Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Volvo
Detroit '09 Preview: Volvo S60 Concept
Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Volvo S60 Concept
Next month in Detroit, the Volvo S60 Concept will serve up a teaser for the 2010 production sedan that'll likely debut later in the show season. The S60 Concept demonstrates that Volvo's new sedan will ditch the rather conservative duds it currently wears in favor of a new, much more aggressive visual ensemble. Profile views show off a coupe-ish roofline, while pointed headlights extend back onto the fenders and flank a reshaped, more detailed grille up front. The concept's rear is similarly detailed, with LED taillamps that hide the various signal colors until they are actually illuminated.
Gallery: Volvo S60 Concept
Inside, the cabin is predictably heavy on the typical concept stuff -- modern-looking seats, light colors and crystalline accents -- while still hinting at the next S60's instrumentation layout. Interesting features include a shifter that's left horizontal when the car is cruising in automatic mode, but can be flipped up for a better grip when the driver wants to select gears manually. The S60 Concept has no B-pillar and features truck rear doors that open outward and slide back out of the way so that showgoers can better ogle the fancy interior. Don't expect anything of the sort to make it to production.
Safety features, as you would expect, are also prevalent. The S60 Concept gives us our first look at Volvo's Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake, which will make its debut on the production car. The system uses radar, a camera, and a control unit to effectively eliminate low-speed pedestrian collisions (at speeds under 12 mph or so) and drastically reduce the force of impact in scenarios involving higher speeds. The system, which allows for full braking power to be employed in emergency, collision-imminent situations without driver input, should help cut down on rear-end crashes as well. Volvo's Active Cruise Control system has also been upgraded; it now maintains the car's distance from the vehicle ahead right down to a stop, adding low-speed functionality that was previously unavailable.
Power comes from a GTDi (gasoline turbocharged direct-injection) four-cylinder making around 179 horsepower mated to a Powershift dual-clutch gearbox. An additional suite of efficiency features, including start/stop functionality, a "DRIVe" economy mode, and various aerodynamic enhancements, helps deliver fuel economy in the neighborhood of 47mpg while keeping CO2 emissions under 120 g/km. Hopefully, all that goodness makes its way into the production car as well. Volvo says that its first car featuring GTDi "will appear in 2009." In any case, we should learn more next month when the Detroit show (or what's left of it, anyway) gets rolling.
Gallery: Volvo S60 Concept
[Source: Volvo]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
tarheelsxl 3:04AM (12/16/2008)
Is that a Volvo?!
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geo.stewart 7:28AM (12/16/2008)
I think its amazing the design progress that Volvo has made. I remember the accolades lauded on the S60 when it came out and now they are called conservative in light of this concept.
And yet, there is no mistaking its a Volvo. I am probably one of the few who think Nasser did the world a favor when he had the vision for the PAG. If only Ford had had the resources to keep them all and develop more. They have done wonders with them all.
Flashpoint 8:34AM (12/16/2008)
WOWWWWWW
so if you can't afford a BMW X6, you can get this and still ride in luxury.
We also know what the next Mazda is gonna look like?
homunculus 11:21AM (12/16/2008)
it seriously looks like it should be a jag.
i love the way the new volvos look. xc60 is a winning design.
way to go swedish design.
esoterica 12:51PM (12/16/2008)
If the production version looks anything close to this, Volvo will be the world's design leader. This is jaw-droppingly spectacular, down to the tiniest detail.
Berto 3:12AM (12/16/2008)
In picture 5 it looks like a mix between the back of a BMW X6 with Honda-like tail lights.
Front view reminds me a bit of Mercedes' new design language.
lol at the photoshoped dude in picture one.
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Kitko 6:35AM (12/16/2008)
This looks like Ford Mondeo meets Mazda 6.
Mercedes' "new design language" is blatant copy of Mazda's design... Its browinish-greyish Fascination take on sports wagon was a blend of Mazda 6 and Mazda sports tourer, 10 years old design study..., and it's green eco mobil takes its clue from Mazda 2 and Fiesta, which is Mazda 2 with different body.
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/x-mercedes-benz-conceptfascination-x/1030920/
http://www.cartype.com/pics/4256/full/mazda-mx-sport-tourer_2.jpg
http://www.patricialin.com/images/mazda6.jpg
Robert 3:15AM (12/16/2008)
Stunning.
I may just have to buy a volvo.
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HAWC1506 7:03PM (12/16/2008)
I'll buy it as long as it isn't owned by a Chinese company by then.
Torrent 3:19AM (12/16/2008)
oh damn.
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RT 3:33AM (12/16/2008)
This looks like a great implementation of Volvo's new design language (I think the first example of which is the XC60). Considering how true the production XC60 is to the concept, I expect the production S60 to closely mirror this one. I hope the car's dynamics match the design.
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Paul 7:05AM (12/16/2008)
beat me to exactly what i was going to say - BTW saw an XC60 in person last night and was blown away... totally stunning.
Beeb 10:25AM (12/16/2008)
"Considering how true the production XC60 is to the concept..."
Wow--hafta disagree with that. I was ready to sell the farm to get a concept version of the XC60 but I wouldn't sell my salad spinner to get the production version. To me they absolutely ruined the production XC60, removing all the testosterone of the concept version and replacing it with botox. It definitely suffers the tradional Volvo styling blahs, lacking any real surface tension or aggressive proportions.
Hopefully they'll try a little harder this time around to stay true to a stunning concept. If not, maybe BMW (who should buy Volvo) will use this as a template for the next 3-Series.
Paul 10:49AM (12/16/2008)
umm beeb - i saw both in the flesh, they are VERY close. Not so close you couldn't tell them apart, but extremely close.
talkingfuture 3:33AM (12/16/2008)
That is awesome! Build it and I will buy it.
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ddorsey 3:37AM (12/16/2008)
And don't forget the Lexus IS front lights and front quarter air dams (is that what they'd be called?).
I think Volvo just incorporated the best of the best in this, including some of their own design language and it turned out to be amazing. Looks aerodynamic too, maybe a hybrid version?
The exterior looks production ready also, not sure about the interior, concept interiors have looked like that for years and no one has pulled it off.
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GAuto 3:58AM (12/16/2008)
wow...absolutely stunning. Fantastic swooping roofline, interesting front air dams that flow well with the grill. The shoulder line is not very Volvo-ish (compared to outgoing gens), but I think it works well. Overall, a fantastic concept...hopefully the next S60 takes the best idea from this and builds on them!
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Miguel 3:59AM (12/16/2008)
Want.
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TyWright 4:01AM (12/16/2008)
This is spectacular. Please build as is!!!
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john.paulsson 4:12AM (12/16/2008)
"The system, which allows for full braking power to be employed in emergency, collision-imminent situations without driver input, should help cut down on rear-end crashes as well."
But should increse the risk of GETTING rear-ended ;)
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