The All-New Naughty Volvo S60


Together allowing for a 300hp AWD Turbo-charged engine, dynamic chassis plus advanced stability traction management, you will be told why it could be the initial Volvo to be known as Naughty.Take a look at it out during a video review by Jean Jennings, Automobile Magazine's President and Editor-in-Chief.Ground breaking, exciting and credible luxury have a tendency to be a couple words to describe the all new Volvo S60.The Volvo S60 is propelled to be added in comparison to only simply power and safety in the dust it, whereas maintaining a swish and beautiful artwork.Read our 2011 Volvo S60 review.

First Drive: 2011 Volvo S60

Ask yourself nearly every one American citizens what single word projects to mind once they believe up of Volvo, plus which they tend to be already doubtless to claim, “safety.” No alternative automaker has were given thus burned the security message back to our brains in comparison to Volvo has over decades of promotional and whole management. Naturally, Volvo continues to capitalize on that reputation allowing for the all-new 2011 S60, which integrates added active and passive safety systems than ever previous to, which included a groundbreaking new pedestrian-protection system.

But Volvo needed more for the recent S60, which hits U.S. dealerships in mid-September 2010. Knowing the simplest approach competitive the entry-luxury sedan market could be, Volvo wanted the S60 to be though horny because it looks sensible and as scintillating to drive as it is to appear at. Peter Horbury, Volvo’s former artwork director who came back back to Volvo persist year after a stint at parent Ford, led Volvo design in a awfully hot direction back throughout the 1990s with the S80 sedan. So, for more than solely a decade, Volvos suffer from been fine-looking vehicles, whether or no longer we’re talking sedans, wagons, SUVs, coupes, or convertibles. Less than they haven’t come back close to equaling other European brands in terms of his or her or him driving experience. Is enough to the 2011 S60 amendment that? Back reading.

Safety comes naturally, also for pedestrians.
Volvo’s all-new pedestrian-detection system is the legal a section of the $2100 Technology Package, which also contains adaptive cruise management, collision warning with full automatic braking, and warnings for maintaining distance and staying within your lane. But pedestrian detection is the distinctive offering these. Volvo’s radar- and camera-based system can detect pedestrians in front of the auto, warn the driving force if any or all one walks out into its trail – and then automatically activate the S60’s full braking power if the driving force fails to retort in previous point.

How does it work? The system uses a newly developed radar unit integrated into the S60’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rearview reflect, and a central control unit. The radar’s task is to detect any object in front of the automobile and to determine the space to it whereas the camera determines what sort of object it is. Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake can steer clear of a collision together with a pedestrian at speeds up to Twenty-two mph if the driver does not react in time. At higher speeds, the principal purpose of interest is on reducing the car’s speed the maximum amount as potential prior to the impact, to lessen its severity.

In a check that Volvo decided up for united states during our first drive of the S60 in Portugal, we tend to drove at concerning 15-20 mph toward a stationary dummy, to mimic low-speed driving in a crowded urban space. “Just keep driving steadily toward the dummy,” suggested Tomas Andersson, senior manager for active safety electronics at Volvo. We did as we were instructed, and as we got closer to the dummy, the S60 sounded an urgent tone and flashed lighting at us. Simply as it appeared that the dummy’s days were over, the car took the reins up of us and slammed on the brakes. The S60 stopped in its tracks, the dummy’s life was once saved, and that we were galvanized. The radar’s field of view is about 60 degrees, but the camera’s field of view is barely about Forty-five degrees, “so the proscribing factor is the camera,” explains Andersson. “We need redundancy to carry out about that kind of harsh maneuver.” That means, both the camera and the final radar have to acknowledge the presence of a pedestrian at the identical time, communicate this knowledge with one a closer, and then take action by applying the brakes. The pedestrian-detection works up to Eighty kph (50 mph) but does not work at night or in other low-light stipulations.

The pedestrian-detection system is a follow-up to Volvo’s existing collision-avoidance systems, including City Safe, customary on the new S60, which automatically brakes the car if the driver fails to perform so once approaching another vehicle from at the back.

Volvo also offers its blind-spot detection system as a $700 stand-alone option. Curtain air luggage, seatbelt pretensioners, whiplash protection, and every one the 2nd safety systems we’ve come to be expecting from Volvo also are in play here.

At launch, standard six-cylinder and all-wheel drive.
The 2011 Volvo S60 arrives in the u. s. with only one powertrain initially, but it’s an excellent one: a turbocharged, 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder manufacturing Three hundred hp and 325 lb-ft of torque and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard.

“We will introduce a more cost-effective volume engine as neatly,” says Volvo Cars of North America brand manager Frank Vacca, “and it are going to be mated to conventional front-wheel drive.” Vacca won’t confirm, but it’s very likely that this second engine, which comes on-stream in the first quarter of 2011, will be the 203-hp turbocharged direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder that Volvo is offering in the S60 in Europe from launch. It likely will be mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission. For currently, Vacca likes to indicate out that, with 325 lb-ft, the S60 has as a lot torque because the 4.4-liter V-8 in the XC90 SUV. A relative bargain

The 2011 Volvo S60 could also be a relative discount. With a base value of $38,550, the S60 includes 18-inch wheels, leather sport seats, hundreds of standard safety apparatus, and a five-year, 60,000-mile guaranty that comes with all scheduled repairs. Here is a catalogue of option packages and prices:

Premium Package - $1,500

Power glass moonroof

Power passenger seat

Dual Xenon gas discharge headlights with Active Bending Lightweight (ABL)

Climate Package - $800

Heated front seat

Heated windshield washing machine nozzles

Headlight washers

Rainsensor wipers

Interior Air Quality System (IAQS)

Multimedia Package - $2,700

Volvo Premium Multimedia Sound System with MultEQ XT by Audyssey, Dolby ProLogic II, 650 watts, Twelve premium loudspeakers

Rear park assist camera

Navigation system with genuine time traffic updates

Map Care with two complimentary navigation updates

Technology Package – $2,100

Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Queue Assist

Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake

Distance Alert

Lane Departure Warning

Single Options

Metallic paint - $550

Premium Electrical Silver paint - $675

Urbane Picket inlays - $300

Front and back Park Assist - $500

Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) - $700

Non-public Car Communicator (PCC) - $550

Touring chassis – N/C option

FOUR-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept)

Active Chassis - $750

17-inch "Njord" alloy wheels - N/C option

17-inch "Njord" alloy wheels with self supporting tires - $500

SPECS

Base Price: $38,550

On Sale: September 2010

Powertrain

Engine: Turbocharged 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve I-6

Horsepower: 300 hp @ 5600 rpm

Torque: 325 lb-ft @ 2100 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Drive: All-wheel

Measurements

L x W x H: 182.2 x Seventy-three.4 x Fifty-eight.4 in

Legroom F/R: Forty-one.9/33.5 in

Headroom F/R: 38.3/37.4 in

Shipment capability 12.0 cu ft

Curb Weight: 3901 lb

Estimated EPA Rating (city/highway): 17/26 mpg

First Look: 2011 Volvo V60

We tend to every one be familiar allowing for wagons tend to be not precisely flying off dealer hundreds during the u. s., less than it has got continue to an significant segment for Volvo, additionally added therefore in its native European markets. Weeks once killing the slow-selling V70 in the U.S., we've got been provided with our first glimpse from the all-new 2011 Volvo V60 station wagon, which could be in a position to debut at the 2010 Paris motor display in September.

Yes, we did say V60 -- Volvo has shifted the brand name of its new midsize wagon to facilitate tie it to its four-door sibling, the hot 2011 Volvo S60. From the C-pillars forward, the two vehicles look virtually identical. The V60 shares the S60's shapely snout plus flared fenders, even though its hindquarters are distinctive. Designers were reportedly aiming to craft a coupe-like profile for the new wagon, but rather in comparison to raking the roofline and compromising interior space, the automaker drastically lowered the higher fringe of the back windows.

It's troublesome to reinvent the hatch, but Volvo's artwork team worked hard to spiff up the V60's posterior. A robust character line, which originates from the front fenders, runs the duration of the automobile and folds back to the tall tail lamps. Regarding Volvo tradition, the rear lighting run from the fender to the head of the roof, but many thanks to the V60's dramatic shoulders, his or her or him shape is the legal small more outlandish. Patrons trying to find further pizzazz can opt for an on the market styling pack, which adds custom scuff plates, enormous exhaust pointers, and 18-inch wheels. Unsurprisingly, the mechanical bits underneath the wagon's skin are virtually identical to the S60. If the V60 drives half of in addition to the new S60, Volvo may gain suffer from a veritable sports wagon on its hands. Three different suspension tunings -- Touring, Dynamic, and Four-C -- are available on the wagon. By altering both damper tuning and the overall rear subframe design, the V60 has the talent to deliver either a smooth ride (Touring) or one better tuned toward performance (Dynamic). Can not decide between the two? Spring for the Four-C package. Although it's principally primarily based off the Dynamic vehicle, adjustable damper tuning permits drivers to dial the V60 in for comfort, sport, or an extra-sporty Advanced environment.

Overseas, the V60 are going to be available together with a choice of engines, both available with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. The 325-horsepower, 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six-cylinder obtainable in the U.S.-spec S60 is the premium engine providing for the V60 T6, but we're more inquisitive about a hot "volume" engine offering: a new turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter I-4 delivers virtually 240 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Europeans can also opt for a turbocharged 1.6-liter I-4, two two different turbo-diesel I-5s, and a turbocharged diesel four-cylinder. Front-wheel-drive is customary save some for the T6, which adds all-wheel-drive -- generally an option -- though standard apparatus.

The 2011 V60 ought to launch later about which year, but carry out not look for it in U.S. showrooms anytime soon. Volvo plans on building Fifty,000 examples every year, and expects Ninety percent of that total to remain in Europe. V60s is sufficient to be exported globally, but Volvo's North Yankee product planners let u. s. know it is no longer destined for the U.S. at this purpose.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness: Drive as opposed to. Fly


I Favor to TRAVEL, less than I've necessarily kind from hated to fly, plus
I actually suffer from been noticing the legal explanations to hate flying have now not grown each one or any
fewer a heap of in latest times. On the contrary.I always consideration which after
the fascists took over, the planes would run on previous point. Instead, they
were given worse.
My fellow travelers, you tend to be doing not additionally have to become to London
Heathrow's Terminal Five disaster or the a section of the story where
hundreds of yankee Airlines jets were taken of the service
recently, following a wonder decision by the Federal Aviation
Administration to suddenly begin implementing its own
aircraft-maintenance rules. A couple pesky whistle-blower sorts
found out the approach the agency had been doing beleaguered carriers a favor
by failing to enforce a number of the added cumbersome repairs
routines, such though frequently inspecting airframes for stress-related
cracks. In atonement for purchasing caught red-handed, the airlines
(pressured by the FAA) left hundreds of thousands of passengers
stranded after they grounded planes for inspection, forcing the
cancellation of thousands of flights. Perhaps it absolutely used to be done for the
agency's public-relations benefit, or perhaps it was for the
public's own sensible. Or both. Or perhaps neither. Either way, it did not
build me feel more like heading off back into the wild blue yonder.
On the second one hand, it did seem a natural progression for the
airline industry and the final overtaxed air-traffic system. Flights are
delayed and canceled allowing for surprising regularity. What is a number of hundred
one thousand more disappointed travelers? I can gain fill an ample troublesome
drive with stories I've heard firsthand of flights long past wrong. I've
flown a reasonable quantity, and that i could cram a max-power iPod with my terribly own
reminiscences of waiting around airports.But I have one lesson to
impart: unless you are traversing a war zone, no trip of less compared to
Four hundred miles are mostly well price the effort of flying anymore.
That's the case also if driving takes more time and gas prices are
soaring, because hours spent at airports are not ordinary hours.
Cumulatively, the acts of obtaining to load and sell off the automobile, climb
off and on the airport parking bus, suffer the indignities of
terminal lines and luggage lost, ungodly hours, unhealthy food, and alternative
people's germs are almost unbearable; about that period could more happily
be spent driving. And therefore is prior to you wait in line to attain through
security and are forced to take away jackets, belts, and shoes; mess
together with your computer; and once in a very long time surrender your toothpaste
for destruction. It is all gotten thus very ancient.
A few months back, I used to be invited to Charlotte, North Carolina,
to appear on a panel at a radio convention. My copanelists,
which included the surprisingly durable Duran Duran front man, Simon
LeBon, arrived by jet. I, too, temporarily pondered flying the 650
miles from Massive apple - it exceeded my 400-mile no-fly minimum. But I
elected to drive. Had a brilliant time, too, during the Volvo
C30, which was an unexpected highway star, arriving in simply
less than ten hours. A more in-depth panelist, record executive CeCe
McClendon, flew back to long island city the subsequent afternoon. He or she
reported by e-mail a harrowing trip of hurry-up-and-wait air
travel. Door to door, it took her Eleven hours, Quarter-hour.
Face it, the XXL carbon footprint of the jet traveler brands Hummer
driving seem to be an environmentally sensitive act. We tend to all be acquainted with slowing
down on the highway offers big fuel savings, as does cutting
weight, but imagine what we would save a handful of if we slowed from 530 mph and
had 210,000 pounds (the weight of a loaded Boeing 757) to shed.
With all we know concerning global warming and the exceptional impact of
high-altitude jet exhaust on the ozone layer, you wish to have a lovely
good reason why to be huffing petroleum products, jetliner-style. Of
course, we all assume we even have one, but really, need to any one get to
Walt Disney International in that giant of a hurry?
And what if no one visited Disney World in the first place? If
the world's governments were serious about curbing CO2 emissions,
they could, for a start, simply spend Disney a truthful market value for
the valuables, tear it down, and come back the nation to the ecologically
beneficial swamp it once was. After you believe of the millions of
flights that will not be taken and automobiles that will not be rented, the
multibillion-dollar price won't even seem unreasonable. How
unfortunate, then, therefore the prevailing assumption is that you just carry out not
adore your children if you will not take them to the Mouse's Own home,
even if it means that traveling thousands of miles and emptying your
savings into the coffers of about a enormous corporations?
In recent years, Disney World has got also solid itself as a perfect
destination for seniors and - how and why? - romantic getaways. As
I am going to never tire of claiming, if you are the kind who gets off on
having breakfast with your lover and a sweaty, teenage evangelical
dressed up because the six-foot-tall Donald Duck who's ending up as paid to
entertain you, please confine your behavior to the privacy of your
own residence.
Speaking of which, imagine if individuals vacationed closer to
home. Or took more time to get where they are definitely going. Too often, we
forget the old aphorism - it is the adventure, not the destination. We
need travel always to be rapid, and therefore we've got accepted this contemporary
chance of contemporary air transport: that it won't be rapid and that
driving would possibly prove faster, after all.
Having attended AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE's once a year All-Stars check
persist fall, artistic director Darin Johnson and I pried open our
eyes in Zanesville, Ohio, at the butt crack of dawn to head west to
meet my early flight to Newark at Port Columbus Global
Airport. Forty minutes on a plane and I'll almost be home, I
do not forget thinking, oblivious to my impending doom. As Johnson
smoothly motored off in a
Saturn Astra, I was learning that my Continental flight was
canceled (next one, nine hours later) because of weather back east.
They "forgot" to notify me. Surprisingly, next door at the Northwest
desk, his or her flight to Newark was coming out of shortly, no weather
problem to report. But no open seats, either.
Short story? I arrived home eleven hours overdue, having lain
over in Detroit awhile. My mood was poor. If I had driven the five hundred
miles from Zanesville, I might have hopped out of my vehicle refreshed,
two hours earlier than the perfect that America's heavily subsidized
and environment-defiling air-transport system had to present. And the
purpose of flying is what?Last month, I drove to San Francisco from
Los angeles. It took me about an 60 minutes and a half of more than just is required
to fly. That is assuming one factors in the trip to and from the
airport and each one the hoisting, dragging, and waiting, together with the
proven-ineffective security take a appear at and assuming the nearly all important if of
all - that the flight is on time.
No, they can not treat airplanes like they are definitely old Ford
Crown Victorias. On hand is no breakdown lane up there, six miles
high. But that's purely part of the problem nowadays. You do not need
to be a weatherman to find out that air travel blows. The friendly
skies are overcrowded, and that they are telling united states something. And so is
the fat guy sitting in the middle seat, but I cannot listen to him or her,
because he is crushing me. Needless to claim, I'm writing this on a
plane. But next time, I'm driving. Keep a look me.

2009 Volvo C30, S40, plus V50 DRIVe Diesels


Whereas American citizens fret concerning miles pertaining to gallon, Europeans take a
serious have a appear at what sort up of carbon dioxide (CO2) his or her or him automobiles emit.
Volvo's
done simply which allowing for its new DRIVe number, consisting of
specially-tuned versions of its C30, S40, plus V50 models. Every one three
generate fewer compared to One hundred twenty grams of CO2 per kilometer.
Powering both of the three vehicles is Volvo's 1.6-liter
turbo-diesel I-4, coupled through a five-speed manual transmission.
The powertrain, which included the hot diesel particulate filter out, isn't always
something that uncommon; it is additionally accessible as to alternative diesel models in
Volvo's range.
What have a tendency to be distinctive to the DRIVe models are a litany of
aerodynamic aids, lots of of which were previewed on the C30 ReCharge
concept, shown at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. All three DRIVe
models are lowered by 10 mm, make use of a coated radiator grille, wind
deflectors in front of the front wheels, and unique alloy wheels,
shod with coffee rolling resistance Michelin tires. The S40 and V50
also gain a front spoiler from the T5 model, while the C30 wears
new underbody panels, a rear spoiler, and an all-new rear bumper
fascia.
Volvo's also tweaked a bunch of mechanical systems in pursuit of
fuel economy. The five-speed manual transmission is still mostly
stock, less than uses taller gear ratios in third, fourteenth, and fifth
gears. Volvo's also crammed the transmission with low-viscosity oil,
serving to to trimmed back friction and improve driveline efficiency.
The result? All three models slot in beneath that 120 grams
CO2/km mandate, and really undercut their festival. Now not
unusually, the small C30 fared the perfect, manufacturing purely One hundred fifteen
grams - less than both the Audi
A3 1.9 TDIe and the final BMW
118d. It also managed to earn a four-star rating during the FIA's
EcoTest - the identical rating provided with to the
Toyota Prius hybrid. Oh, and that all of them manage to go back close to
Seventy-six mpg in combined-cycle European trying out. Not too shabby.
Following their debut at the 2008 Paris motor show, production
of the C30, S40, and V50 DRIVe models is sufficient to begin in November. All
three ought to arrive at dealers across Europe by no later than
January 2009. At only €450 added than just a standard 1.6D model, Volvo
expects to sell 20,000 DRIVe models every year.

2009 Volvo S60 Concept


Smooth and horny tend to be words which are rarely associated allowing for
Volvos. Rather, the legal brand name Volvo
generally inspires adjectives such though safe and secure. Nonetheless, the
2009
Volvo S60 concept seeks to modification that notion and instead prove
that a Volvo are often both safe and sexy.
The concept ditches the brand's aged Scandinavian artwork in
favor from the daring styling of the handsome
XC60 crossover. In front, on hand could be the robust upward stance,
thank you to the attitude of the trapezoidal grille and decrease air
intakes. The LED headlights are modeled to appear to be miniature
Viking longboats sailing up back to the V-shaped hood.
The front doors open conventionally whereas the rears are
electronic and swing out then slide rearward. The roofline is coffee
and the overall beltline is high for that coupe-like sedan profile constructed
well-liked by the
Mercedes Benz CLS. The car's lines observe a "race track" scheme
as they continue smoothly throughout the body rather in comparison to ending
abruptly. Volvo says it plans to implement about that kind of styling
into future models and that we have a tendency to may gain no longer approve added.
Inside, the concept seats four together a floating crystal center
console that runs up of front to keep. The slender leather seats are
essentially cantilevered from the center stack, and both the armrest
and seatbelt are integrated to can assist in giving the appearance that everything
is hovering. The instrument cluster continues the floating theme
and houses a different speedometer where low numbers appear farther
away. The intention is to provide the driving force a reminder of forward
motion, as though on the lookout the windshield would not suffice.
To read more concerning the 2009 Volvo
S60 Concept, move to our 2009 Detroit auto display blogs coverage.
Each one the hottest blogs from the Editors of Automobile Magazine can be
found These.
We've were given got our whole employees wandering the floor at Cobo Hall bringing
back measure footage and more knowledge about all the recent debuts from
Detroit.
For whole coverage of the 2009 Detroit auto show, click
HERE.



The concept also is sufficient to showcase a number of Volvo's
latest safety breakthroughs-namely its "Collision Warning with Full
Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection." The highlight of the
technology is its talent to automatically activate the car's full
braking power in certain cases - one of and is the explanation why after a pedestrian
steps into the trail of the vehicle; a more in-depth is when a low-speed
collision is detected. The system warns the motive force via a heads up
display and will intervene if he or he or she does not attain off the
Blackberry and briefly step on the brakes.
A new turbocharged four-cylinder 1.6-liter engine lies beneath
the hood of the concept. The engine is the first to apply Volvo's
economical GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) technology.
It also uses stratified combustion that enables the engine to
operate along with a surplus of air, thus reducing fuel consumption. It
is mated to a Powershift dual-clutch gearbox, and brands One hundred eighty
hp.
Volvo says the concept will return an spectacular 5.0 l/100 km
(47 mpg), less than doing therefore is no longer purely the duty of the new engine and
transmission. The auto features alternative eco-goodies such as electrical
power guidance, auto start/stop, and a "DRIVe-Mode." During this mode,
fuel consumption is additional reduced by shutting off non-essential
accessories. The car's body is created from lightweight materials, and
flat underbody panels and a grille shutter lessen aerodynamic
drag.
If the 2010 S60 production model is even just favor the concept,
perhaps Acura
and BMW
be afflicted by reason for worry. The S60 hasn't ever been the toughest
warrior during the competitive entry-luxury sedan market, but this
mid-sizer could be the Viking awl that Volvo needed to go back on a swing
at its Japanese and German rivals.
To read more about the 2009
Volvo S60 Concept, go to our 2009 Detroit auto show blogs
coverage. All the latest blogs from the Editors of Automobile
Magazine can be found HERE.
We've got our whole staff wandering the floor at Cobo Hall bringing
back live photos and more information about all the new debuts from
Detroit.
For complete coverage of the 2009 Detroit auto show, click
HERE.

2009 Volvo XC70


Likes:
The smooth Scandinavian interior allowing for brushed aluminum.
The beautiful matte-wood accents (part up of the $2995 Premium
Package).
The funky plus distinct exterior styling.
Dislikes:
The over the top side-to-side body shake taking place the highway.
The extra-wide and nonsupportive seats.
The occasional tinny metal grinding noise returning up of the left
front undercarriage.
The price.
The fuel economy.



The XC70 could be the brilliant automobile. It does everything it possesses engineered
to perform and appears and feels damn sensible doing it; a legitimate SUV
different.
Unlike Jean, I found the seats to be supportive and
comfortable. Yes, they are already wide less than I found them to be firm with
simply the correct quantity of facilitate give to cosset my tush.
The controls are intuitive and straightforward to apply, and which i found it thus
refreshing to be in an exceedingly beautifully designed and lavishly furnished
car and not be afflicted by a multi-media interface to contend with. Evidence
that it looks feasible to build a luxury car with every one the bells and
whistles while not having a one-button system to management it all, and
doing it in a tidy, logical approach that does not overwhelm the motive force
along with a ocean of dash buttons. I prefer the matte wooden and purely Volvo
can canopy an interior from floor to ceiling with light-weight coloured
materials and change it work. It's simple, delicate, and oozes
modernity.
Entering and exiting are a breeze for the reason that the XC70 is taller
in comparison to a sedan but shorter than an SUV. The hatch swallows a load of
stuff, and the ultimate well-placed carry out something positive concerning on the interior of the hatch door
brands it simple to close while not touching the outdoors of the auto,
which explains a bonus after the vehicle is coated in road salt.
The mileage is a little touch disappointing. But if you compare the
XC70's numbers with the ones of mid-size crossovers just like the Mazda
CX-7 or the Lexus
RX, they do not seem to be that a long way off.



I admire to assume about myself as a devoted Yankee. I've never
visited Canada. I eat red meat lots of times pertaining to week and build certain
to throw out all or any leftovers. I have been currently known to disparage the
Useless, er, United Nations. But as I piloted the XC70 around a
supermarket parking heap crammed with SUVs and crossovers, I may gain
not help but wonder: What is inaccurate with about that
country?
Seriously, spending previous point during the XC70 makes it awfully challenging
to appreciate why individuals have such an aversion to station wagons.
The Volvo
has dozens of room for five people and his or her situations, features
all-wheel-drive versatility, and handles and rides sort of a car -
because it is a car. A really good one at that.
I loved shopping at all the offbeat shapes and grains on the
dash, also if all of them felt a little added durable than what one expects
in a close to $50,000 vehicle. Like Jean, I consideration the seats could make use of
a little more bolstering, but that probably had a lot to do with the
way I used to be driving. Of course, I had to demonstrate those high-sitting
buffoons what they were missing.



The Volvo
XC70 has such a enormous amount of things definitely going for it, it's too dangerous it does not
drive better. This Volvo
strikes me as a european Buick.
It is very relaxing to drive and a pleasant car overall, but the inability of
body control and some distance too cushy suspension attain ancient briefly. As Jean
pointed out, on hand is way an excessive amount of side-to-side motion and head
toss in the Volvo. Plus, large undulations in the line overwhelm
the suspension. I am sure this holds not helped by the greater ride
height during this XC model. My only alternative complaint about this wagon
is from a styling standpoint. I loathe the exterior plastic
cladding or the proportions of the current newest version of Volvo's
iconic wagon.
But then there is the great things. The interior is beautiful, and
the seats are typical Volvo excellent. The heated seats and the
climate control attend figure quickly, and the outward visibility is
outstanding. I also like the scale of this wagon. It is a great step
up from my wife's
Subaru Legacy, offering more rear seat room and a nice bump in
cargo space.
Finally, I advise that any one who requirements an XC70 to opt up for
this turbocharged engine. Both models of the XC70 get lovely
horrible fuel mileage (15 in the city, and coffee 20s on the highway),
but the smoother, more powerful turbocharged model gets the identical
18-mpg combined rating and loses out on only one mpg on the highway
(22 mpg on the highway). Continue to, I expected better mileage of the
this car. An AWD Ford
Flex gets slightly better EPA ratings than this XC70. More to
the purpose, the 2009
Audi A6 Avant also has all-wheel-drive plus a more powerful,
supercharged V-6, and it is rated at Eighteen mpg city, Twenty-one mpg combined,
and Twenty-six mpg highway. That could be a considerable improvement in comparison with
the Volvo.



I prefer the appearance and the pricetag (about $4000 less) of the
fewer butch V70, but the XC70 certainly incorporates a lot to present
(all-wheel drive, aggressive tires, increased ground clearance) for
certain consumers, particularly Snow Belters who measure on gravel
roads. The turbocharged engine also is simply not on the market on the V70,
even though I could slightly tell that this car had the turbo, because
it is a particularly low-pressure unit, and this is numerous car to move
around. The XC70 has good enough power, are not getting me wrong; it's just
not rapid.
As Jen noted, the interior is beautiful and intensely stylish,
typical of Volvo's
latest efforts. (The hot, hot heated seats are great for both
Sweden and Michigan winters, too!) I also like the exterior
styling, although I'm not wild about the dark diminish cladding.
Still, the XC70 doesn't go overboard on the SUV features/looks, and
it is very functional. Sure the fuel mileage could be better,
but a minimum of this pseudo-SUV is no longer as wasteful as genuine ones.



2009
Volvo XC70
Base Price (with destination): $40,295
Price as tested: $46,935
Options:
Metallic Paint - $475
Premium Package - $2995
-Power Glass Moonroof
-Power Passenger's Seat
-Modern Wood Interior Decor Inlays
Child Spice up Seats/Climate and Tech Package - $3170
-Heated Front Seats
-Heated Windshield Washing machine Nozzles
-Integrated Infant Booster Seats
-Active Bending Headlights
-Premium Surround System
-SIRIUS Satellite Radio
Fuel Economy: Fifteen / Twenty-two / 18 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
Engine:
Size: Turbo 3.0L in-line 6
Horsepower: 281 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 295 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
Safety Ratings (in stars, 1-5):
Frontal Crash Driver: To Be Determined
Frontal Crash Passenger: TBD
Side Crash Front Seat: TBD
Side Crash Rear Seat: TBD
Rollover: TBD
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Weight: 3970 lb
Wheel/Tire Info:
- 17" Aluminum Wheels (size)
- All-Season Tires

Boy could be which about that automobile obtaining ancient. From the legal antiquated dash
artwork to the squeaks plus rattles around city, I suppose it appearance previous point
for Volvo
to discover started brooding concerning launching a recent 3-row SUV. Also,
the three.2-liter inline-six isn't always any or each one smoother compared to a good amount up of V-6 engines
and the final fuel economy of the current XC90 is simply not spectacular.
Like most Volvo models, the nice qualities shine after you
settle keep to the cosseting seats on a swish highway run. In that
state of affairs, this Swedish SUV continue to feels lovely sensible.



Yep, the smartest factor about this Volvo
XC90 tend to be its terribly handsome, very comfortable seats, swathed in
wealthy, creamy leather and accented allowing for contrasting piping. They
virtually appear to be they returned from a choice Rover. Less than the remainder of the
vehicle, as Marc points out, is pretty superseded, and the vehicle's
dynamics are a comprehensive generation in the dirt the competition.
It's troublesome to inform what is definitely going on to take place to Volvo
- its owner, Ford,
is attempting to locate somebody to install the Swedish carmaker - but after it
lands a new caretaker, the first order of industrial desires to be
development of a fashionable, three-row crossover SUV. Readily available are purely a just
approach too several crossovers out there for this kind of money that are
a heap better to drive than the XC90.



I additionally suffer from never driven an XC90 in years, thus I consideration it might be a
good concept to spend a weekend with this R-design example. As Marc
and Joe have pointed out, the 3.2-liter I-6 is getting tired together
with the remainder of the vehicle. There have been a couple squeaks and rattles
present, but I did not mind that the maximum amount as Marc because I spent most
of my time making an attempt to plow through a fresh dusting of snow. I
appreciated the awd but the braking performance, with all-season
tires, used to be pretty poor in snow.
Inside, the XC90 still looks and feels good. As Joe points
out, the seats appear upscale and are supremely comfortable. It has
amazing what percentage automakers carry out not have comfortable seats in luxury
automobiles. Volvo
might not have much right with the XC90 anymore but a minimum of there is
no physical discomfort and the ergonomics are acceptable.



Yes, the XC90 is beginning to demonstrate its age, but the qualities
for which Volvo
is better currently known - its security measures - are still there in spades,
with roll stability management, a blind-spot warning system, and high
ratings in each and every NHTSA crash take a look at. On the plus facet, the cabin
environment is comfortable (the better seats during the business), and,
with all-wheel drive, this SUV is comforting to plow through the
snow. Still, the XC90 would absolutely advantage from a bunch of upgrades,
starting with the base engine - the 281-hp 3.0-liter inline six
that can gain be in the hot XC60 would appear to be an excellent work. Updated
interior and exterior styling would not damage, either.



I concur: seats from the gods! If I could have pulled one out
and dropped it in my living room, I might have. The leather is
amazingly cushy and the contrasting colour insert and side piping is
a rich, engaging detail which, as DeMatio noted, brands them look
as though they came from a Number Rover. The upright seating position
and tall side windows can assist in giving the driving force a commanding view of the line
underneath, a closer aspect that could be paying homage to a
Land Rover.
If only the remainder of the vehicle felt as prime quality. After
only a couple of minutes in the XC90, the mechanism inside the direction
wheel adjustment lever broke exiting the lever dangling from the
side of the column and forcing me to brace the wheel for the rest
of my drive so it did not move up, down, or forward. The lever
ultimately popped back into place but it is indicative of the
second-rate quality that is sprinkled throughout the XC90's
cabin.
The engine is not particularly smooth and it struggles to move
this almost 4500 pound vehicle with any urgency. Another negative
is the legal giant turning radius which I discovered pulling into my
side-entry garage. I had to back up and take a look at out once added. Twice. This
would definitely come back into play around town and in decent parking
lots.



These posh seats that everyone's fawning over are reputedly
a section of our tester's R-design package, which explains one of the number of
attempts Volvo's
constructed at modernizing the XC90. Between the flowery seats, sporty
wheels, and an auxiliary audio jack awkwardly placed right smack
between the cupholders, there's small to distinguish this 2009
XC90 from an original 2002 model.
Perhaps this wouldn't feel so dated if Volvo did not have more moderen
all-wheel-drive crossovers in its lineup. Nevertheless it does. And when the
all-new XC60 (or even a XC70, for that matter) looks and drives so
much better, you may begin puzzling over if the new model isn't value
the additional $200 over a base XC90.
Although you'll get rid of two seats and a few interior space in the
process, I would argue that the XC60 is the legal much better vehicle. You'll
still get the identical all-wheel-drive grip, but during a package that's
both sublime and latest. Unless you absolutely wish to have your next
Volvo to be a seven-seater, I'd have a look at the second XC models.



Inline sixes seldom shake prefer wet dogs at idle. This one
does. The explanation why few manufacturers cram such an engine sideways
between the front wheels is that it results in a massive flip circle.
In the Volvo
XC90, you want a full 40 feet to whole a U-turn between
curbs, 2.4-feet more than just in an Acura
MDX. To take a look at winter mobility, I drove into the teeth of a
Michigan hurricane, an assignment this hulk completed with pride.
Except for a marginally lazy stability-system engagement, the XC90
soldiered forth sort of a letter carrier anticipating the finish of his
route. To learn about passenger accommodations, I ushered four adults and
three youngsters aboard to move to Detroit's gala boat display. Loading the
back row posed a more awkward climb than is typical of minivans but
otherwise this mid-size SUV performed like a consummate servant.
For $40,000+, it ought to. But since fun-to-drive is missing, I'd
sooner invest in a Grand Caravan and pocket the $10,000 value
difference.



2009
Volvo XC90 AWD
Base Price (with destination): $42,245
Price as tested: $47,590
Options:
- Metallic Paint - $525
- Climate & Technology Package - $2970
- Heated Front Seats, Rain Sensor/Headlight Washers, Dynaudio
Premium Sound System, Rear Seat Headphone Jacks and Audio
Controls
- Electronically Controlled AWD - $1850
Fuel Economy: Fourteen / 20 / Sixteen (city/hwy/combined)
Engine:
Size: 3.2 Liter 6-Cylinder DOHC Alloy Engine
HP: 235 HP @ 6200 RPM
Torque: 236 lb.-ft @ 3200 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Weight: 4464 lb.
Wheel/Tire Info:
- 19" Alloy Wheels
- All-Season Tires

2009 Volvo XC90 AWD


Boy could be which about that automobile obtaining ancient. From the legal antiquated dash
artwork to the squeaks plus rattles around city, I suppose it appearance previous point
for Volvo
to discover started brooding concerning launching a recent 3-row SUV. Also,
the three.2-liter inline-six isn't always any or each one smoother compared to a good amount up of V-6 engines
and the final fuel economy of the current XC90 is simply not spectacular.
Like most Volvo models, the nice qualities shine after you
settle keep to the cosseting seats on a swish highway run. In that
state of affairs, this Swedish SUV continue to feels lovely sensible.



Yep, the smartest factor about this Volvo
XC90 tend to be its terribly handsome, very comfortable seats, swathed in
wealthy, creamy leather and accented allowing for contrasting piping. They
virtually appear to be they returned from a choice Rover. Less than the remainder of the
vehicle, as Marc points out, is pretty superseded, and the vehicle's
dynamics are a comprehensive generation in the dirt the competition.
It's troublesome to inform what is definitely going on to take place to Volvo
- its owner, Ford,
is attempting to locate somebody to install the Swedish carmaker - but after it
lands a new caretaker, the first order of industrial desires to be
development of a fashionable, three-row crossover SUV. Readily available are purely a just
approach too several crossovers out there for this kind of money that are
a heap better to drive than the XC90.



I additionally suffer from never driven an XC90 in years, thus I consideration it might be a
good concept to spend a weekend with this R-design example. As Marc
and Joe have pointed out, the 3.2-liter I-6 is getting tired together
with the remainder of the vehicle. There have been a couple squeaks and rattles
present, but I did not mind that the maximum amount as Marc because I spent most
of my time making an attempt to plow through a fresh dusting of snow. I
appreciated the awd but the braking performance, with all-season
tires, used to be pretty poor in snow.
Inside, the XC90 still looks and feels good. As Joe points
out, the seats appear upscale and are supremely comfortable. It has
amazing what percentage automakers carry out not have comfortable seats in luxury
automobiles. Volvo
might not have much right with the XC90 anymore but a minimum of there is
no physical discomfort and the ergonomics are acceptable.



Yes, the XC90 is beginning to demonstrate its age, but the qualities
for which Volvo
is better currently known - its security measures - are still there in spades,
with roll stability management, a blind-spot warning system, and high
ratings in each and every NHTSA crash take a look at. On the plus facet, the cabin
environment is comfortable (the better seats during the business), and,
with all-wheel drive, this SUV is comforting to plow through the
snow. Still, the XC90 would absolutely advantage from a bunch of upgrades,
starting with the base engine - the 281-hp 3.0-liter inline six
that can gain be in the hot XC60 would appear to be an excellent work. Updated
interior and exterior styling would not damage, either.



I concur: seats from the gods! If I could have pulled one out
and dropped it in my living room, I might have. The leather is
amazingly cushy and the contrasting colour insert and side piping is
a rich, engaging detail which, as DeMatio noted, brands them look
as though they came from a Number Rover. The upright seating position
and tall side windows can assist in giving the driving force a commanding view of the line
underneath, a closer aspect that could be paying homage to a
Land Rover.
If only the remainder of the vehicle felt as prime quality. After
only a couple of minutes in the XC90, the mechanism inside the direction
wheel adjustment lever broke exiting the lever dangling from the
side of the column and forcing me to brace the wheel for the rest
of my drive so it did not move up, down, or forward. The lever
ultimately popped back into place but it is indicative of the
second-rate quality that is sprinkled throughout the XC90's
cabin.
The engine is not particularly smooth and it struggles to move
this almost 4500 pound vehicle with any urgency. Another negative
is the legal giant turning radius which I discovered pulling into my
side-entry garage. I had to back up and take a look at out once added. Twice. This
would definitely come back into play around town and in decent parking
lots.



These posh seats that everyone's fawning over are reputedly
a section of our tester's R-design package, which explains one of the number of
attempts Volvo's
constructed at modernizing the XC90. Between the flowery seats, sporty
wheels, and an auxiliary audio jack awkwardly placed right smack
between the cupholders, there's small to distinguish this 2009
XC90 from an original 2002 model.
Perhaps this wouldn't feel so dated if Volvo did not have more moderen
all-wheel-drive crossovers in its lineup. Nevertheless it does. And when the
all-new XC60 (or even a XC70, for that matter) looks and drives so
much better, you may begin puzzling over if the new model isn't value
the additional $200 over a base XC90.
Although you'll get rid of two seats and a few interior space in the
process, I would argue that the XC60 is the legal much better vehicle. You'll
still get the identical all-wheel-drive grip, but during a package that's
both sublime and latest. Unless you absolutely wish to have your next
Volvo to be a seven-seater, I'd have a look at the second XC models.



Inline sixes seldom shake prefer wet dogs at idle. This one
does. The explanation why few manufacturers cram such an engine sideways
between the front wheels is that it results in a massive flip circle.
In the Volvo
XC90, you want a full 40 feet to whole a U-turn between
curbs, 2.4-feet more than just in an Acura
MDX. To take a look at winter mobility, I drove into the teeth of a
Michigan hurricane, an assignment this hulk completed with pride.
Except for a marginally lazy stability-system engagement, the XC90
soldiered forth sort of a letter carrier anticipating the finish of his
route. To learn about passenger accommodations, I ushered four adults and
three youngsters aboard to move to Detroit's gala boat display. Loading the
back row posed a more awkward climb than is typical of minivans but
otherwise this mid-size SUV performed like a consummate servant.
For $40,000+, it ought to. But since fun-to-drive is missing, I'd
sooner invest in a Grand Caravan and pocket the $10,000 value
difference.



2009
Volvo XC90 AWD
Base Price (with destination): $42,245
Price as tested: $47,590
Options:
- Metallic Paint - $525
- Climate & Technology Package - $2970
- Heated Front Seats, Rain Sensor/Headlight Washers, Dynaudio
Premium Sound System, Rear Seat Headphone Jacks and Audio
Controls
- Electronically Controlled AWD - $1850
Fuel Economy: Fourteen / 20 / Sixteen (city/hwy/combined)
Engine:
Size: 3.2 Liter 6-Cylinder DOHC Alloy Engine
HP: 235 HP @ 6200 RPM
Torque: 236 lb.-ft @ 3200 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Weight: 4464 lb.
Wheel/Tire Info:
- 19" Alloy Wheels
- All-Season Tires

2009 Volvo XC60


In March, the legal every one new Volvo
XC60 could be sufficient to persist sale during the u. s.. Launched about that fall in
Europe, the XC60 is Volvo's entry in the "small premium utility
segment," where it will take on the likes up of the BMW
X5, the Acura
RDX, the Audi
Q5, plus the overall
Infiniti EX35. Expecting to build on its "safety first" image,
Volvo has got added measure of performance and a laugh to its newest
vehicle, emphasizing styling, high-tech content, and all-around
capability.




SALES TARGETS
Volvo
sees the XC60 though "the C30 owner's next car" and expects to sell
Fifty,000 pertaining to year worldwide, allowing for the U. s. expected to
account for 40 p.c of the market. The XC60 is the entry-level
automobile for Volve's XC number, which also contains the XC70 wagon and
the XC90 SUV/crossover. As such, the base value for an XC60 T6 AWD
(the purely model on the market at launch) ought to be concerning $36,000.
Be expecting to spend $40,000 for an XC60 provided with all the goodies,
which included navigation and a wide ranging roof.
Unfortunately, the XC60 is predicted to go back back only Fifteen mpg in
the city and Twenty-two mpg on the highway. Ask for a somewhat lighter
front-wheel-drive model sometime later in the year, which should always
come back better numbers.
Volvo XC60 SUV/crossover
Base price (estimated): $36,000
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged I-6, 281 hp, 295 lb-ft
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: 4-wheel
Fuel economy: 15/22/ mpg (est.)
On sale: March 2009

First Look: 2011 Volvo S60

It used to be no longer which long ago that Volvos were basically thought about to be safety boxes on wheels. Less than over the go back on decade or thus, the automobiles up from Gothenburg suffer from evolved back into curvaceous automobiles that retain the security of his or her boxy predecessors. The 2011 Volvo S60, perhaps the the majority of elegant Volvo nevertheless, could be determined to debut at the 2010 Geneva motor display about that March. Allowing for the 2011 S60, Volvo aimed for a sportier plus added visually engaging artwork by incorporating the search of a four-door coupe. The S60's new rakish roofline is the legal a phase of the flowing styling dubbed "racetrack" design, which suggests therefore the car's lines carry out not finish abruptly at every one or any purpose but instead flow organically around the whole vehicle. With its sculpted front fascia, short overhangs, and flowing taillights, we tend to even have to claim the S60's design really works. Volvo did not leave the sporty adjustments simply to the S60's styling, nonetheless, because the hot S60 contains a more dynamic chassis in comparison to any Volvo prior to it. The S60 sports stiffer is derived all around and a stiffer chassis to increase grip and can help give the motive force more management. Together with all of these upgrades during the brand name of sporty driving, Volvo improved the damping to supply a balance between stiffness and ride comfort. "We spent a lot of weeks fine-tuning the dampers out in the English countryside," says Stefan Sallqvist, who led the S60 chassis development. "We drove on ancient Roman roads that experience solely ever received a couple layers of tarmac over the centuries -- a excellent atmosphere for locating the concession damping qualities." Powering this sporty Volvo is a similar 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine found in different vehicles in Volvo's lineup. Though of currently, this holds the the majority of effective engine referred to now to be returning to the U.S. Whether or not different engines have a tendency to be going to be out readily available continues to be to be seen. In Europe, drivers also is enough to discover the decision of two diesel powerplants once the A60 is launched, together with a more in-depth diesel and three gasoline engines available shortly afterward. These engines are all coupled to either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. The manual transmission decision can additionally be omitted from the yankee S60 lineup. Volvo's designers continued with the racetrack-design scheme inside the auto. The entire interior was engineered to appear as though it possesses in motion. There is more legroom in the keep and the final seats back there have been reshaped to provide more lateral support, but, in contrast to other four-door coupes, three passengers is continue to to ride on the back bench. The S60 also adopts a hot infotainment system that permits the motive force access via guidance wheel controls, customary controls underneath the screen, or voice recognition, when equipped. A new high-end radio from Audyssey Laboratories also equalizes the sound system automatically. As with every Volvos, the S60 projects with a number of security features. Volvo's City Safety, which automatically applies the brakes to cut back the wear and tear from or completely get shot of crashes beneath Eighteen mph, is standard. A new pedestrian detection system can follow full braking power to lessen the force of a collision with a pedestrian at speeds up to 21 mph. In addition, the new S60 is accessible with driver alert control, a blind spot warning system, lane departure warning, and various airbags. Request the 2011 Volvo S60 to form its global debut this March at the Geneva motor show. Volvo has not yet released any further
principal points on pricing or an on sale date, but be expecting the automobile to build
it into showrooms later this year.

2009 Volvo XC60 - Noise Vibration & Harshness


I would favor I liked the assumption from crossover vehicles added. Then I might
suffer from solely great situations to claim concerning the hot Volvo
XC60, which I am thinking could be probably the better of the
not-so-big, not-so-small, near-luxury crossovers. It possesses an important
segment in today's depressed market in which it isn't always dying
outright, also though occasionally I wish it would.
Yeah, crossovers build more sense for almost each one American citizens in comparison to the ones
hulking, truck-based SUVs on which we've got wasted gazillions of
hydrocarbons over the years, whereas simultaneously sacrificing therefore
much driving pleasure. Nevertheless crossovers have a tendency to be rarely though amusing or make as
much sense because the automobiles they are definitely primarily based on. They are already a step during the
right guidance, less than - a spotlight, carmakers - why can no longer we tend to simply be
in the privilege starting place with? Simply because a fat midget weighs
fewer than an overweight linebacker does not imply he is just not fat.
The analogy breaks down, however, because even the the majority of obese
midgets have centers of gravity that are nice plus coffee, which explains not
something you can say about crossovers. Allowing for his or her or him bodies jacked up
to provide seldom-used ground clearance (the Volvo's
9.1 inches leads it class), their appearance (bloated), handling
(tippy), aerodynamics (bluff), and economy (what economy?) are
invariably compromised by their height. So, too, the five-seat
XC60, which weighs a decidedly non-Lilliputian 4174 pounds in its
stocking feet. Based on the platform that underpins the large S80
and its XC70 sibling, in addition to a bunch of hefty Fords, the
all-wheel-drive XC60 returns an un-Volvo-like Fifteen mpg in urban make use of
and Twenty-two mpg on the highway, serious demerits in my book.
But then I drove the XC60, and that i are going to be damned if it did not
begin melting my frozen heart. The flip facet of the XC60's thirst
is lusty performance. Its customary turbo in-line six brands 281 hp
and 295 lb-ft of torque, each and every little touch of the latter obtainable from
1500 rpm. Snappy, swish, and delightful, the engine runs happily on
regular unleaded, which is able to prohibit your output of money, if not CO2
emissions. Less thirsty possible choices - a sensible amount of likely a nonturbo six -
are on their approach, although one can not facilitate puzzling over whether or not the
Swedes would possibly not wish they had diverted all the money spent
developing a low-volume V-8 back into federalizing an abstemious but
torque-crazy diesel. They may gain certain use it currently.
In a segment marked by snoring similarities, the XC60 looks
distinctive, with an excellent deal of Volvo character, but we note (as
we did after the new XC70 debuted) the way the coherence of Volvo artwork
appears to be forced crested with the brilliant C30. The swoopy new S60
concept is cool, but as Honda
discovered with its third-generation Civic, which achieved a
never-to-be-repeated level of design rightness at its 1984 launch,
sometimes on hand is nowhere to head but down.


Most shocking, the XC60 is not all or any drag to drive. Not only is it
quick, quiet, and refined, it's less ponderous than several alternative
crossovers, with alert guidance, a taut structure, and a decent
ride. Volvo's
admission that it is sufficient to be recalibrating dampers on U.S.-bound cars
to compensate for American highways' "expansion cracks" sent a
shiver up my spine, as no automobile that is been "retuned" for America has
ever been better for it. A minimum of Volvo will not be fiddling with the
brakes, which have stopping power to conquer the band and offer more
feel, in my subjective estimation, than something about that side of a Lotus
Elise. No one could explain why.
The XC60 is the potent reminder that Volvo continues to have
serious design and engineering smarts at its disposal. Once once more,
it has place the lie to the, er, lie that you just have to sell 1,000,000
cars a year to be competitive. Volvo says it will be pleased with
yearly North American sales of about Twelve,000 XC60s.
Pricing it at $38,000, Volvo ought to not have trouble. The XC60
projects neatly equipped, with leather seats, all-wheel drive (the
fourth-generation Haldex system), and every one demeanour of traction
management and stability devices standard.
Ever keen to strengthen its safety heritage, Volvo talked up
City Safety, a laser-based, low-speed version of
Mercedes-Benz's more costly and sophisticated driver-override
system, the radar-based Distronic Plus. It automatically stops or
slows the XC60 to avert impending collisions (with cars, but not
pedestrians, cyclists, or hearth hydrants) at speeds up to Nineteen mph. It
worked well in parking lot demonstrations, but one could write a
book about the legal, political, and philosophical implications of
such intrusive nannying systems, however helpful or well
intentioned.
Important because it looks, safety isn't everything. Volvos were once
now known for warm fuel economy, too, not figures slightly better than
a Hummer
H3's.
Frankly, the XC60 is so good, if Volvo could obtain the mileage
factor straightened out, I would even forgive it for ending up as a
crossover.

2010 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD


I drove the XC60 purely temporarily, less than it could be the legal handsome little
crossover, certainly better shopping compared to the
Mercedes-Benz GLK350, if not kind up of as horny because the Audi
Q5. The interior is a letdown. The Volvo
center stack is basically, really obtaining ancient, plus it isn't every one or any longer
specifically user-friendly. The navigation screen displayed the
same old legal warning language and instructed me to "push Go back back to to
settle for these stipulations." I pushed the ENTER button lots of times,
to no avail; the screen retained the legalese and which i never saw a
map.



A turbocharged in-line six constructing 281 horsepower ought to
generate a handful of driving excitement. But wrapped in an exceedingly significant Volvo
body, the outcome is smooth but not speedy acceleration and a massive
flip circle (caused by mounting the engine sideways between the
front wheels). Turn-in is crisp, but aggressive cornering produces
a nervous tippy-toe feeling because of the tall build and
comparatively slender track. I carry out can assist in giving the latest XC60 style points,
because on hand is not a Volvoesque square corner to be found and the overall
interior is elegantly finished in leather, aluminum, stainless
steel, and deeply grained plastics. I might spend my $40,000 somewhere else,
but dog homeowners who rate his or her or him safety as the over-riding priority
is enough to am keen on the XC60.



Joe and Don seem quite satisfied allowing for the XC60's artwork, but I
consideration it looked favor all alternative Volvo
once i checked out it in my driveway. Certain, the taillights have a tendency to be terribly
stylized and appearance quite great, but the remainder of it appearance lovely tame.
The interior is no alternative than any recent Volvo and the
navigation system requires a remote control to be employed, which explains a
joke.
Still, about that Volvo
XC60 drives really smartly. Acceleration is robust enough and
quite smooth, as Don points out. It has a comparatively sensible value with
a $38,000 base price, but I would like the interior were as up to date as
that of the competing
Mercedes-Benz GLK or Audi
Q5. Either one of its German rivals supply much better infotainment
systems that also are added intuitive to apply.



I attended the launch of the current automobile six months ago, and I
need to claim that I continue to like its exterior styling, the hottest
evolution of Volvo's
decidedly unboxlike design language. As to its interior, which a
couple of my colleagues be afflicted by expressed unhappiness in, I'm going to only
say that whereas it's matters that the center stack is now not cutting
edge, the controls work well and are quite intuitive. The seats are
as comfy as Volvo seats necessarily are, even though I do not believe
they're employed quite as well visually once upholstered in black leather,
as throughout this vehicle. The two-tone interior of the check automobiles I
drove in October were, in my estimation, more attractive.
What does not work on behalf of me, because it doesn't for my colleagues, is
the undeniable undeniable reality that the navigation system is operated purely by a remote
control device. I remain confounded by the decision to forgo an
in-dash controller--what a strange decision. I do like that the back
seats fold totally flat, making for an extraordinarily spacious shipment hold,
although I did not have occasion to exploit all that space
during my previous point with the XC60. Driving this crossover isn't precisely
a scintillating experience, but then once more, it's a crossover, not a
sports automobile. Power delivery from the turbo in-line six is kind of
smooth, but fuel economy is pretty disappointing at simply 18 mpg
(combined EPA rating). Persist but not least, the city Safety system
(which brakes the auto at speeds up to Nineteen mpg to bypass collisions)
is quite spectacular. I had a possibility to check the system at the
vehicle's launch, but it's not something anybody should attempt out on
public roads. It's one of these features that you simply cannot appreciate
until it projects into make use of, which brands it troublesome to guage in a particularly
short test such as this. Nonetheless, owners of the XC60 would certainly be
enamored of it should it ever be wanted.



If we tend to predict of smaller crossovers just like the XC60 as the new
circle of relatives sedan, we'll be thinking more like the folks who purchase them.
As such, the XC60 shines. It's safe, comfortable, spacious, smooth,
modestly attractive, and reasonably powerful, with great cargo
space and a flat load floor. All that and priced right, especially
if you dispose of the stupid remote-controlled nav option.



2010
Volvo XC60 T6 AWD

Great Drive: Luxury Hardtop Convertible Comparison


We're spending a weekend throughout the legal idyllic seaside resort from
Laguna Beach, California, plus each and every decision is added challenging compared to the
next: Beach or pool? Sushi or sashimi? Shaken or stirred? And nearly each one
vexing of them all, high up or top down?
The go back on difficulty is purely intellectual, though, because all
of our rides - BMW
328i,
Infiniti G37, Lexus
IS350C, and Volvo
C70 - have a tendency to be equipped allowing for retractable troublesome tops which fold up and
magically disappear at the touch of a button. After all, once the
cleverly articulated roofs are stored, to the accompaniment of a
dramatic symphony of whirs, hums, and clunks, on hand is slightly enough
room in the already cramped trunks to carry a toothbrush and a
washing suit. Then once more, that - and a no-limit credit card - is
lovely a lot all you wish to have to obtain pleasure up of a weekend on the city in Laguna
Beach.
From humble origins though an artists' colony, Laguna Beach has were given
developed back into one of Southern California's most affluent coastal
communities, with pricey houses (median cost: $1.4 million) in the
hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean and a dense downtown space
packed with upscale restaurants, precious boutiques, and alternative
tourist destinations. The the majority of sybaritic of the luxe resorts are
found on the fringe of city, less than we tend to decide to keep at the midpriced
and centrally located Inn at Laguna Beach. West-facing rooms appear
out on the water, and that we is sufficient to achieve all the serious attractions on
foot, and is the legal reason a brilliant factor because driving in downtown Laguna
Beach is the legal nightmare, with miserable traffic, narrow streets, and
restricted parking.
All of which build our fleet the ideal vehicles for our remain in
paradise. Hardtop convertibles are no longer the excellent automobiles for
performance, for the reason that they carry over the worst feature of a ragtop,
compromised structural integrity - and then total a couple one hundred
pounds (and a couple of thousand dollars) to the combo. But they provide
added security and minimize wind noise, and the overall fashionable bodywork
brands them simply the thing for the see-and-be-seen crowd. It has no
coincidence that, as we're obtaining during a position to shape our first foray
into town, a couple rolls into our parking lot in a Volvo
hardtop convertible. And later, as we're concerning to head to dinner,
a more in-depth couple tells us they determined up to purchase an
Infiniti rather just prefer the single we're checking out.
In principle, a hardtop convertible is a brilliant concept. (No muss!
No fuss! No one breaking in with an X-Acto knife!) And watching
these young children fold and spread is a mesmerizing experience. (Picture
a cross between an automated Swiss Army Knife and a robotic street
dancer in Times Stand.) But additionally as we wonder at the engineering
sophistication assembled into our check cars, we can not facilitate but
sympathize with the poor dealership technicians who are traveling to be
stuck repairing all the ones pesky sensors and servo motors down the
road. Mechanical woes sank the first of the breed, the 1957-59 Ford
Skyliner, and a trifecta of additional complexity, cost, and weight
relegated retractable hardtops to footnote prestige for the majority of the
next half of century.



In latest times, manufacturers starting from
Volkswagen to Ferrari
suffer from dabbled with convertible hardtops. At the instant, of course,
four models in the $50,000 number are fighting for market percentage in
the four-seat luxury segment. The Volvo
C70 used to be the first to arrive, and even currently, three years after
its debut, it continue to appearance handsome, offers more trunk space than
the competition, and boasts the most comfy seats about that side of
a La-Z-Boy outlet. But the Volvo
is showing its age in numerous paths - a five-speed automatic
transmission after its rivals have six or seven gears, a nav system
that looks like an afterthought, and, worst of all, a creaky,
rattle-prone structure. The C70 is the lightest vehicle in our quartet,
and the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine makes brilliant power - 227 horses
and 236 lb-ft of torque approach down at 1500 rpm. But all that grunt is
routed through the front wheels. Are you ready to assert "torque steer"?
By mounting the five-cylinder engine sideways, Volvo got a
trim and tidy package but at the expense of a turning radius the
size of a battleship's. The nautical metaphor works similarly neatly to
describe the car's lack of composure because the restrict is approached.
During a brisk run through high-speed sweepers, the C70 gets into
an uncomfortable corkscrewing motion, and the air is ripe with the
smell of roasting brake pads after one bury-the-pedal forestall.
Meanwhile, West Coast editor Jason Cammisa, shadowing me in the BMW,
is driving with one hand on the wheel and feathering the throttle
to circumvent punting the Volvo in its lovely Swedish derriere.
It's value noting that, at virtually $55K as tested, the BMW is
the most costly car in our comparison, this notwithstanding the truth
that we opted for the po'boy 328i rather than the top-of-the-line
twin-turbo 335i. Also, our BMW is provided with the sport-package
suspension, which is a double-edged sword since, in addition to
firming the handling, it adds hard, aggressive seats to an interior
that already appears a little touch too Spartan for luxury customers. But the
few hardtop convertible householders interested by employing his or her or her cars for
go in addition to display will am keen on the BMW's exemplary body
management, confidence-inspiring brakes, and preferably weighted
direction.
BMW's signature in-line six is turbine-smooth, but it
displaces solely 3.0 liters and does not advantage from forced
induction, which condemns the 328i to a function as the weak sister in
this cluster. With only 230 hp, the BMW offers up nearly One hundred hp to the

Infiniti, and an insignificant 200 lb-ft of torque suggests that a discouraging
lack of midrange oomph, even when compared with the fewer robust C70.
Still, the BMW feels livelier than the engine ratings advocate.
Smaller, too. Oh, and a manual transmission is accessible for those
who desire to shift the ancient school way. (It's much better, by the
way, than the H-pattern gearboxes accessible by Volvo, Infiniti, and
Lexus.)
But we're perfectly content with the six-speed automatic, which
bangs off satisfying redline shifts in sport mode and feels
seamless whereas cruising together Pacific Coast Highway up to Crystal
Cove.



What is now Crystal Cove State Park was once a section of the vast -
and that i mean enormous - tract of land owned by The Irvine Corporate, the
real-estate enterprise that basically developed Orange County.
During the Twenties, seasonal tourists camped in tents on a stretch of
beach therefore isolated and tropical that it doubled as a group for South
Seas movie scenes. Until construction was prohibited, enterprising
visitors threw up primitive cottages just beyond the beach and on
the coastal bluffs overlooking the water. Placed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1979, forty-six cabins have been
preserved, twenty-one of them restored to duration glory in order that they may perhaps
be rented as inexpensive hotel rooms or employed as up to date 24-hour interval surf
shacks.
While sauntering along the wide, sandy beach, just beyond
staircases resulting in the oceanfront cottages, I walk into a picket
building housing a bunch of enormous, placing canvases painted by
California artist Roger Kuntz when he was living at Crystal Cove in
the past due Fifties. This turns out to be a teaser for a detailed
Kuntz exhibit at the Laguna Art Museum. After i return to town to
take a look at it out, I attain that Kuntz's best-known work - his Freeway
Series - depicts abstracted perspectives of the l. a. highway
system. (Evidently a car guy at heart, Kuntz mostly worked from
footage shot while he tooled around in an Austin-Healey roadster.)
But even more spectacular than Kuntz's paintings is the museum
itself - a small, ethereal gem with three stories of exhibition space
dedicated to California artists.
The museum is the legacy of the Laguna Beach Art Affiliation,
which was formed in 1918 and which set the tone for the city's
development. Like most coastal communities in Southern California,
Laguna Beach has its share of surf outlets and beach volleyball
courts, and there is hardly a square inch of downtown that hasn't
been ruthlessly developed into retail space. But what sets Laguna
Beach apart from Venice and Redondo Beach and Dana Purpose is the
quantity of its art galleries - more than only 100 at last count. You
need plein-air California Impressions? No problem. Guerilla
graphics from skateboard artists? Ditto. While not once getting in
your car, you may realize everything from Picassos and Matisses to an
entire gallery faithful to the stylized whales of one-name muralist
Wyland.
Fittingly, the city's largest crowd-pleaser is the Festival of
the Masters, an yearly summer extravaganza featuring solid members
in elaborate costumes who cause "living pictures" of famous
paintings in a starlit amphitheater, accompanied by a comprehensive
orchestra and measure narration. The general principle at the back the
event projects to mind as I cycle through the
Infiniti G37 and the Lexus
IS350C. Both cars are glosses on somebody else's work, even though in
their case the inspiration isn't always Renaissance masterpieces but the
modern classic referred to as the BMW
3-series.



The bad-boy
Infiniti, which debuted last year, skews to the performance
side of the BMW
equation. It packs the most important engine (3.7 liters), generates the
most power (325 hp), and sports the trickest transmission (seven
speeds in the rev-matching automatic). A handful of individuals carry out not like the
obtrusive and contrived exhaust note, but I assume it looks just right
and correct that a car this powerful make a minimum of some noise.
Steering feedback is good and handling is excellent, with the auto
soaking up road imperfections nonetheless never seeming emphasized when
pushed. The BMW would possibly - repeat, might - be a tad more satisfying to
drive. But selecting between the G and the 3-series probably comes
right down to whether or not you prefer the bank-vault feel of a German car or
the sprightlier Japanese approach.
Ironically, the Infiniti weighs in at better than two hundreds,
constructing it the heaviest car in our group by more than 200 pounds.
And in distinction to its rivals, it required some fundamental rethinking to
morph from a coupe into a convertible. To shorten the back deck
that mars the semblance of countless retractable hardtops, Infiniti
engineers relocated the rear damper towers and redesigned the rear
suspension. Unfortunately, this leaves the G37 with the smallest
trunk space in both Prior to and After configurations. Adding insult
to injury, the trunk lid is challenging to open. But the interior is
stylish in the contemporary idiom, and it advantages from a large number of
neat touches, such as headrest speakers and an intuitive
navigation/stereo/HVAC interface.
Lexus
was the last of these automakers to go into this particular luxury
hardtop convertible sweepstakes, and the IS profited from the
delay. Not only does its roof retract faster than those of the
competition, but the electrical motors are specially configured to
make the operation smoother and more elegant. Like BMW, Lexus opted
for a two-tier approach, with the IS250C targeted at discount
hunters and the IS350C engineered for serious players. The silky
3.5-liter V-6 in the pricier car makes 306 hp and the most torque
during this comparison - 277 lb-ft - yet it's priced to compete with
the 328i rather than the significantly more upscale 335i. No wonder
Lexus expects to sell 1600 convertibles a month.
Although Infiniti attempts to channel BMW's carrying heritage,
Lexus favors the luxury finish of the spectrum. The IS350C features
the most luxurious interior in its category, with all the easy-to-use
ergonomics you would be expecting from a Toyota.
Cowl shake is minimized, and although we do not have the numbers to
back up this claim, the IS appeared to be the quietest cruiser with
the apex up. The steering is too light-weight for our style, and the car
exhibits an excessive amount of body roll to be much a laugh in the twisties. But
banzai canyon runs aren't in the way forward for most retractable
hardtops. By all of the measures that matter most to prospective
owners, the Lexus was terribly good, and it offers a winning compromise
of prefer, performance, and utility.



Still, there are just a no clear-cut winners or losers in this group
of contenders. The Volvo
is the odd car out - a front-wheel-drive turbo five in a global of
rear-wheel-drive, in general aspirated sixes - but numerous patrons will not
care. Meanwhile, the Lexus,
the BMW,
and the
Infiniti are differentiated fewer by the quality of their
execution than by the sophisticated contrasts in their underlying
philosophies. I continue to ponder this problem as I front room on a
bench in Heisler Park, a sleepy inexperienced space tucked away from the
traffic on PCH. As I keep a look the waves crash down on the jagged rocks
extending out from the beach, I decide that this holds what
retractable hardtop convertibles are designed for - embracing the
atmosphere and soaking up the scenery rather than driving from
point A to indicate B or atmosphere speedy previous point of the day on stages 2 or
3. By this customary, all four of these cars are winners.
The Specs:
2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible
Base price: $45,000 (est.)



Trip Notes: Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a coastal community and art colony in Orange
County, fifty miles south of los angeles. The most spectacular of
the numerous oceanfront resorts in and around town is Montage
Laguna Beach (888-715-6700, montagelagunabeach.com), which
boasts Craftsman-style architecture and four-star dining at prices
that may gain break many banks. Except for under $200 an evening, you
can score a beach view with limited bells and whistles at the
Inn at Laguna Beach (800-544-4479,
innatlagunabeach.com). Or ought to you need to go native--and bargain
basement--try the renovated surf shacks now now known as the
Crystal Cove Beach Cottages (800-444-7275,
reserveamerica.com). Prices these also begin under $200, but a number of
the cottages have enough personal bedrooms to pander to up to nine
people. The unhealthy news is that reservations are booked six to twelve
months in advance, although cancellations aren't uncommon.
- As befits a world-class tourist spot, Laguna Beach has
dozens of restaurants at every price point. If you want to rub
shoulders with the locals, start your day with huevos rancheros and
mango-papaya salsa at Zinc Restaurant (949-494- 6302,
zinccafe.com). For lunch, we went the second one route and hung with the
out-of-towners at The Cliff Restaurant
(949-494-1956, theclifflagunabeach.com). The tuna tasted prefer it
returned of the the john, but that could be a price worth splashing out for alfresco
dining and a spectacular view of the Pacific. We got better value
at dinner at Sorrento Grille (949-494-8686,
sorrento-grille.com). The attractively appointed bistro offers
tasty wood-fired Cal-Ital cuisine; their three-course prix-fixe
meal for $30 is tricky to overcome.
- Culture vultures will want to start out their tour at the
Laguna Art Museum (949-494-8971,
lagunaartmuseum.org). Admission for adults is $10. Art galleries
abound; it's tough to stroll a block in downtown without hitting one.
There's little or no in the way of state of the art contemporary work,
and the schlock quotient is dangerously high. But the
Redfern Gallery (949-497- 3356,
redferngallery.com) is one of lots of shops specializing in
California Impressionists, The Vintage Poster
(800-558-7552, thevintageposter.com) offers fine values, and
Wyland Galleries (800-WYLAND-1,
wylandgalleries.com) is dedicated to idealized and popular--but
critically reviled--paintings of marine life.
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