Volvo S60 News

Volvo's new, economical Drive-E engines have arrived in Australia.

Volvo and engineering company Flybrid Automotive, have been conducting UK tests of lightweight Flybrid flywheel KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) technology that boosts performance while cutting fuel consumption and emissions.The partnership, using real-world driving data from tests on public roads and test tracks in both Sweden and the UK, has shown that the flywheel-based hybrid technology can deliver an 55kW performance boost, together with fuel savings of up to 25 per cent.The research forms part of Volvo's continued Drive-E Powertrain research and development programme, which demands no compromise between performance and efficiency. Flybrid KERS tests deliver impressive results and confirm that it is a lightweight, financially viable and very efficient solution.The system is the first full-scale trial of a rear-axle mounted flywheel system in a front-wheel-drive passenger car. The Flybrid KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is fitted to the rear axle of a Volvo S60 powered by a 200kW five-cylinder T5 petrol engine. Under braking, kinetic energy which would otherwise be lost as heat is transferred from the wheels to the KERS, and is used to spin a 6kg carbon fibre flywheel at up to 60,000 revs per minute.When the car starts moving off again, energy stored in the spinning flywheel is transferred back to the rear wheels via a specially designed transmission, and can either boost power or reduce load on the engine. The combustion engine that drives the front wheels is switched off as soon as braking begins. The energy in the flywheel can then be used to accelerate the vehicle when it is time to move off again or to power the vehicle once it reaches cruising speed. 

Volvo has released a revised version of the the S60 Polestar, developed by Volvo Car Group's global performance and motorsport partner, Polestar.The latest model builds on the strengths of the limited-edition debut model, which was released only in Australia in 2013. Volvo last year decided to introduce specialised Polestar variants on the production line for a number of markets.The evolution of the S60 Polestar is based on feedback from Australian journalists and customers. Included this time around is a new paddle gearshift system, new Brembo brake package and a subtly-revised interior.The six-cylinder turbo-charged T6 engine remains the same but is optimised by Polestar with a bigger turbo, new intercooler, revised engine mapping and racing exhaust to produce 257kW and 500Nm.The six-speed automatic gearbox has been Polestar-optimised, which means quick-shift gearchanges via the new gearshift paddles. In conjunction with the launch control and Polestar-optimised Haldex AWD system the S60 Polestar will accelerate from standstill to 100kmh in 4.9 seconds.Chassis upgrades include modifications to increase rigidity of the chassis, with 80 percent stiffer springs relative to a standard S60 T6 R-Design. These changes combined, with the tailored high-performance Ohlins shock absorbers and 19-inch Polestar graphite alloy wheels result in a precise, yet comfortable, ride.The brake system now boasts six-piston Brembo calipers, 370mm ventilated floating discs with high performance pads front and rear. To reflect the increased performance of the S60 Polestar, positive aerodynamic effects have been achieved through subtle, yet efficient, modifications based on data from tests in the Volvo Cars wind tunnel.The new S60 Polestar incorporates sports seats for comfort during any driving condition. Upholstered in charcoal Nubuck and leather, these are complimented by blue stitching and an embossed Polestar logo. 

Neither a box on wheels nor a DIY flatpack, Volvo blew away all those Swedish gags at the unveiling of the V8 Supercar it will debut at Clipsal 500 in two weeks.In distinctive blue and dominant Valvoline livery, the two-car, factory-backed entry running under the Volvo Polestar Racing banner made its grand entrance to the 2014 V8 Supercars paddock at Sydney Harbour yesterday morning.Featuring a stumpy boot true to its road-model companion, the final look of the S60 racecar powered by a 478kW Polestar-built 5.0-litre V8 engine had been a closely guarded secret."It's a very mean-looking car," driver and last year's V8 Supercars rookie of the year Scott McLaughlin said. "The front is a little bit shorter and the boot's a bit shorter as well, so it actually makes it look quite phat."It's awesome.""I'm just honestly looking forward to getting out there and giving it a red-hot crack." It's entry under new car of the future specifications makes Volvo the fifth manufacturer in Australia's most popular motorsport category, joining Ford, Holden, Nissan and Mercedes. The national touring car series has not been so diverse in terms of makers since it ran under previous international rules in 1992.The cars, to be piloted by McLaughlin and Robert Dahlgren, have had only straight-line aerodynamic testing of their Volvo shell ahead of tomorrow's official test day at Sydney Motorsport Park."This is a historic day in the history of Volvo Car Australia," Volvo Car Australia managing director Matt Braid said. "As the first luxury car manufacturer to enter V8 Supercars with a factory team, we're delighted to reveal our Volvo S60 race car to meet the challenge of the world's toughest touring car series and strengthen the presence of the S60 model line - and Volvo brand - here in Australia." The season begins at the Clipsal 500 on February 27.

Volvo has confirmed that it will unveil a third concept based on its new SPA platform at the Geneva motor show next month.Building on the Coupe and XC Coupe concepts shown over the past year, it’s unclear what body style the new concept will represent.The first two concepts showcased Volvo’s new look in coupe and two-door crossover forms, so the third concept could hint at the future S60 sedan or V60 wagon, with a new four door coupe shape also a possibility.The modular SPA platform will underpin Volvo’s entire next-generation lineup, and feature the brand’s new efficiency-focused Drive-E four cylinder petrol and diesel engines.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Swedish driver Robert Dahlgren will partner rising Kiwi star Scott McLaughlin in the new factory-backed Volvo Polestar Racing outfit in the 2014 V8 Supercar Championship.The 34-year old Swede arrives with several years of Volvo S60 Polestar racing experience and road car development, most recently finishing a hard-fought and credible third place in the 2013 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship for Volvo Polestar Racing.“V8Supercars is one of the toughest in the world,” Dahlgren commented, referring to his first experience in 2006 of seeing the series in Darwin. Dahlgren was obviously impressed as he pursued a full time seat in Australia’s elite motorsport category.Dahlgren will need to rely on his previous Volvo racing experience as the V8Supercar rookie looks down the barrel of his biggest motorsport challenge to date.“The car I’m used to racing is a bit different, still a Volvo S60 Polestar but … is a DTM .  This V8Supercar is completely different and I have to learn a lot of new things…such as sitting on the right side of the cockpit,” Dahlgren says.The 2014 V8 Supercars Championship will mark 27 years since Volvo last raced in the then-Australian Touring Car Championship. The Volvo Polestar V8 Supercar team will enter the category a year after the introduction of the Car of The Future control chassis formula, and will join segment stalwarts Holden and Ford along with the Nissan and AMG efforts that entered the series in 2013.Volvo’s entry to the sport has been aided by pairing with the formerly Holden-aligned Gary Rogers Motorsport, where Dahlgren replaces Frenchman Alexandre Premat who drove for the team in the 2012 and 2013 championships.Progress and testing for the Volvo Polestar Racing S60 and its Volvo B8444S production-based V8 engine have been heavily guarded, although team principal Garry Rogers admits: “at this stage we are looking fair,  but I think we can improve from fair to very good, very soon!”.The Volvo racers will make their first public appearance on February 15 at the initial 2014 V8 Supercar test day at Sydney Motorsport Park. This will give the teams a mere 12 days to iron out any issues before the 2014 V8 Supercar Championship kicks off in Adelaide with the Clipsal 500 on March 2nd.First published at MyDrive: Volvo Polestar Racing V8 Supercar driver lineup confirmed 

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | over $100,000 LIGHT CARSBMW i3: BMW will bring the high tech i3 city car down under from September, with the pure-electric i3 BEV expected to start at about $60,000, and a range-extended i3 REX version with a 647cc petrol generator further up the price scale. (Approximately $60,000)SMALL CARSAudi A3 sedan: Audi will add a sedan version of its A3 small car to the existing Sportback hatch lineup from January, with the hot S3 version to follow in April, and the drop-top A3 Cabriolet (from about $57k) to complete the lineup in about September. (Approximately $65,000)BMW 2 Series: The discontinued 1 Series coupe will be replaced by the new 2 Series coupe in around May, and will likely mirror the petrol and diesel drivetrains of the existing 1 Series hatch. A soft-top convertible is also in the works, but its launch date is still up in the air. (Approximately $45,000-$85,000)FAMILY CARSInfiniti Q50: Infiniti models are set to become a more common sight on Australian roads before June, with the Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3 Series-rivalling Q50’s arrival, boasting fresh styling, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of diesel or hybrid drivetrains. (Approximately $51,900-$73,900)Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Mercedes' new C-Class sedan and wagon are due around mid-year, with a range of new engines and an 80mm wheelbase stretch to help combat the also enlarged BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS rivals. Drivetrain availability from launch will include the 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre C180 and 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre C200 petrols, and the 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre turbodiesel C220. A smaller diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and more powerful petrol engines will come later. (Approximately from $60,000)Tesla Model S: The long-awaited Tesla Model S pure-electric passenger car is due to arrive locally in the second quarter, with the five door hatch balancing style, performance, and all-electric tech in equal measures. (Approximately $80,000)Volvo S60 and V60: Volvo will introduce the first of its new Drive-E engines to the S60 sedan and V60 wagon range in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $49,000-$78,000)LUXURY CARSLexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)SUV/4WDAudi RS Q3: The company’s first RS-badged SUV will arrive in February, with the RS Q3 borrowing its 228kW/420Nm five-cylinder heart from the TTRS, and promising 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $81,900)BMW X1: The baby bimmer SUV is also in line for a refreshing in March, with styling and interior tweaks expected. (Approximately 46,000-63,000)BMW X5 sDrive 25d: BMW will add the first two-wheel drive X5 to the new 2014 lineup early in the year, with a price-leading $82,900 2.0-litre turbodiesel sDrive 25d undercutting the existing all-wheel drive xDrive 25d by $5000. (Approximately $82,900)Ford Territory: The Territory SUV will score SYNC-inclusive revisions by the end of the year, ahead of its 2016 fate. (Approximately $40,000-$63,000)Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: The stylish Range Rover Evoque is due for an update before June, with a new nine-speed auto delivering fuel economy gains of about 10 per cent, plus styling tweaks to bring it in line with the new full-size Range Rover and Sport models. (Approximately $50,000-$91,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)Volvo XC60: Volvo’s new Drive-E engines will also appear in the XC60 SUV in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $57,000-79,000)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAlfa Romeo 4C: Alfa will bring a limited number of its limited-build 4C sports car to Australia in around June, with the mid-engined, carbon-chassised performance hero expected to lob for as little as $75,000.Peugeot RCZ-R: Building on the brand’s reignited performance cred thanks to the excellent 208 GTi, the French brand will also add the hot RCZ-R to the lineup in the second quarter, with a highly tuned 199kW version of the existing petrol version’s 1.6-litre turbo. (Approximately $70,000)CONVERTIBLESBMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)  

None of us wants to crash our shiny new car but, if we do, we want to know we're safe. That's where the Australian New Car Assessment Program's standardised crash-testing analysis is invaluable, providing comparable ratings for vehicles of all types.The ANCAP site notes that a one-star car is twice as likely to kill you as a five-star model. Carsguide examines ANCAP's results to find the best of breed in each segment. It's worth noting the advanced software in some cars that readies the vehicle if a crash is imminent are disabled during the official tests. Cars are scored out of 37 points after the following tests.FRONTAL OFFSET TEST: The subject vehicle is accelerated to 64km/h and rammed into a deformable alloy barrier to simulate a head-on crash. To increase the severity and reproduce real-world conditions only 40 per cent of the car hits the wall - equating to a driver swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle.SIDE IMPACT TEST: The T-bone hit rams a 950kg trolley into the side of the car at 50km/h. The sled has an alloy face to simulate the front of another vehicle, which deforms and absorbs some of the impact.PEDESTRIAN TEST: Simulates the results of hitting a pedestrian at 40km/h. The test assesses adult and child impacts, given their heads and limbs strike different areas of the car.POLE TEST: This is the most demanding test in the ANCAP repertoire. Trees and poles don't deform, so all the crash energy is transferred to the vehicle. The car is put on a sled and propelled towards a fixed steel pole at 29km/h.SAFEST SMALL CARSAUDI A3 36.41 See reviews of this carOfficially the best small car to occupy in an accident. Impressively, the windscreen pillar didn't move after a 64km/h hit with the concrete block.  HONDA INSIGHT 36.39 See reviews of this carIts score reflects a 3mm movement of the pillar in the frontal offset test and "slight risk" of serious leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 1 SERIES HATCH 36.33 See reviews of this carThere's a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver in the frontal and side crash test and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger in the frontal crash.   SAFEST MEDIUM CARSMERCEDES B-CLASS 36.78 See reviews of this carTops the charts with the highest score of any car in ANCAP database. Technically there's a 4mm movement of the front pillar and a slight risk of injury to the passenger leg closest the door.  BMW 3 SERIES 36.76 See reviews of this carBarely behind. It showed a 1mm movement of the pillar and there was a slight risk of serious injury to the driver's and passenger's legs.VOLVO V40 36.67 See reviews of this carThe only loss of points occurred during the frontal crash test, with a slight risk of serious injury to the front occupants' legs closest the door and the driver's chest.SAFEST LARGE CARSTOYOTA AURION 36.59 See reviews of this carFirst place in this class makes it the only locally built vehicle in any top-three line-up. There's a slight risk of lower leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 5 Series 36.53 See reviews of this carNot a bad place to be in the event of an accident either. It blitzed the side impact tests and only lost fractions of points in the head-on hit.    VOLVO S60 36.34 See reviews of this carSweden maintains its safety credentials. The passenger compartment stayed intact with only a 1mm movement of the front pillar.    SAFEST COMPACT SUVS SUBARU XV 35.53 See reviews of this carLike the slightly lower-riding Impreza, the XV scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.    HOLDEN TRAX 35.18 See reviews of this carThe surprise packet. One of the smaller cars in the class has only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.   Skoda Yeti 34.67 See reviews of this carDepite being one of the older examples in this segment, the Yeti still rates well for safety, with only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.    SAFEST MEDIUM SUVSVOLVO XC60 36.53 See reviews of this carANCAP says the cabin 'held its shape extremely well" in the frontal test, with the pillar shifting just 3mm. There was a slight risk of serious chest and leg injuries to the driver.  FORD KUGA 36.33 See reviews of this carA solid second, posing a slight risk of serious chest injury for both front seat occupants. The front pillar moved 15mm.   HONDA CR-V 35.91 See reviews of this carPlaced well despite being penalised for the foot-operated park brake moving upwards and back. Structurally there was only a 2mm movement of the pillar.  SUBARU FORESTER 35.64 See reviews of this carTested this year, it scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.   SUBARU OUTBACK 35.52 See reviews of this carFills the brand's quinella. Crashed in 2008 and at the time topped the charts as the safest vehicle ANCAP had tested. SAFEST LARGE SUVSMERCEDES-BENZ ML 36.34 See reviews of this car Luxury SUV has a slight risk of serious chest injury for driver and passenger in the head-on hit and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger. The pillar moved 2mm. RANGE ROVER 36.19 See reviews of this carBig Brit has a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver and the pillar shifted by 15mm.   NISSAN PATHFINDER 35.73 See reviews of this carSlight risk of serious leg injury for the driver. Unlike the other two, it applies to the upper leg as well as the expected lower-leg hits. Docked points for a marginal pedestrian impact result.

Volvo is getting ready to join the V8 Supercars next year – fielding two S60 sedans under the banner of Volvo Polestar Racing in partnership with Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM).However the Swedish brand is already thinking about increasing the number of cars the following year. In 2014, Volvo’s racers -- Scott McLaughlin and a second one yet to be named – will pilot their two cars Holden’s 13 Commodores, Ford's six Falcons, four Nissan Altimas and three Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGS.But Volvo's global motorsport boss Derek Crabb said the prospect of having more S60s appealed to him. "Clearly, the more cars on the grid, the more exposure Volvo gets and the more chances Volvo has of getting a win, which we need," Crabb said. "But then you have to put the cost back into it. So yeah, we dream about year two and year three but let's get through year one first."Polestar Racing owner Christian Dahl agreed. "I think if you are going to fight for the championship in the long term, you need more cars out there because there are a lot of Holdens and only two Volvos," Dahl said. "But that is a question for the future." But for the moment Volvo is dealing with GRM’s sponsor since 2010, Fujitsu, announcing yesterday it would not renew its association with the team next year due to a shift in their "commercial focus".However Garry Rogers is optimistic about finding a new sponsor. "Next year's program has generated a lot of interest and we will now be following up all avenues so as to secure suitable commercial business partners to join the GRM team," he said.

Police have slammed as "reckless" a magazine stunt that commissioned a foreign journalist to drive from Melbourne to Sydney above the speed limit at 130km/h — slashing more than an hour off the journey and completing it in less than six-and-a-half hours. In a campaign to increase the limit between the two capital cities, the latest issue of Wheels magazine boasts "we drove from Melbourne to Sydney at 130km/h, didn't die and didn't get booked". Defending the stunt, Wheels editor Stephen Corby said: "We've been told for years drowsy drivers die, but increasing the speed limit would reduce fatigue. You're less likely to have a microsleep, less likely to wander off the road. We see it as a positive for road safety." The magazine was prepared to pay for three speeding tickets before calling off the attempt, done on a Saturday, but was amazed to find it didn't once get stopped by police in Victoria or NSW. Travelling 20km/h above the posted limit cut more than 70 minutes from the 800km journey between the northern outskirts of Melbourne and the south-western outskirts of Sydney on the Hume Highway, to just six hours and 23 minutes. The British journalist behind the wheel, Ben Oliver, slowed for more than a dozen speed cameras and stuck to the limit in all other speed zones except 110km/h sections. "I've never arrived in a city with the sole intention of breaking the law before, but any sense of roguish glamour soon fades as I head out of Melbourne on the Hume Highway, flagrantly breaching Australian law by doing something that is considered perfectly safe and legal in other countries," wrote Oliver, even though he later admitted "I wouldn't advocate making the Hume 130km/h all the way". Aside from speed-unlimited sections of German autobahn, most European countries have maximum speed limits of between 130km/h and 150km/h. But Australian police are not impressed. "This stunt has potentially endangered other people's lives. Speed is still one of the biggest killers on our roads," said NSW Police Assistant Commissioner, Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol, John Hartley. "It's a deliberately reckless action. We take a dim view of what is clearly a stunt. It sends a bad message to other drivers and could have had tragic consequences." Victoria Police Superintendent of road policing, Neville Taylor, said: "This has been a ridiculous high-risk stunt and is most certainly not an appropriate method of doing research into road safety initiatives. Speed is a significant contributor to one in three road traumas." Despite the article amounting to a confession, police said they would not attempt to prosecute the foreign journalist — who has since returned to Britain — but did issue a warning to other overseas licence holders who flout the law. "If the (foreign) driver had continued with that behaviour and been caught multiple times it would have come up on our police computer and he would have been placed under arrest and put before a court," said Mr Hartley. Highway patrol officers regularly check the immigration status of foreign licence holders to ensure they are bona fide visitors rather than permanent residents trying to avoid fines, he said. The lead-footed journalist said Victoria's near-zero tolerance to speeding "causes cars and trucks to bunch together as one overtakes another achingly slowly, terrified of getting pinged". The author also "marvelled at the staggering wrongheadedness of the constant roadside signs warning drivers of the dangers of fatigue when an unnecessarily low limit forces them to remain behind the wheel for longer". NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay gave qualified support to the 130km/h campaign: "I think in certain conditions (130km/h) would be a speed that could be contemplated, but it is not a speed that the community would accept," he said. Swedish car maker Volvo, the inventor of the three-point seatbelt and a road safety advocate, said it was aware its car was being used for the magazine's 130km/h stunt. "We knew the nature of the story and we're comfortable with it," said Volvo Australia spokesman Oliver Peagam, who supplied a super-fast turbocharged sedan worth $110,000 for the exercise. "It was more to illustrate the differing views on speed limits." This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling How fast are you going now? France — 130km/h Austria — 130km/h Bulgaria — 140km/h Denmark — 130km/h Italy — 150km/h The Netherlands — 130km/h Poland — 140km/h Germany — Unlimited, on selected roads Australia — 110km/h (130km/h on some sections of the NT)