well with the punchy performance of the little turbocharged engine.

Top speed is rated by Volvo at 150 mph, with acceleration from 0 to 60 mph pegged at 7.5 seconds. Fuel economy ratings have improved this year, though they're hardly top of the pack, with EPA gas-mileage ratings of 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, for an overall average of 23 mpg.

Despite its grand-tourer heft of 3,840 pounds (retractable hardtop systems are heavy), you can hustle the Volvo C70 comfortably through the corners. The steering is tight, and the whine of the turbo engine inspires sporty driving. Volvo gets high marks for making the electric power steering feel linear and not too numb.

MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear suspension keep the car firmly planted on the road. If you're driving over rough and irregular surfaces, however, you'll feel the front and rear sections of the car shake separately--it's far from the most rigid convertible we've driven.

The base price of 2011 Volvo C70 is $39,950, though it's likely to be closer to $45,000 once you've added a few options.

The restyled 2011 Volvo C70 gets a little more aggression with its clean, conservative design. It?s attractive and appealing with the top up or down. See details and best of the Web The 2011 Volvo C70 is more of a boulevard cruiser than a sportscar, though luxury-minded buyers will appreciate its balance of ride and handling. See details and best of the Web The 2011 Volvo C70?s interior build and material quality is good, and it?s a comfortable traveling car, though it has its share of Swedish design quirks. See details and best of the Web It may have a folding top and open-air design, but the 2011 Volvo C70 maintains the brand?s traditional no-compromise approach to safety. See details and best of the Web The gas mileage of the 2011 Volvo C70 isn?t particularly noteworthy, but it?s hardly likely to be a first consideration for potential buyers. See details and best of the Web Cavernous trunk space (with the top up)Updated styling keeps car freshGood steering feelSmooth, progressive automatic transmissionCleverly engineered folding hardtopGet Dealer Price Quotes Tiny, awkward, hard-to-access trunk space (with the top down)Very small rear seatsCockpit quirks that remind you it's a Volvo

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