BMW volvo S60 (2011)

The Volvo S60's athletic stance is accentuated by a sculpted bonnet and short overhangs front and rear, plus what Volvo's design team calls the "racetrack" design. The car's lines do not end abruptly but instead continue to flow organically, echoing the smooth shapes of the racetrack.

This sporty appearance can be further enhanced with an exterior styling kit that incorporates front and rear skid plates, two frames in the lower valence, side scuff plates, exhaust tailpipe finishers and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Volvo's designers have also used LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology to create distinctive, signature lights at the front and rear that make the car clearly identifiable as an Volvo S60, even in the dark.

The all-new Volvo S60 is being introduced with a range of exterior colours including two new shades: Vibrant Copper and Electrum Gold.

NEW DYNAMIC CHASSIS

The new Volvo S60 is the most sporting Volvo ever built and during the development process, the chassis team refined every single detail to fine tune the driving experience. The result of their labours is a newly-developed Dynamic chassis, standard on every new Volvo S60.

The steering gear ratio is 10 per cent faster than in previous models to give enhanced steering feel and sharper response. The steering column's thicker tubing and stiffer bushes have increased torsional rigidity by 100 per cent. This also contributes to the increased feeling of direct contact with the wheels and the road.

The front spring struts have thicker pistons compared with the sports chassis in the Volvo S80. The resultant 47 per cent increase of stiffness means that the body structure is better able to absorb lateral loads. The springs themselves are shorter and stiffer than before and the Eigen frequency has increased by 10 per cent. At the front, spring strut mounting stiffness has increased by 50 per cent. The front and rear subframe bushes are up to twice as stiff compared with previous models. The link arm bushings have also been optimised for sporty driving and full control.

The damper mountings at the rear are made of PUR (polyurethane) instead of rubber to provide better balance between comfort and dynamic control.

Stefan Sällqvist, responsible for the Volvo S60 chassis development explained: "We spent many weeks fine-tuning the dampers out in the English countryside. We drove on old Roman roads that have only ever received a few layers of tarmac over the centuries - a perfect environment for finding the right damping qualities."

Advanced Stability Control

The Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) in the all-new Volvo S60 has a number of sophisticated features to improve driving pleasure and safety. The Volvo S60 is the first saloon on the market with Volvo's Advanced Stability Control. With a new roll sensor, it's possible to identify any skidding tendency at a very early stage. This means that the anti-skid system can step in earlier and with greater precision. Advanced Stability Control is a great asset in dynamic driving that involves considerable lateral forces.

New Corner Traction Control for smoother curves

The dynamic new chassis is backed up by a range of electronic systems that further sharpen the sporty driving experience. Corner Traction Control is a new feature that uses torque vectoring so the car takes corners more smoothly. This technology is a further refinement of the DSTC system. When taking a curve, the car's inner driven wheel is braked at the same time as more power is transmitted to the outer driven wheel. This allows the driver to take the corner more tightly while reducing any tendency to understeer.

Advanced, integrated braking functions

A highly advanced braking system is an important part of the dynamic driving properties of the all-new Volvo S60. A number of features interact to provide the shortest possible stopping distance in all scenarios. Technology includes:

Ready Alert Brakes can predict when emergency braking is needed. The brake calipers are applied lightly to the brake discs even before the driver presses the brake pedal.

Hydraulic Brake Assist helps the driver brake in the shortest possible distance. In an emergency situation where the driver does not press the brake pedal fast or hard enough, Hydraulic Brake Assist can help utilise the ABS system optimally and thus shorten the overall braking distance.

Optimised Hydraulic Brakes is a system that amplifies braking ability during firm braking by using hydraulics to compensate for low vacuum pressure in the brake servo.

Fading Brake Support uses the hydraulic system to gradually build up brake pressure during long, hard braking. This helps reduce the risk of brake fade and maintains pedal feel.

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