شوووووووووووووووووووووووووووووف انتظر الردودBloody (Fast) Volvos...
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2004 Volvo S60 R (sedan)
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2004 Volvo V70 R (wagon)
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5-cylinders, 1 turbocharger, 2 intercoolers
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The New Volvo has a great profile
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The V70 R is no shrinking violet either
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The S60 R has a very un-Volvo
0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds
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Gadgetry abounds in the 'R' series Volvos
Can Volvo get anything right? For decades the overly conservative car maker from Sweden has offered products that fail to excite visually and mechanically, instead offering reliability and remarkable safety.
As such, Volvo drivers have earned themselves an unfair reputation as being doddering old Sunday drivers with limited roadcraft skills.
In a bid to rid itself of this image, the Swedish automaker's "Bloody Volvo Driver" advertising campaign seen in Australia may be piquing the interest of many who are on the lookout for an original European car.
But at the same time, it is also alienating many long-time Volvo drivers, who feel insulted by the TV commercials.
While marketing may not be the marque's forte, the engineering and design side of the business appears to have improved dramatically in the last two or three years, and the recent alliance between Volvo and Italian style gurus Pininfarina, who are working on the next convertible, is further proof that Volvo wants to be taken seriously.
You want more evidence? Try the unashamedly powerful S60 R, with it's turbocharged, AWD specifications causing many to do a double take: "That's a Volvo?"
Along with the local launch of Volvo's top-tier S60 R sportscar, the all-new 2004-model S40 is looking very smart indeed, and the company has just recently unveiled its new V50 at the Bologna motor show to boot.
But before we investigate the brand-spanking new V50, first let's look at the S60 R and it's station wagon sibling, the V70 R, which are, according to Volvo reps, "...the most advanced models ever produced by Volvo."
Simply put, these two new models are Volvo's M5, AMG E55 or RS6.
And, while they may not have the outright stomp of the sporty Beemers, Mercs, and Audis, there are very impressive vehicles nonetheless.
At the heart of any sportscar is its engine, and Volvo have managed to squeeze an inordinate amount of power from its relatively small and unique 2.5-litre inline 5-cylinder powerplant.
Total engine displacement is 2521cc, and consists of an aluminium block and cylinder head plus dual overhead camshafts with CVVT that actuate 20-valves (4 per cylinder).
But the pièce de résistance for the go-fast Volvos has to be forced induction: Making use of a single turbocharger set at 1.05 bar (15.2 psi) and linked to a pair of air-to-air intercoolers, the S60 R spreads a healthy 220kW @ 5200rpm to all four wheels.
The turbocharger is some 20 per cent larger than other Volvo turbines, and has been tuned to deliver an ultra flat torque curve from extremely low revs - how does 400Nm of torque @ 1950rpm sound?
Not convinced? Then consider that this V8-like torque peak is sustained from 1950rpm to 5250rpm.
Diverting power to all four wheels is a six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed auto item is also available, but this concedes some 50Nm of torque bringing the auto's peak to 350Nm, which hampers it's 0-100km/h times.
As such, the all-paw S60 R manual will hit 100km/h from rest in a claimed 5.7 seconds - that's mighty fast, Volvo or not.
This is made even more impressive when you consider that the S60 R is no bantam fighter, tipping the scales at a very un-sporting 1622kg.
In contrast to the 5.7 second manual time, the same car fitted with the five-speed auto (and reduced engine torque) reaches 100km/h from standstill in 7.5 seconds, and the V70 R station wagon variant adds two tenths of a second to both these times.
Looking at the 2.5-litre engine's basics, it would be fair to say that Volvo has done it's homework - but it doesn't end there.
Oh no, the Swedish automaker has gone all-out to create a real sportscar, and this is evidenced in a number of intriguing drivetrain features. For instance, the engine has an aluminium oil pan with in-built windage tray to control oil pickup during high cornering loads.
At full throttle, the air conditioning compressor is temporarily disengaged to provide maximum engine power, and the 6500rpm rev limiter allows a 300rpm overrun (to 6800rpm) for three seconds, for those times when you just have to squeeze every last drop of power from each gear ratio.
The S60 R and V70 R also feature adjustable pneumatic suspension that can be changed on the fly, according to road conditions or your mood.
Kids kicking up a stink in the back? Chuck it into Advanced mode and feel the dampers stiffen to cope with higher lateral g-forces during hard cornering, potentially squeezing the ankle-biters into their seat cushions during tight corners, thus restricting their trouble making.
The dynamic chassis/suspension system is called Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) and is a joint-venture development between Volvo and Ohlins Racing AB.
There are three settings all up: Comfort, Sport and Advanced.
The latter is the option most enthusiasts will warm to, as not only does improve suspension it alters the throttle ratio, meaning less pedal travel is needed to open the throttle butterflies, and the ignition timing at idle is changed to create a greater torque output for better launches from standstill too.
Volvo is rather proud of its dynamic suspension system, and is quick to explain that it is not simply a three-setting damper control system.
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...olvo-s60r5.JPGRather, the Four-C system monitors the action of each wheel as often as 500 times per second, and it is able to adjust each shock absorber independently in 5-15 milliseconds.
Therefore, the damping settings may change many times before the driver is even aware that any change has happened.
The system interprets data from sensors located throughout the car that measure longitudinal and lateral acceleration, yaw rate, the vertical motion of the car body (roll, pitch, heave), the vertical position of each wheel and the speed of the car.
Other measurements are also taken from the steering wheel position (and how fast the steering wheel is turned), engine torque, throttle pedal position, engine revolutions per minute (RPM) and the degree of braking.
While on the topic of braking, Volvo hasn't skimped in the deceleration department either, as the S60 R and it's wagon stable mate pack some heavy duty stoppers: Brembo four-piston aluminium calipers measuring 330mm. Volvo reckons these will stop the S60 R in 36 metres from 100km/h.
Each caliper is R marked, painted dark silver and sits prominently behind 18-inch five-spoke wheels and 235/40-series Pirelli P-Zero Rosso performance rubber.
On a broader visual scale, the S60 R and V70 R have gone for subtle tweaks, rather than full-blown aero bodykits and clothes drying-inspired rear wings. Both models share a good chunk of their sheet metal with their garden variety brethren, but those with a keen eye for detail will notice the newly-designed lower front apron, with large air intakes enhancing aerodynamics and improves air flow to the radiator and twin intercoolers.
Volvo reckons they did lots of windtunnel work, which has resulted in an increase in the airflow efficiency around the body. This heightens performance somewhat, and acts to stabilise the R models at higher speeds. The resulting drag coefficient of 0.29 (S60 R) is impressive because not only is it marginally higher than the standard S60 2.4-litre model, but it also reduces front-end lift by roughly 25 percent.
The nose of S60 R extends forward 30mm to make space for the larger efficient cooling system and intercoolers and if you have a look at the rear you'll notice that the S60 R wears a discreet spoiler, which again reduces lift, this time by about 20 percent. The interior meanwhile is highlighted by bright blue instruments and unique colours and materials.
At the end of the day, psychologically-designed adverts that attempt to shift perceptions may work for some, but the proof is really in the pudding, and this pudding has some serious kilowatts.
The S60 R and V70 R will do more for the brand by being no-compromise sportscars that will eat up curved black top with gusto, rather than trying to subvert public opinion with crafty ads. At the end of the day though, it shows that Volvo is serious about changing it's image, and this can only be a good thing if more cars like the S60 R roll off the production lines.
$98,950.The S60 R is on sale now for
