The new car Volvo XC60 introduces the newest styling trends, safety features and combination of an compact SUV and stylish sports coupe. The premium crossover XC60 featuring City Safety technology and claimed as a safest car in the world. Joining the existing XC90 and XC70 the XC60, the 2010 XC60 is a cross between several different types of vehicles: it has the cargo space and utility of a wagon, the ride height and AWD capability of an SUV, the handling of a unit-body vehicle with a fully independent suspension, the interior comfort of a luxury car, and the safety attributes of a top-class luxury sedan.
In addition to previewing the XC60 production vehicle, Volvo used the concept to show some new design cues that will be applied to all future Volvos. This includes pumping up the visual volume with more expressive shapes and details, according to Volvo’s designers. Thus as on the XC60, the grille on all future Volvos becomes more prominent, with angled parking lights and with headlamps that sweep up into the front fenders. For the XC60, the lower body is wide and the stance strong, while the upper section of the car has a sporty, dashing design. The tail section is particularly impressive with tail lamps that cascade down from the corners of the roof and with a clever glass tailgate that can be opened any of three ways: full open, top section open or lower section open.
Inside, the XC60 concept features a center stack and instrument panel that appear to float ahead of and above the front seats. Volvo compares the look of the instrument cluster with that of a bumble bee, with a round and analog speedometer as the bee’s body and with digital display wings on either side. The concept’s interior is finished in saddle leather and aluminum. We expect more typical materials in the production version, though expect the bumble bee instrument cluster, the floating design and the ambient mood lighting system to be retained. The concept’s center stack has a white iPod-like surface with controls that don’t become visible until the vehicle is started. This feature could be something that carries over into production as well.
The XC60 shares some mechanical and structural pieces with the Volvo S80—the crossover’s turbocharged V-6 engine and Haldex all-wheel drive will be familiar to fans of the big four-door. The XC60′s 3.0-liter V-6 spins out 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and delivers it to the four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The slight whistle that accompanies the turbo six is expected; there’s also a little vibration that sounds more akin to diesel thrum, but it’s not too loud. The six-speed automatic has a sport-shift mode that accesses the six’s torque in abundant scoops, too. Together, the pair combines to scoot the XC60 to 60 mph in about seven seconds, quick for a sport-ute.
Source: TheCarConnection
