We really like Volvo's new S60, one of the best cars to ever come from the folks in Gothenburg. It's certainly the best in recent memory. And for 2012, it got even better, thanks to the addition of the sporty Volvo S60 R-Design - the heir to the first-generation S60 R and the 850 R of the 1990s, not to mention the various sporty turbobricks of the '80s and early '90s.
The first R-Design model was the C30 a couple of years ago, though the compact hatch received a purely cosmetic package. In contrast, the S60 gets performance enhancements as well. Output increases from the standard T-6 engine's 300 horses and 325 lb-ft to 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet thanks to an increase in boost to 14.5 psi and advanced spark timing. Volvo engineers also recalibrated the throttle, resulting in more aggressive tip-in. Displaying ingenuity, the plucky Swedes managed to accomplish this without drawing the full ire of the EPA or affecting the T-6's 18/26 mpg city/highway fuel economy, resulting in a shorter certification process and reduced costs. Displaying humility, they didn't make too much fuss about this being the most powerful production Volvo ever.
On the suspension side, the S60 R-Design is fitted with springs that are 15-percent stiffer and reduce ride height by 0.6 inch, a 10-percent stiffer front anti-roll bar, front strut brace under the hood, monotube rear shocks, 20-percent stiffer rear bushings, and trailing arm bushings that are four times stiffer.
Visually differentiating the R-Design from other S60s on the outside are a new lower front fascia, flat-black grille, rear spoiler, and unique five-spoke 18-inch wheels. Like the T-6, it can be had with all-season or summer Continental tires at no cost, though Volvo expects the take rate on the summer tires to be miniscule. Inside are new seats - spectacularly comfortable, but not pillow-like as Volvo seats often are -- with extra bolstering and contrasting stitching, plus a unique steering wheel, shift lever, and blue-accented gauges.
