Volvo puts $3000 premium on V60

VOLVO Car Australia has placed a $3000 premium on the five-door wagon version of its all-new S60 sedan, the V60, which will be formally launched late this month.

Official manufacturer’s list prices obtained by GoAuto for Volvo’s most important new model in 2011 show the entry-level V60 T5 will carry a sticker price of $54,950, representing a $3000 premium over the equivalent S60 T5 sedan ($51,950) that became available in Australia this week.

The five-variant Belgian-built mid-size V60 wagon line-up will mirror the closely related S60 sedan range that was launched in D5 turbo-diesel and T6 turbo-petrol guises in December, before being joined by entry-level T5 and more sporting R-Design versions this week.

That means the base V60 T5 will come with the same Ford-sourced 177kW/320Nm 2.0-litre GDTi turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and front-wheel drive configuration as this month’s new S60 T5 sedan and XC60 T5 crossover, which were released in the same week as a thorough 2011 upgrade for the entire Volvo model range.

Matched exclusively with a six-speed dual-clutch PowerShift automated manual transmission the sub-$55,000 base-level V60 T5 is also $10,500 more expensive than the cheapest version of Volvo’s smaller S40-based wagon – the more accurately named V50 T5 S ($44,450), which is powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine and also costs $3000 more than the S40 T5 on hich it's based.

As with the new S60, the base V60 T5 will be available in R-Design form for a further $4200 ($59,150), returning the same combine fuel consumption of 8.7 litres per 100km – 0.4L/100km more than the S60 T5.

Priced at $60,950, the mid-range V60 D5 AWD – powered by the same 151kW 2.4-litre inline five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine as the S60 D5 AWD – drives all four wheels via a conventional Geartronic torque converter automatic transmission and returns 7.1L/100km.

Rounding out the V60 range to be launched on March 28 will be the 224kW 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol-engined T6 AWD, which at $67,950 is just $2000 more affordable than the larger but relatively new V70 wagon, and its range-topping R-Design sibling ($72,150), which also comes only in AWD Geartronic guise returning 10.3L/100km.

As with the S60, all V60 models have an 1800kg braked towing capacity (750kg unbraked) and measure 4628mm long, 1865mm wide, 1462mm high and ride on a 2776mm wheelbase, but the wagon derivative is up to 75kg heavier with tare weights ranging between 1653kg (T5) and 1804kg (T6).

Left: Volvo V60 R-Design.

Again reflecting the S60 line-up, standard V60 safety equipment will include the pedestrian-friendly City Safety system, electronic stability control, ABS brakes, Roll Over Protection System (ROPS), latest-generation Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) and twin front, front-side and full-length side curtain airbags.

Also standard across the range is climate-control, cruise control, leather trim, a ‘High Performance’ sound system, power windows, retractable exterior mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, reversing sensors and 17-inch alloy wheels, while the T6 adds 18-inch alloys.

R-Design models add a more aggressive front bumper with gloss black grille, colour-matched body components, larger intakes for the rear diffuser, twin exhaust outlets, five-spoke 18-inch ‘Ixion’ diamond-cut alloy wheels, sports seats with larger squab bolsters trimmed in R-Design leather, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, sports leather gearshifter, sports pedals and R-Design floor mats, trim inlays and watch-dial instruments.

The V60 R-Design chassis has been lowered by 15mm via 15 per cent stiffer springs accompanied by firmer anti-roll bars and a front strut tower brace under the bonnet – a move that Volvo says increases body rigidity and steering feel – while the standard S60’s twin-tube rear dampers have been replaced with mono-tube dampers and the bushings that attach the rear dampers to the body have been stiffened by 20 per cent.

An extensive V60 options list will include adaptive cruise control ($4175), Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System ($1275), a reversing camera ($795), interior compass ($100), ‘Urbane’ wood interior inlays ($700), bi-Xenon headlights ($2650), inclination sensor ($975), Volvo Guard alarm ($850), grocery bag holder ($200), humidity sensor ($150) and even a sunglass holder ($100).

V60 options continue with a sunroof ($2650), lane departure warning system ($2075), electric folding head restraints ($200), heated front and rear seats ($325 each), speed-sensitive steering ($800), Four-C active suspension ($4175), Nivomat self-levelling suspension ($1350), headlight washers ($275) and a range of tinted and/or water-repellent rear windows ($200-$850).

Also like the S60, Volvo is considering more fuel-efficient DRIVe versions of the V60 for Australia, while a plug-in hybrid version of the V60 wagon was revealed at this month’s Geneva motor show.

Confirmed for left-hand drive production in 2012 and on the wish-list for Australia, the plug-in V60 returns just 1.9L/100km and emits less than 50 grams of CO2 per kilometre thanks to a 50kW electric motor that drives the rear wheels and a 150kW/440Nm 2.4-litre D5 diesel that drives the front wheels.

2011 Volvo V60 pricing:
T5 (a)	$54,950
T5 R-Design (a)	$59,150
D5 AWD (a)&nbsp	$60,950
T6 AWD (a)&nbsp	$67,950
T6 AWD R-Design (a)	$72,150