Volvo’s new slide rulers
WhEN snow falls in Britain, the whole country grinds to a halt. But on the edge of the Arctic Circle, in Lulea in swedish Lapland, they are ready for it. I’ve been haring about in Volvo’s latest V60 family estate at a bone-chilling -30c — so cold even T-shirt-clad Geordies might be tempted to put a coat on.
And it’s not just icy roads I’m navigating. Even the ocean freezes. I am driving on a stretch of the Baltic where the ice is more than a foot thick.
Each autumn the well-prepared swedes swap to winter tyres, sometimes with studs, to improve grip.
After a good, long drive on iceand snow-bound roads and tracks, it’s time to go extreme on a special slippery track created out of the frozen sea.
I drive two V60 models and go dancing on ice in comfortable, smartly-appointed vehicles that are perfect load-luggers, with big boots for active families, whatever the weather.
First was the jacked-up and more rugged V60 Cross Country T5 all-wheel-drive with an eightspeed automatic gearbox, which has an extra 60mm of ride height over the standard estate.
This handsome vehicle is powered by a 250 hp, 2-litre, 4-cylinder engine that takes it from rest to 62mph in 6.8 seconds, and on up to 142mph. It’ll cost from around £37,000 when it joins the UK range this year, complementing the diesel D4 on sale from £38,270.
Electronic stability control cuts like skis into snow, keeping me grounded with confidence on the track when it senses its wheels starting to slip. In EsC sport mode, one can enjoy more latitude for sliding and skating.
I also have a go in the V60 T8 Twin Engine r-Design petrolelectric hybrid, which combines a 303hp 2-litre petrol engine with an 87hp electric motor to give a total of 390 hp, resulting in a 0-62 mph time of 4.9 seconds, with top speed limited at 155 mph.
It has part-leather sports seats, lowered sports suspension and front parking sensors, and will cost from around £50,000.
The V60 range starts at £32,410 for the D3 Momentum manual and comes in four trim levels.