Volvo's Golden Boy Can Do No Wrong
Road Test:
Volvo S60 2.4T
Compiled by: George Achorn and Paul Grimes
Last edited: 07/30/01 - 09:00 AM
Since the S60's launch last year, it has spearheaded record sales figures for the Scandinavian brand, while entering
one of the toughest segments of the market. For the folks at Volvo and the car's smitten owner group, the title
of "Golden Boy" is particularly fitting for the 2.4T, and especially our Maya Gold Metallic test car.
The 2.4T, positioned between the base 2.4 and the current T-5 top of the range, would appear to be the most popular
choice for S60 buyers, and that's no surprise. While not the fastest choice in the Volvo stable, it seems to be
the best bang for the buck.
Last year, the rounded coupe-like S60 replaced the more conservative and boxy S70. The name change from "S70"
to "S60" was made to not only adhere to the brand's new numbering system, but also to signify the new
sedan's movement within the marketplace.
While the S70/850 car range was originally designed to compete with the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class and Audi
200/A6, the new car is positioned squarely against the current generation BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class and Audi
A4.
As the predecessor's competitors grew in size and cost, Volvo's more recently introduced S80 became a more direct
competitor in size and price. In turn, the lower positioned target competitors to the S60 such as the BMW 3-series
have also grown in size, well larger than the current S40 or its planned replacement. Because of this, the S60
has slotted in nicely on the larger end of the segment below the now successful S80.
The new car, based on Volvo's P2 platform shared with the S80 and V70, is 5.7-inches shorter than the S70, though
the wheelbase is only 2-inches shorter and the front and rear tracks are actually wider. One can look at these
dimensions and see that Volvo not only chose to make the car slightly smaller, but also chose to make it much more
aggressive with dimensions that place the wheels at the outer corners for improved handling and stability.
This smaller size applied to the P2 platform also bestowed the S60 with improved torsional rigidity. The S60 is
100-percent more rigid than the S70, and more than 20-percent more rigid than the larger P2-based S80.
The segment of the market that S60 now slots into is one of the most hotly contested around. Existing powerhouses
such as the BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class and Lexus IS300 make it already a tough group to join, and newer larger
versions of the Audi A4 and Infiniti G-series combined with the all-new Jaguar X-type make things even tougher
for the S60. Nevertheless, it has hit the market running, outselling records set by the already successful S70.
Design of the car borrows heavily from the more recent S80 and V70 offerings from Volvo. However, the smaller size
of the car, mated with a thicker C-pillar and more sloped roof akin to the C70, bestow the S60 with a much more
coupe-like look. This more streamlined feel was fully intended by Volvo designers, however mated with four doors
and Volvo's renowned levels of safety make the S60 a highly attractive offering indeed.
The 2.4T, named for the 2.4-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine by which it is powered, weighs in at a healthy
197-horsepower at 6,000 rpm as compared to the 247-horsepower of the S60 T-5. Though there is some evidence of
turbo lag, the effect is quite muted due to the car's power delivery low in the rev range and even power distribution
as the tachometer climbs to redline.
While 50-horsepower is nothing to scoff at, the 2.4T makes due quite nicely with the low-pressure turbo setup that
delivers 210 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1800rpm, making the engine enough power for all but the most power-hungry
consumer.
The straight 5-cylinder setup is not common in the automotive marketplace. Audi pioneered this configuration, albeit
mounted longitudinally, from the late 1970's to the mid '90's and Acura had a brief offering as well with the short-lived
Vigor sedan. Volvo began use of the engine with the introduction of the 850 back in 1993. This setup has been particularly
attractive to Volvo as it allows them to mount the engine transversely in some fairly confined space, possibly
even in the upcoming 30, 40 and 50-series models planned to share the next generation Ford Focus platform.
The I-5 engine has a truly unique sound. A trained ear will immediately notice the difference from the deeper sound
of a 6-cylinder or the usually rattlish tones of a 4-cylinder. While it doesn't fit the normal schema of engine
sound, one gets accustomed to the sound of the 5-cylinder quite quickly, something the generous power delivery
probably helps quicken.
A 5-speed automatic is the base transmission choice, and the one that our test car came equipped with. Though Volvo's
manual transmission is not offered on 2.4T models bound for North America, a 5-speed Geartronic transmission is
available at a $200 premium. This particular option is very much a bargain, which will allow a driver to more easily
keep the engine's in its power band and make the most use of boost the smaller turbocharger provides, as the basic
automatic does not come equipped with the Sport Mode found in previous Volvos. Lack of Sport Mode and Geartronic
aside, the automatic transmission actually does a highly respectable job delivering power to the front wheels of
the S60 with little evidence of torque steer. Shifts are smooth, whether leisurely accelerating or applying throttle
much more aggressively. |
