Volvo S60 driven for first time
Our verdict on sports saloon that previews new compact exec
VOLVO sold just 1,250 previousgeneration S60s in the UK last year, but has huge hopes that this new model, spun off the back of the sumptuous V60 estate, will step up to the mark when it lands next spring.
The S60 is the first car built at Volvo’s new Charleston factory in the United States, and it squares up directly to big hitters such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-class.
The design of the S60 sticks to the formula Volvo has established over the past three years. However, it has much shorter overhangs than its larger S90 sibling, plus a lipped bootlid and racy bodykit, all of which hint that this is a Volvo for people who enjoy driving.
That’s also why you’ll see that the first S60 we’ve driven is the flagship variant, which kicks off a new line-up of cars created with the help of performance wing Polestar. The S60 T8 Polestar Engineered model uses the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor in the same plug-in hybrid set-up you’ll find on all Volvos using the brand’s Scalable Product Architecture platform. It produces 399bhp, and a hefty 670Nm of torque.
The T8’s battery pack is 10.4kwh in size, and sends power to the electric motor driving the rear wheels, meaning that this all-wheel-drive hot saloon not only covers the 0-62mph sprint in 4.7 seconds, but can also run on electric power alone for up to 21 miles.
This version is a rung down the power ladder from the likes of the outgoing BMW M3 and the new Mercedes-amg C 63, but its position as a performance plug-in means it carves itself a unique position in the market. Those Polestar badges aren’t just to emphasise the extra 14bhp this car gets over the regular T8 Twin Engine S60, either; the Polestar Engineered model comes complete with a set of Ohlins dampers and larger Brembo brakes.
The colossal torque figure means that when the road opens up this is a genuinely quick car that picks up pace with minimal fuss and drama. However, it’s not without flaws, and these leave you to question whether more performance is necessarily better.
For instance, the Ohlins dampers, in their default setting of 22 adjustable stages, can result in a rather choppy ride quite unlike anything you’d expect from a Volvo. The bumpiness creeps in noticeably on a less-than-ideal motorway surface and while it doesn’t wholly spoil the T8 Polestar Engineered’s credentials as a cruiser, it is a massive fly in the ointment.
This firmness makes a little more sense when things get twisty. The steering is sharp enough to give you confidence to exploit what’s on offer, and the trick suspension set-up comes alive, keeping everything admirably flat. However, with most of the power and torque heading to the front axle, the S60 T8 Polestar pushes into safe understeer once you’ve used up the grip on offer.
You can begin to feel the extra 200kg added by the plug-in hybrid powertrain too, and for a car of its size, the S60
“The huge torque means this is a genuinely quick car, but one not without flaws”
840d: a 3.0 straight-six offering up 316bhp and 680Nm. The M850i xdrive we’re testing here has a 523bhp 4.4litre V8 with 750Nm. It feels every bit as fast as the 3.7-second 0-62mph time suggests, hurling the car forward at a stunning rate. It’s accompanied by a menacing roar, with suitable pops and bangs from the exhaust in Sport mode.
Push on, and the M850i remains composed. There’s very little body roll, huge grip, and the four-wheel-drive system puts down the power easily.
As impressive as it is, there’s no disguising the significant mass that’s being moved around. So, the 8 Series misses the ultimate sharpness of its sportiest rivals. A natural-feeling fourwheel-steering system disguises the heft when you’re cruising, though.
When it comes to the sensible stuff, however, the 8 Series is a little bit hit and miss. The boot is huge, but comes at the expense of rear-seat space.