Volvo's S60 R-Design

Sportier design and driving properties for connoisseurs

The new S60 R-Design has been designed with true sports-car feel and features a specially developed chassis to ensure that the driving experience matches the car's appearance. "The all-new S60 is our sportiest model ever. With R-Design it becomes even sharper. They're the natural choice for true connoisseurs," says Paul Welander, Senior Vice President Product Development at Volvo Cars.

Sporty, sportier, sportiest
"This car has been specially developed for buyers who want to put their very own stamp on their car. And with R-Design, we are attracting a younger target group. We aim to win over one-third of the R-design customers from competing brands," says Welander.

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

Redesigned front
The all-new Volvo S60 R-Design comes with a range of specially developed design details both outside and in.
On the outside the cars have an imposing redesigned front with a grille painted in glossy piano black. The sporty stance is further enhanced with colour-matched body components, details in matt special finish and a hexagonal pattern that is repeated both front and rear. Distinctive twin exhaust tailpipes and unique five-spoke 18-inch Diamond cut wheels emphasise the sporty overall appeal.

The introductory color is Passion Red but the Volvo S60 R-design is also available in another seven colors.

 

A sharper and more exciting drive

Volvo Cars' chassis experts are taking the next step on the road to car enthusiast paradise. "Refining a chassis is a bit like being an athlete looking to break new records. Once you're beaten one record, you're immediately focused on the next. In the R-Design chassis we've sharpened the steering, the agility and the solid overall impression still further compared with the dynamic chassis in the all-new S60," says Paul Welander. He adds: "The driving experience should be so connected and compact that it feels as though the car has been milled out of a single block of aluminium."

After developing the all-new S60, which is Volvo Cars' most dynamic model ever, the chassis team focused on further refining a number of details. "The challenge was to boost the dynamics without making the chassis feel raw. If the chassis is too firm, even smooth tarmac can feel bumpy. We wanted a distinct yet plush feel." says Welander.

Strut brace gives more direct steering feel
The chassis team fitted what is known as a strut brace under the bonnet, that is to say a bar that ties together the suspension strut towers. This is a classic method of stiffening up the body structure. The car now has a more solid feel to it, which in turn helps make the steering feel even more responsive with a distinctive contact with the road.

Monotube damping at the rear
At the rear the S60 R-Design features monotube dampers.  Unlike the twin-tube dampers previously used, the monotube system features compression and return damping via the same valve. This gives shorter, faster fluid flow, which in turn means the damper responds more quickly. This higher operating speed takes care of the initial roll tendency that can be felt just when turning the steering-wheel. It's an effective way to improve the response and the connected feel.

New Corner Traction Control system
The new Corner Traction Control system provides even smoother progress in curves. Just like in the standard version, the chassis in the S60 R-Design is backed up by a range of electronic systems that sharpen the sporty driving experience still further.
Corner Traction Control is a new feature that uses torque vectoring to make for smoother cornering. The technology is a further refinement of the DSTC anti-spin system. When taking a curve, the car's inner wheel is braked so more power is transferred to the outer wheel. This gives the driver a tighter line in the curve, with reduced understeering tendency.

DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control)

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

• Advanced Stability Control. With a new gyroscopic roll-angle sensor it is possible to identify any skidding tendency at a very early stage. This means that the anti-spin system can deploy faster and with greater precision. Advanced Stability Control provides a huge improvement in driving properties and in emergency avoidance manoeuvres during dynamic driving involving considerable lateral forces.
• Engine Drag Control. Prevents the wheels from losing their grip during engine braking on a slippery surface.

The DSTC system also has a sports setting that makes it possible for the driver to drive more actively. By disabling the anti-spin function, the car allows more pronounced oversteer.

U.S. specs
The Volvo S60 R-Design is available with a choice of two turbo engines: the six-cylinder T6  with 300 hp and the five-cylinder T5 with 250 bhp.