Think Volvo. What comes to mind? Safe. Solid. Stodgy but borderline stylish. But high performance? Not likely to pop into one’s head, despite the Swedish company’s long-standing dalliance with turbo power.
So how to figure the 2004 Volvo S60 R, a limited-edition, high-zoot reconfiguration of the S60 sedan? An anomaly? Or a new direction for the company? Probably not. More likely, it’s an attempt to broaden Volvo’s appeal among trendy folks who have the bucks to afford cars in the near-luxury and luxury class.
Because it’s tweaked from an existing model, the R is something of a stealth vehicle. It doesn’t look much different from its sedate S60 sibling, so you can surprise a lot of smart-alecks in the stoplight sprints.
Consider: The five-cylinder engine displaces just 2.5 liters, but it delivers a whooping 300 horsepower to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic with a manual-shift mode.
As if that weren’t enough, there’s plenty of stuff to complement the power, including a computerized adaptive suspension system, electronically controlled all-wheel drive and brakes by Brembo, a famed manufacturer of stoppers for race and high-performance cars. The combination makes for a car that can be as docile or exciting as the driver’s mood.
Even with the six-speed manual, as on the test car, the S60 R is easy to drive smoothly, even for a novice.
The clutch engagement is progressive and smooth, and the shift linkage, though the throws are a trifle long, is neither vague nor clunky.
The gearing is tall, so fifth and sixth gears should be reserved for the highway.
Turbochargers boost engine horsepower by using exhaust gases to force ever-larger volumes of air and fuel into the engine. Though turbochargers sometimes are prone to kick in abruptly, following the dreaded turbo lag as they spool up, those tendencies have largely been eliminated by the Volvo engineers.
So for the most part, the power comes on progressively as you mash the throttle. Moreover, a well-designed turbo produces gobs of torque, or low-speed pulling power, which makes the S60 R right snappy off the line.
Top speed is governed at 155 mph.
At the same time, because of the engine’s relatively small displacement, puttering about town at low speeds or cruising the highways at legal speeds produces decent fuel economy. The S60 R is rated by the federal government at 18 miles per gallon city, 25 highway.
Handling is tight and true, with a squat-down feel as you negotiate curves, and the steering feels nicely weighted and centered on the straightaways.
However, the turning circle is wide enough to discourage U-turns. The taut suspension system gives up some ride quality, but it’s not excessive. Most anyone short of those who are chauffeur-driven should be comfortable.
Unfortunately for the pocketbook-challenged, none of this comes cheap.
The S60 R starts out at $37,935. That covers a good level of standard equipment, including traction control, antilock brakes, side air bags and side-curtain air bags, front and rear fog lights, bi-xenon headlights with washers, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming inside mirror, garage-door opener, remote locking with an alarm system, leather upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, an eight-way power driver’s seat with memory, and a CD-cassette stereo system.
The test car had options, including a motorized sunroof and a four-disc in-dash CD changer, that bumped the suggested delivered price to $41,775.
Like other European luxury-car manufacturers, Volvo also lists all but one of the paint jobs as options, costing $450 to $600. Curiously, red is the only no-extra-cost color.
In addition to its obvious performance advantages, the S60 R coddles its driver and passengers in luxury accommodations. The leather-covered front bucket seats are among the best in the business — deep, supportive, comfortable and well-bolstered.
The only glitch is that the manual lumbar support controls for the seats are inboard, so close to the console that it’s nearly impossible to manipulate them without breaking fingernails.
In keeping with its sporting persona, the S60 R has no woodgrain trim. Instead, its black and tan instrument panel and doors are trimmed in brushed aluminum.
Out back, the outboard passengers have accommodations almost as comfortable as those up front, although the space is not overly generous. The center seating position is ridiculously unaccommodating.
A nice comfort touch for back seaters are air conditioning vents in the center pillars — called B pillars in the industry.
A welcome feature for the driver is a button on the dash that drops the rear-seat headrests for better visibility when the back seats are not occupied.
A full-service spare wheel nestles in the nicely finished trunk.
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