S60 goes gunning for 3

Australia's default choice for prestige buyers -- BMW's 3 Series range -- is firmly in the sights of the latest from Volvo. Launched this week in Sintra, Portugal, the all-new S60 sedan has the styling and on-road performance to take on and beat the all-conquering 3 Series, in addition to Audi's burgeoning A4 line-up and Mercedes-Benz's C-Class. At least that's the view of Volvo's project and executive teams!

Indeed, Volvo is pinning much of its hopes -- both internationally and Down Under -- on the new midsizer. It plans to build around 90,000 units a year at its Ghent, Belgium factory. Volvo's total production in 2009 was just under 400,000 cars.

Dynamically sharper than any sedan the company's yet produced, its styling effectively disguises a true four/five-seat package that's a little larger than the 3 Series but shorter than both the Audi and the Benz. It rides on the second-longest wheelbase in the class. Volvo has joined the growing throng and labelled the car a four-door coupe. Whatever the rhetoric, it's a handsome beast in the metal.

Unveiled internationally at the Geneva show in March, the S60 will likely make its local debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney in October. Disappointingly for Volvo, local dealer stocks of the car will not arrive until the first quarter of 2011.

Once up and running, however, Volvo Australia believes it can sell more than 100-120 units per month Down Under. This sort of rate is around a third/quarter of what BMW, Benz and Audi move in the segment. Nonetheless it would make the S60 Volvo Australia's second-most popular model after the XC60, and a clear leader within its sedan/wagon ranks.

In almost 11 years of sales Down Under the outgoing S60 sold just over 3526 units in total. Its peak in 2001 was 1051 units.

"[One thousand to 1500 units per annum] That's the sort of total we'd like to sell in the first year. It's a starting point. Volvo is not well known for its sedans in Australia but we believe the S60 is the package that can break us into this segment," Australia spokesperson Laurissa Mirabelli told the Carsales Network.

Though Volvo Australia has not finalised its local specification or model walk, it will offer at least three powertrain options when the S60 goes on sale Down Under, and a range of option packages.

Heading the lineup will be the all-wheel drive T6. Powered by Volvo's unique turbocharged transverse inline six-cylinder petrol powerplant coupled to Volvo's second-generation six-speed automatic Geartronic automatic transmission, the T6 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 6.5sec. Tweaked for its use in the S60 T6, the six now pumps out 223kW and 440Nm of torque but returns better than 10.0L/100km in combined cycle testing.

Volvo Australia can then pick from two five-cylinder diesel engines offered to European customers. Top of the wishlist is the 150kW/420Nm twin-turbo D5 version already featured in the XC60 Down Under.

Volvo Australia says it may choose to offer the its brand-new 120kW/400Nm D3 (still five-cylinder but 2.0-litres) at a lower price point if demand warrants it. A move like this would allow the S60 to compete not only with its German competition, but the turbodiesel offerings from the likes of Volkswagen, Mazda and Subaru.

Performance in D3 trim is still strong. The 2.0-litre five-cylinder powerplant takes the S60 to 100km/h in just over 9sec and returns an impressive 5.3L/100km (both stats for the manual version).

While a D3 S60 would be front-wheel drive only, expect Volvo Australia to pair the D5 with all-wheel drive, at least as an option.

Likely to be the volume seller Down Under, however, will be a new turbocharged four-cylinder petrol S60. Featuring Volvo's latest 2.0-litre Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDi) powerplant, the variant will match or better the volume sellers of the 3 Series and A4 ranges in terms of engine size, power output and performance.

The 2.0GTDi powerplant features new Volvo-developed turbocharging technology, direct injection and twin variable camshafts to, says Volvo, "give a unique combination of low fuel consumption, low emissions and high performance across a wide rev range".

By way of explanation, the turbo is smaller than normally used with a 2.0-litre engine boosting torque and response. The installation features a manifold and turbo housing that are made of sheet steel rather than cast.

This set-up has been patented by Volvo. Volvo says the benefits of the sheet manifold are weight reduction and better heat insulation qualities. This aids combustion efficiency and faster warm up for the catalytic converter.

Two versions of the GTDi four will be offered in Europe.

Rated at 150kW and 300Nm from as low as 1750rpm, the 2.0GTDi accelerates the S60 0-100 km/h in 7.7sec and uses just 7.9L/100km (both stats for manual). Meantime Volvo will also offer a further developed version of the 2.0-litre four dubbed the T5 during 2011. It's this engine which pumps out 176kW and 320Nm that Volvo Australia will debut locally.

In lieu of a conventional automatic box, the 2.0GTDi engine is coupled with Volvo version of the Ford's Powershift twin-clutch gearbox.

Though head office has not yet confirmed when right-hand drive production of the GTDi-powered S60s will commence, Volvo Australia is keen to have the variant available from the S60's launch Down Under.

Volvo Australia says a DRIVe low emission version of the S60 is still some time off. In Europe the manual-only 1.6-litre turbodiesel S60 DRIVe will deliver fuel consumption rates in the mid-4.0L/100km range that will rival compact hybrids.

Though Volvo is playing up the sporting prowess of the new car, safety will still be a key focus of the S60. In addition to the City Safety autonomous braking system introduced in the XC60, Volvo Australia is keen to add Pedestrian Detection into the S60's standard equipment list -- at least at T6 level.

Volvo claims this system can avoid a collision with a pedestrian completely at speeds up to 35km/h.

The system uses a combination of radar and camera-based image recognition to detect pedestrians who walk into the road in front of the car. It warns the driver via an audible warning and a flash light in the car's head-up display. It then precharges the braking system and can automatically apply full braking power if he or she does not respond in time.

Volvo claims Pedestrian Detection can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds of up to 35km/h. At higher speeds, the company says, the focus is on slowing down.

"A lower speed of impact means that the risk of serious injury is significantly reduced. For instance, if speed is cut from 50km/h to 25km/h, Pedestrian Detection is expected to reduce the fatality risk by as much as 20 per cent and in some cases by up to 85 per cent," says the S60 blurb.

The S60 also features Volvo's Advanced Stability Control. Derived from the system it uses on its SUVs, ASC features a roll angle sensor which Volvo says allows the system to "identify any skidding tendency at a very early stage". The company says this is "a great asset in dynamic driving involving considerable lateral forces, thus improving handling and rapid avoidance manoeuvres."

Pricing will be key to the S60's success. In the USA pricing for the S60 T6 significantly undercuts its Benz and BMW equivalents.

Volvo says it will announce pricing closer to the car's actual release Down Under. Notwithstanding the US lead, Volvo Australia Director of Sales Matt Braid concedes the company will have to offer a pricing incentive to win customers away from BMW and others.

"We need to be price competitive with S60. There's an enormous amount of R&D gone into the S60 so it's not a cheap car but I think we will be able to offer a surprise or two in our specification levels."

Look out for more news on the all-new Volvo S60 and our drive impression here soon.

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