Volvo S60 Concept unveiled before Detroit show

Volvo S60 Concept

Despite it’s BMW X6-like looks, this isn’t a crossover coupe kinda thing, it’s actually a C-segment executive sedan, set to be Volvo’s new weapon against the likes of the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. We’ll see it on the roads in 2010, but for now let’s have a look at the concept version.

Under the hood is a new 1.6 litre GTDi engine. GTDi stands for Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection and it can produce 180 horsepower from such a small displacement engine. The GTDi engine also has start-stop function, and is mated to a Powershift twin clutch transmission. CO2 emissions are rated at 119g/km and fuel consumption is pegged at 5.0 litres consumed per 100km travelled. Some technical features that help achieve this fuel consumption and also contribute to better aerodynamics are flat underbody panels, the use of lightweight materials, and a grille shutter which closes to reduce air drag whenever there is less need for air cooling.

Volvo S60 Concept

The exterior is clearly derived from the aggressive styling of the Volvo XC60, but there are little touches here and there which make you feel they really paid attention to detail with the car. For example, the headlamps have Scandinavian influences in it. Apparently they create the image of two miniature Viking longboats sailing side by side, one for the main beam and one for the dipped beam. This will probably be dropped in the production version for a conventional projector and reflector combination.

Volvo says the lines on the car do not end abruptly but instead flows continuously from the front to the end of the car, inspired by fast sweeps of a race track. The X6-like stance is probably due to the large 7-spoke wheels which are 20 inches in size and wrapped with low profile tyres. Hiding behind the wheel spokes are brake calipers which are painted bronze to match the exterior “Warm Liquid Copper” colour.

Volvo S60 Concept

The interior is much more experimental, and according to Volvo Cars design director Steve Mattin, it indicates Volvo’s future interior design direction. The floating center stack has been revealed previously and is made of solid Orrefors crystal, but we probably won’t see such luxury in the production version. This center stack flows from the instrument panel all the way to the rear seat’s backrest.

Anyway, enough of the design details, as sometimes a designer’s justification of the themes that inspired his design does not make sense. Let’s have a look at the safety features that Volvo has built into the new Volvo S60 Concept. which hopefully will cross over to the production model, or another production Volvo at least if they are too expensive to include with a C-segment car.

Volvo S60 Concept

Volvo has allowed the car to automatically brake to avoid collisions with the car in front of you if the difference of speed between the two vehicles is less than 25km/h. This is because apparently studies show that half of all drivers who hit another vehicle from behind do not brake prior to the collision.

In an emergency, the driver gets an audible warning with a white flashing light in the windscreen’s HUD. It looks like a flashing brake light coming on in front. This is an enhancement over the current system found in cars such as the S80 where a light on top of the dash flashes, but now its changed to a flashing in the heads-up display. If the driver does not respond to this warning and collision is imminent, the car brakes with full braking power. However the main idea is still to warn the driver of the impending collision and let him take evasive action on his own, with the auto brake to be used only at the very last minute as a last resort.

View a collection of hi-res photos and a video after the jump.

Photo Gallery: Volvo S60 Concept

[zenphotopress number=99 album=34]

Video: Volvo S60 Concept

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Kevin Lee (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:34 am

    just hope this would be produced, it looks nice! sadly their parent company, ford , is having problems. just hope someone bails them out and get this volvo car out in the market

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    • oh i think fords doing much better and they invented the car remember the model t!!!

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  • afhstingray (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:56 am

    proton should buy them :P

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  • derrickmoh (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:54 am

    There were rumors of a possible purchase of Volvo by India’s Mahindra.

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  • jhj249 (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 7:04 am

    wow.. it looks so fierce. agreed with afhstingray, then our proton can improve their safety features

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  • SY0H (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 7:44 am

    “If the driver does not respond to this warning and collision is imminent, the car brakes with full braking power. However the main idea is still to warn the driver of the impending collision and let him take evasive action on his own, with the auto brake to be used only at the very last minute as a last resort”.

    Welcome the future of car motoring…

    Wow.

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  • 4G63T DSM (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 8:41 am

    I suppose with radar cruise control (benz), auto parking (lexus), auto steering (BMW..in race mode!) the only thing missing really is a car that can properly nagivate itself (if you look at it, its not that far off since most cars now have nav systems).

    Do we need to drive anymore?

    I suppose driving will be a lost art. Not entirely a bad thing, since after 100 years of driving, most motorist still haven’t got the hang of it.

    Leave the driving to the real gearheads.

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  • tikus (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:09 am

    Auto braking…. So not malaysian driving style.We like to tailgate the front car and chase it out of the lane. Just to show “I got fast car”.I dont think this concept can sell here lar.

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  • adam123 (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:21 am

    agree with tikus, how to tailgate in this country with this ‘auto-brake’? must take out the chip lah!

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  • _Zephyre_ (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:37 am

    20 inch rims? If those rims make it into the production model, people are going to have some serious tyre problems, unless they’re rich.

    …Wait, they probably wouldn’t get an S60 if they weren’t. Disregard that.

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  • ckengyo (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:38 am

    hope volvo can retain every bit of the designs we saw here n put it in2 the production model n stun the world like jaguar xf did.

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  • tanasi (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:54 am

    sigh, another electronic gadgetry to assist the driver. These things are just shy of making the car fully autonomous, and reducing the driver to a mere passenger.

    As drive assist technology makes more appearance in new models, slowly but surely driving fear and skill are being taken out.

    In the near future, drivers would not even have to bother with manual shifting, and soon the art of matching rev with the gear, heel & toe, gently easing off the clutch, etc. will be gone.

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  • isharestuff (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 11:14 am

    What I’ve seen on several jap cars, driver assistant features usually can be turned off. Say VSA, vehicle stabilizing assistance (something like that la).

    I’ve been looking for where the paddle shift kit mounted but don’t seem find one. For car with 180 bhp and sporty concept, very strange clutchless shifting not available. But the gear handle with blue light is awesome. Also, the centralized rpm indicator is excellent design. Can do night vision? Or x-ray see thru? Wahahahaha…

    Overall it’s a damn good car, good for racer boy good for his wife and whole family. With well know safety feature, performance power and futuristic design, potential buyers range is very wide.

    If they change the curve of the face design I’d give 4/5. If parked next to a 2009 new Mazda3, aka the smiley face, guess they will look funny. :-/

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  • ruzieriio7 (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    its an xcellente car!!! desgn n tech almost prfct…

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  • Phelix (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    surprise surprise!!
    volvo can come up such a nice futuristic car!

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  • Sex is wonderful, but it's like champagne.If you're forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    one word. wow.

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  • almattitude_v1 (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    They are definitely moving in the right direction in terms of the design with this and the XC60. Volvo is no longer just about safety, but about looks too. They have done a great job.

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  • s60t (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    fantastic futuristic design.can’t wait for it to arrive.but no matter how good the car is,it will never sell in large numbers in Malaysia cos people who pay over 200K wil usually go for the beemer or merc,even if it is a recond because of brand perception.volvo’s are mainly bought by safety conscious people who are couldn’t care less about what others think about their wealth status.

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  • Sex is wonderful, but it's like champagne.If you're forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    still its just a concept.

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  • Charger (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    >Volvo has allowed the car to automatically brake to avoid collisions with the car in front of you if the difference of speed between the two vehicles is less than 25km/h.

    So, if the vehicle in front is stationary, while your Volvo is going at it at 50km/h, the auto-braking WON’T work?

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  • csv (Member) on Dec 17, 2008 at 11:52 pm

    i like the idea of the flashing warning on HUD.

    “warning warning, collision imminent” “BRAKE BRAKEEEEEEEEEEE!”

    LOL.

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  • SY0H (Member) on Dec 18, 2008 at 9:22 am

    csv said,

    December 17, 2008 @ 11:52 pm

    Yeah right, reminds me of the Flight Simulator game I used to play or that sci-fi movies I used to watch. Its like state-of-the-art fly-by-wire technology which was first introduce on USAF F-16 jet fighter in the 1980’s. Now they are applying the very same technology (or at least the concept) on ground vehicles. Let’s just hope it doesn’t turns out to be like this;

    “warning warning, collision imminent” “BRAKE BRAKEEEEEEEEEEE!”

    “collision imminent, EJECTING!”

    Than all four seats on the car will be ejected! LOL, typical James Bond 007 stunts :P

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  • Sex is wonderful, but it's like champagne.If you're forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. (Member) on Dec 18, 2008 at 10:23 am

    yea, next james bond movie he Q gives him a volvo

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  • equinox345 (Member) on Dec 18, 2008 at 6:59 pm

    This is gotta be the best looking Volvo yet. Finally got out of that boxy looks 40 years later.

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  • Sex is wonderful, but it's like champagne.If you're forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. (Member) on Dec 19, 2008 at 12:04 pm

    and the interior, the materials they use are just fantastic

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  • rx350 on May 15, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    good n nice, sure can win hyundai nuvis…….but the price is?

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