Volvo's current generation S60 is rolling into its third model year as the company's best-selling model, and it's had turbo power since birth. So why are we revisiting it now Because Volvo has finally fitted its T5 volume model with all-wheel drive, tweaking the in-line five-cylinder to boot. While the S60's bodywork remains the same for 2013, Volvo has updated the turbocharged five-cylinder engine, which once again produces 250 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque in normal driving (a 10-second overboost function swells torque output to 295 pound-feet in gears two through six).
Despite no change in the power figures, Volvo has added a new crankshaft
and pistons, upped the compression ratio from 9.0:1 to 9.5:1 and
reduced internal friction, all with the aim of improved drivability and
performance. Also new is a modified engine management system that
expands the engine's max torque range to 4,200 rpm, and there's a
reprogrammed six-speed automatic transmission for quicker cog swaps in
Sport mode. The S60 T5's 0-60 time thus tumbles from 6.8 seconds to 6.4
in front-drive guise, or 6.6 for all-wheel-drive models like ours.
The S60's nicely quiet interior has remained unchanged since
introduction, and that's a good thing. Oh, there's a bizarre new
gearshift lever capping the six-speed automatic for 2012 (complete with a
cheap-looking translucent plastic PRNDL pictogram), but otherwise, the
cabin is the same Scandinavian minimalist cocoon it's always been. Our
test car arrived sewn up in stunning Beechwood brown/orange leather, a
bold choice that did a fine job of livening up what might have otherwise
been too severe of an aesthetic. The driver-canted floating center
stack remains, too, with its funky asymmetric air vents but
well-thought-out pictogram HVAC controls. Volvo S60 T5 AWD 2013 Engine View.
Despite the T5's odd cylinder count, the engine's sound wasn't
unpleasant, or even particularly characterful, but it was nonetheless
fun to keep the tachometer in its upper reaches with the +/- gate, even
if the transmission was smart enough to leave alone in its Sport detent
when hammering on. That said, the continued omission of paddles remains a
curious one for Volvo's self-described "naughty" sport sedan. They were
particularly missed up in the mountains, where engine braking is often
desired and sheer drop-offs give one added incentive to keep both hands
on the wheel.
The occasionally fiddly stereo/vehicle settings menu system has returned, too, but we've found you get used to their operations quickly in non-navigation models like this one. The rear seat remains a bit tight for adults, but on the whole, accommodations are no worse than the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class, among others.
No comments:
Post a Comment