Geneva show: Volvo outs new V60 family wagon
BY RON HAMMERTON | 22nd Feb 2018
Considerably bigger and roomier than the first-generation V60 that appeared in 2010 and is now in run-out, the new model and its upcoming S60 sedan twin are yet to be confirmed for Australia.
The new V60 was revealed globally overnight on Volvo’s Facebook page, direct from the driveway from a family home in Stockholm – “its natural habitat” – as the Swedish company begins its marketing offensive for the introduction of the new model in Europe about September.
Sitting on Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that already underpins the latest XC60, XC90 and S90, the V60 is 126mm longer than before at 4761mm, making it one of the largest wagons in its class.
A 2872mm wheelbase – stretched 96mm – indicates the wagon will be more spacious than previously, with greater luggage space (841 litres with the rear seats up) than any of its key rivals – the BMW 3-Series Touring, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate and Audi A4 Avant.
And in line with Volvo’s commitment to introduce electrified variants of all of its models by 2019, the V60 will offer petrol-electric plug-in hybrid all-wheel-drive alternatives, or Twin Engines in Volvo-speak.
Unlike the XC90 that has one such powertrain, the V60 will have two – a 253kW version in the Twin Engine T6 AWD and a top-of-the-line 290kW Twin Engine T8 AWD.
The latter is just short of the XC90 Twin Engine’s 300kW, but due to a lighter kerb weight and sleeker profile, should comfortably match or exceed the XC90’s claimed combined fuel economy figure of 2.1 litres per 100km.
Two turbocharged petrol powertrains – T5 and T6 – will be offered, alongside a pair of diesels in D3 and D4 guises.
Power, performance and fuel economy figures for all these powertrains have been withheld at this stage, presumably until the car appears in the flesh at the Geneva show.
Unveiling the new model, Volvo Cars president and CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the family estate driver had been an important customer for Volvo for generations.
“The new V60 honours that tradition, but also takes it much further,” he said.
In Europe, buyers will be able to lease the new V60 by subscription, paying a flat monthly fee. Called Care by Volvo, the system “makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a mobile phone”, Volvo says.
Being a Volvo, the V60 has high levels off safety, getting the company’s latest City Safety autonomous braking system that can recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals.
Also, Volvo is claiming a world first with auto-braking to mitigate oncoming collisions.
The so-called Pilot System – including technologies such as lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control at up to 130km/h – gets improved cornering performance in V60.
The always connected infotainment system with its typically Volvo tablet-shaped screen includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G.
As GoAuto has reported, Volvo Car Australia has said it is yet to decide if it will launch the V60 and S60 on this market where SUVs now have such a grip on sales.
It expects to make the decision closer to the European launch in the third quarter of this year. If it does decide to take them, an early 2019 launch is expected.
