16 Dec 08 11:03
Volvo has released pictures of its S60 Concept in advance of its unveiling at the Detroit Motor Show next month.
The Concept previews the next-generation S60 saloon, still a year away from production.
The S60 is to get a more coupe-like side profile, with more dramatic exterior design details. It'll feature a larger Volvo symbol within the grille, a more pronounced V-shaped bonnet and more sharply angled LED headlamps - which contain a tiny silhouette of a Viking longboat within their projectors - and reshaped air intakes.
To the rear, there are clear glass tail-light covers, and a retractable, speed-sensitive diffuser. The S60 Concept's 'shoulder-line' is bolder, and it sits on 20" seven-spoke wheels. The paint finish, called Warm Liquid Copper, is echoed by bronze-painted brake callipers.
The Concept's party trick is its power-operated rear doors. Described as 'parallelogram' in their operation, a frontal section swings out and away from the car's body when opening, and then the door slides to a rearward position. This feature is unlikely to make production, however; its main purpose, apart from attracting photographers, is to better display the Concept's interior.
With a four-seat layout, the S60's cabin features a solid-crystal, full-length centre console that stretches from dashboard to the rear seat's backrest. The speedo has a 3D effect with images projected onto glass. The 'floating' effect of both console and instrument panel is repeated by the seats, which are anchored onto the centre console rather than fastened to the floor. These thin but sculpted seats incorporate a slot in the headrest for a pony-tail (a detail first seen in Volvo's YCC project) and are upholstered in light beige leather, to contrast with the dark tanned saddle leather on the floor and door-bottoms. The top sections of the door are covered in typically Scandinavian blond birch wood.
It wouldn't be a Volvo if it wasn't safe, and the S60 Concept showcases a new technology: collision warning with pedestrian detection and fully-automatic braking. If the car cannot be brought to a complete halt without hitting the unfortunate person, then the impact speed is at least reduced, and the collision force reduced by around 75%. It's a development of the collision warning system already offered in the XC60, which guards against low-speed rear-end incidents, with a similar head-up display of warning signals. The adaptive cruise control system has also been upgraded, with a new queue-assist function to allow a zero-time gap from the car in front at a standstill.
Carbon dioxide emissions from this S60 have been brought down to just 119g/km - excellent for this size of car even with a diesel, let alone a petrol engine. This petrol engine is a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder unit using Volvo's new GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) technology, which enables a 180bhp output from this small-capacity engine.
GTDi engines, similar in concept to Volkswagen's TFSI units, will be offered in Volvo's production vehicles from summer 2009.
In the S60 Concept, the 1.6 GTDi is combined with stop-start, the double-clutch Powershift sequential-shift gearbox, electric power steering, flat underbody panels and wind-deflecting grille panel to keep the fuel consumption and emissions so low. In DRIVe mode, a further economy mode that restricts selected electrical or mechanical systems, it is more efficient yet.
And best of all, Volvo CEO Stephen Odell notes that 'the driving properties are better than in any previous Volvo'. He said: 'The sporty design gives a visual promise of an enthusiastic drive, and I can assure you that the all-new S60 will live up to that promise.'
Check out the rest of our Detroit Motor Show coverage.
