All New 2011 Volvo Sporty Sedan S60

2011 Volvo S60 Sporty Sedan

"The all-new Volvo S60 is sculpted to move you. It looks and drives like no other Volvo before and the car's technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel," says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

The Volvo S60 can be equipped with Pedestrian Detection - a groundbreaking safety feature that can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver does not react in time.

The all-new Volvo S60 is being unveiled to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in early March next year. Production of the sporty sedan model will start in early summer 2010 at the Volvo Cars plant in Ghent, Belgium.

All that changes with the 2011 Volvo S60. For starters, the redesign employs a so-called "Converged C1" architecture blending elements of Ford Motor Company's C1 compact-car platform (think S40 and Mazda 3) and the EUCD structure that serves Volvo's new XC60 crossover SUV. As a result, the next S60 will not only be a clean-sheet affair but dimensionally close to targeted rivals Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

2011 Volvo S60 Sporty Sedan

In addition, the 2011 Volvo S60 promises a dramatic visual break from today's car, expected to look much like the swoopy S60 Concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. That means a curvy coupe-like profile, ample lower-body sculpting, a bold front end like XC60, a stubby high-set rear deck, and sharply raked front and rear glass. The concept has rear-sliding back doors and no center body pillar, but that's showcar whimsy. The production model will be a normal "post" sedan with 4 regular doors. Likewise, the concept's showy 20-inch wheels should give way to more-sensible shoes, probably standard 18s and optional 19s.

Former design director Steve Mattin finalized the exterior, which means more curves and more flamboyant surfaces than we've come to expect from Volvo: It's more XC60 than S80. and the concept's "four-door coupe" roofline remains.

This is the first Volvo to have dimensions placing it head to head with German premium makers. Previous Volvos were half a class between the Germans: The old S60 was smaller than the 5 Series BMW of its day but bigger than a 3 Series. The new one will tackle the 3 Series and Audi A4 head on. "If we were a market leader, we could do cars outside the established size classes, but at our size we can't," our source said. This applies to pricing, engine for engine, and equipment in addition to size.

A V60 wagon version of the S60 is planned, fitting below the V70.The S60 and V60 will be available globally in four-, five-, and six-cylinder versions, most of them turbos, and diesels for Europe. The U.S. should get the turbo five, the 3.2-liter, 235-horsepower inline-six, and 3.0-liter turbo six making about 280 horsepower. AWD will again be available.

2011 Volvo S60 Sporty Sedan

"Customers in this segment want emotional appeal, sporty design and dynamic driving properties. The Volvo S60 has it all. We are convinced that it will be one of the strongest contenders around," says Stephen Odell.