Volvo Cars has taken the wraps off its new S60 sedan, revealing the third generation of its mid-size saloon – which will take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – at its new US manufacturing plant in Charleston, South Carolina.
The new S60 sedan is built on the Swedish automaker’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, underpinnings it shares with the likes of the latest V60, XC60, V90, S90 and XC90. It is expected to be launched in South Africa at some point in 2019, with Volvo Car SA saying “final dates and specification are not yet available”.
The brand says the new S60 will be the first Volvo car to be sold without a diesel engine option, signalling the company’s commitment to electrification and a “long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine”.
So, what will power the new S60? Well, the automaker says two turbocharged and supercharged plug-in hybrid petrol engines will be available: its T6 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that generates a combined 254 kW and the T8 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that delivers 298 kW (both is US spec, anyway).
Volvo’s familiar T5 and T6 petrol engines will also be offered. In addition, a “Polestar Engineered” package (as pictured below) will be available exclusively on the T8 Twin Engine model, bringing upgrades to the vehicle’s wheels, brakes, suspension and engine control unit.
Safety systems in the new S60 will include “city safety with autobrake” technology, the “pilot assist” system (which supports the driver with steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130km/h), run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation and other steering assistance systems.
Volvo’s Sensus Connect infotainment system (which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) will also be present, in the familiar tablet-style touchscreen form.
“The new S60 is one of the most exciting Volvo cars we’ve ever made,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “It is a true driver’s car that gives us a strong position in the US and China sedan markets, creating more growth opportunities for Volvo Cars.”
Henrik Green, senior vice president for research and development at Volvo Cars, added that “the active chassis and drive modes deliver excellent control and an engaged performance that makes this a driver’s car”.
