First Drive: 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design

Below is a review of the 2012 Volvo S60 written by the automotive experts at Automobile Magazine. A full evaluation of the driving experience, price, equipment, and specs are here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with a wealth ... Below is a review of the 2012 Volvo S60 written by the automotive experts at Automobile Magazine. A full evaluation of the driving experience, price, equipment, and specs are here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with a wealth of experience.     read more

Volvo could have stood pat with the S60 and no one would have blinked an eye. A year ago, the Swedish company introduced the long-awaited redesign of its mid-level sedan, which exhibited such impressive handling characteristics and refined styling that we named it to our 2011 All-Stars roster. The success of the S60 has been the primary factor driving increased sales for Volvo, which are up 28 percent over a year ago.

The automaker is not going to rest on its laurels, however, as it looks to further expand its market by appealing to enthusiast buyers. So for 2012, Volvo is introducing the S60 T6 AWD R-Design.

What makes it different
Visually, the exterior of the R-Design is differentiated from the S60 T5 and T6 by its redesigned lower front fascia, black grille, rear trunk spoiler, and five-spoke diamond-cut eighteen-inch wheels. In the cabin are special sport seats upholstered in off-black leather with contrasting stitching and an embossed R-Design logo, a sport steering wheel, sport pedals, and blue-rimmed tachometer and speedometer gauges.

The most important changes to the S60 R-Design are under the hood, however.

Starting with the turbocharged in-line six from the S60 T6, Volvo engineers -- in partnership with Polestar, a Swedish racing and performance parts company -- modified the engine control module to optimize output, adding boost, advancing the spark timing, and recalibrating the throttle to enhance performance. The result is an eight percent increase in horsepower (from 300 to 325 hp) and a nine percent increase in torque (from 325 to 354 lb-ft), making the S60 R-Design the most powerful production Volvo ever built. Volvo engineers also went to work on the chassis to enhance the S60's ride and handling. Changes include stiffer springs , monotube rear dampers, a front strut brace, and a larger-diameter front antiroll bar.

Ride and handling
At moderate speeds, the S60 R-Design is a refined cruiser, with a comfortable ride despite its firmer suspension. Push it a little on curvy mountain roads, however, and the tweaked in-line six, whose power is delivered via a six-speed automatic with an available Sport mode, responds immediately to throttle inputs even as the car's body motions remain well balanced.

We were able to put in some laps at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California, where the R-Design's chassis performed admirably on the 3.0-mile track, which features several elevation changes and some tricky, off-camber corners. All-wheel drive and the Corner Traction Control torque vectoring system, in which the inner wheel is braked as more power is fed to the outer wheel, quells understeer while allowing the driver to take corners more aggressively.

What is its mission?
While the S60 R-Design performed admirably at the track, Volvo admits that it isn't really a track car. For one thing, the brakes, which are unchanged from those on the regular S60, become quite soft as they heat up under hard braking. You'll never mistake the S60 R-Design for a BMW M3, but then again, Volvo doesn't expect you to. Instead, they liken it to a BMW 335i xDrive with the M sport package or an Audi S4, both of which are exceptionally capable cars but not necessarily track-day toys.

Volvo is a brand that has largely appealed to female buyers, due in large part to its reputation for safety. But the S60 has seen that change, with 59 percent of its current buyers being male. Volvo hopes to skew its sales to men even further with the pumped-up S60 R-Design. Volvo is looking to sell between 1000 and 1200 R-Design S60s per year, about 5 percent of the overall S60 sales mix.

Availability
The 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design is on sale at dealerships now and comes equipped with the City Safety crash avoidance system and a stellar five-year maintenance plan that includes everything from roadside assistance to wear and tear items such as brakes and battery. Pricing starts at a reasonable $43,375, including destination.

2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design

Base price: $43,475
On sale: Now

Powertrain
Engine: Turbocharged 3.0-liter DOHC I-6
Horsepower: 325 hp @ 5400 rpm
Torque: 354 lb-ft @ 3000-3600 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: All-wheel

Measurements
L x W x H: 182.2 x 73.4 x 58.4 in
Legroom f/r: 41.9/33.5 in
Headroom f/r: 37.6/37.4
Cargo capacity: 12.0 cu ft
Curb weight: 3835 lb
EPA rating (city/highway/combined): 18/26/21 mpg

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First Drive: 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design

Below is a review of the 2012 Volvo S60 written by the automotive experts at Motor Trend Magazine. A full evaluation of the driving experience, price, equipment, and specs are here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with a wealth ... Below is a review of the 2012 Volvo S60 written by the automotive experts at Motor Trend Magazine. A full evaluation of the driving experience, price, equipment, and specs are here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with a wealth of experience.     read more
The Swedes Add a Little Extra Something

We really like Volvo's new S60, one of the best cars to ever come from the folks in Gothenburg. It's certainly the best in recent memory. And for 2012, it got even better, thanks to the addition of the sporty Volvo S60 R-Design - the heir to the first-generation S60 R and the 850 R of the 1990s, not to mention the various sporty turbobricks of the '80s and early '90s.

The first R-Design model was the C30 a couple of years ago, though the compact hatch received a purely cosmetic package. In contrast, the S60 gets performance enhancements as well. Output increases from the standard T-6 engine's 300 horses and 325 lb-ft to 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet thanks to an increase in boost to 14.5 psi and advanced spark timing. Volvo engineers also recalibrated the throttle, resulting in more aggressive tip-in. Displaying ingenuity, the plucky Swedes managed to accomplish this without drawing the full ire of the EPA or affecting the T-6's 18/26 mpg city/highway fuel economy, resulting in a shorter certification process and reduced costs. Displaying humility, they didn't make too much fuss about this being the most powerful production Volvo ever.

On the suspension side, the S60 R-Design is fitted with springs that are 15-percent stiffer and reduce ride height by 0.6 inch, a 10-percent stiffer front anti-roll bar, front strut brace under the hood, monotube rear shocks, 20-percent stiffer rear bushings, and trailing arm bushings that are four times stiffer.

Visually differentiating the R-Design from other S60s on the outside are a new lower front fascia, flat-black grille, rear spoiler, and unique five-spoke 18-inch wheels. Like the T-6, it can be had with all-season or summer Continental tires at no cost, though Volvo expects the take rate on the summer tires to be miniscule. Inside are new seats - spectacularly comfortable, but not pillow-like as Volvo seats often are -- with extra bolstering and contrasting stitching, plus a unique steering wheel, shift lever, and blue-accented gauges.

Trying out Volvo's new creation meant showing up in northern California's Napa Valley in the middle of August, an arduous undertaking that requires the enjoyment of nearly perfect weather, spectacular roads, and beautiful scenery. The car proved quick off the line and also quick to pass. The turbocharged inline-six is smooth and quiet, even with all that power on tap. The six-speed automatic -- the only transmission offered -- is not optimal, but it is programmed to hold gears to redline and shift when commanded. Unfortunately, shift paddles remain absent due to a lack of space on the steering column. Volvo's product people did hint at another transmission offering coming soon, but didn't specify if it would be a traditional three-pedal or something fancier.

Without instruments handy, it's hard to tell just how improved the handling is, but the R-Design never did anything we didn't want it to do on the backroads of Napa Valley or around the three miles of Thunderhill Raceway that we were fortunate enough to sample. Despite its front-heavy nature, understeer in this all-wheel-drive sedan is controlled and reasonable. The steering has a good weight to it, but you won't feel anything from the front tires, which is unfortunate. You won't feel anything from the brake pedal either, except the sensation of stepping on a sponge, which is a bit unsettling when going into a blind corner on a racetrack. On the street, however, the performance of the brakes is perfectly adequate once familiarity is acquired. Overall, it's a fun car to drive, but it doesn't demand to be driven through the hills and canyons regularly like some other offerings in this class do.

On the freeway, wind noise is minimal and the ride is smooth even on bad pavement. Noise from the summer tires fitted onto the test car definitely qualified as excessive when the asphalt got rough, which may be part of the reason why Volvo doesn't expect many buyers to choose the optional rubber.

Another thing the Volvo has going for it is value. The R-Design's price starts at $43,475 with destination, but it comes standard with the $1500 Premium Package, which includes HID headlamps, power front passenger seat, and power moonroof. As a result, its 25 extra horsepower and upgraded suspension cost just $3100. The $46,875 car we drove also had the $2500 multimedia package (navigation, premium audio, rear park assist camera) and $800 climate package (heated seats, heated windshield washer nozzles, headlight washers), lacking only the $2100 technology package (adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, collision warning). For comparison, the BMW 335i xDrive starts at $45,475 and the Audi S4 at $48,175.

Is this S60 a true sports sedan? No, not quite. But it is a sporty, comfortable, and stylish sedan. There's also some exclusivity here -- Volvo expects the R-Design to comprise about 5-10 percent of the S60's total sales, which would amount to a mere 1000-1200 cars sold per year in the U.S.

Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan 3.0L/325-hp/354-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 24-valve I-6

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