Volvo S60 R-Design, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  Volvo S60 R-Design, 2011

Introducing the all-new Volvo S60 and V60 R-Design - designed with true sports-car feel and featuring a specially developed chassis to ensure that the driving experience matches the car's appearance.

Sporty, sportier, sportiest - in order to keep the superlatives in check Volvo Cars has taken an holistic view of the all-new Volvo S60 and V60 R-Design, with the design and chassis being developed in parallel into a single cohesive offer.

Volvo Cars' chassis experts have taken the next step on the road to a more and more exciting driving experience. "In the R-Design chassis we've sharpened the steering, the agility and the solid overall impression still further compared with the dynamic chassis in the all-new S60 and V60," says Stefan Sällqvist, manager of vehicle dynamics at Volvo Cars.

Redesigned front
The all-new Volvo S60 R-Design and Volvo V60 R-Design come with a range of specially developed design details both outside and in.

On the outside the cars have an imposing redesigned front with a grille painted in glossy piano black. The sporty stance is further enhanced with colour-matched body components, details in matt special finish and a hexagonal pattern that is repeated both front and rear. Distinctive twin exhaust tailpipes and unique five-spoke 18-inch Diamond cut wheels emphasise the sporty overall appeal.

The introductory colour is Passion Red but the Volvo S60 and V60 R-design are also available in choice of another seven colours.

Sports seat with new seat cushion
On the inside, the driver and front passenger sit in sports seats in which the backrest from the S60 and V60 is matched by an all-new seat cushion with even closer side support than before.

The special leather/textile upholstery is available in a version trimmed in off-black and ceramic light, or in an all-black variant, both with contrasting stitching. The interior also features a special steering wheel, gear selector, sports pedals and floor-mats.

Introduced in autumn 2010
Magnus Jonsson summarises: "The all-new S60 and V60 mark the beginning of a new approach to our successful R-Design. We've gone one step further this time, with our sights set on creating a cohesive whole, an integrated blend of sporty looks and an exciting drive. They take our quest for authentic sportiness another step forward."

The all-new Volvo S60 and V60 R-Design will be introduced in autumn 2010. Their biggest markets are Great Britain, the USA (only the S60 R-Design) and Central Europe.

Even sharper and more exciting Volvo drive
Following in the tracks of the all-new Volvo S60 and V60, Volvo Cars' chassis experts are now taking the next step on the road to car enthusiast paradise.

The result is the Volvo S60 and V60 R-Design - even sportier, even more dynamic and even more exciting.
After developing the all-new S60 and V60, which are Volvo Cars' most dynamic models ever, the chassis team focused on further refining a number of details.

Strut brace gives more direct steering feel
The chassis team fitted what is known as a strut brace under the bonnet, that is to say a bar that ties together the suspension strut towers. This is a classic method of stiffening up the body structure.

Monotube damping at the rear
At the rear the Volvo S60 R-Design and Volvo V60 R-Design feature monotube dampers. Unlike the twin-tube dampers previously used, the monotube system features compression and return damping via the same valve. This gives shorter, faster fluid flow, which in turn means the damper responds more quickly.

Shorter, stiffer springs
The front and rear springs have been shortened by 15 mm to give the car more attitude. What is more, spring stiffness is 15 percent higher compared to the dynamic chassis in the S60 and V60.

Even firmer bushings
The bushings with which the rear dampers are attached to the body are 20 percent stiffer compared with the dynamic chassis in the S60 and V60.

The front tie-blade bushing, that is to say the attachment in the rear of the car, is a massive 400 percent stiffer than before to counteract wheel bouncing and shaking.

The new Corner Traction Control system provides even smoother progress in curves
Just like in the standard versions, the chassis in the S60 and V60 R-Design is backed up by a range of electronic systems that sharpen the sporty driving experience still further.

Corner Traction Control is a new feature that uses torque vectoring to make for smoother cornering. The technology is a further refinement of the DSTC anti-spin system.
When taking a curve, the car's inner wheel is braked so more power is transferred to the outer wheel. This gives the driver a tighter line in the curve, with reduced understeering tendency.

The DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) system has several functions that improve driving and safety properties, such as: