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VOLVO FINALLY OUT OF THE BOX by Marty Bernstein Editor-at-Large The Auto Channel It has been a wild ride for Swedish automotive giant, Volvo, whichalong with its fellow countrymen and competitor Saab, had beenpurchased by US automakers, but unlike the latter which never founda footing under GM control and completely disappeared from theautomotive landscape, Volvo survived its experience in Ford'sill-fated PAG and is now thriving under its new owner andleadership team. The new team focused on the many positive attributes Volvo'sheritage of dependability, safety and performance offered and shedthe stodgy, boxy styling that was its albatross to create the 2012Volvo Sedan. Officially listed on the Manroney, the sticker (Trivia: named afterA.S. Mike Manroney a 30 year senator from Oklahoma) on every newcar read "S60 T6 AWD R SR", that's quite amouthful and thankfully they shortened it for the decal, but whatyou get with Volvo's latest is an eyeful of beautifulautomotive styling and handful of performance that may surpriseyou. The S60 is a real beauty that somehow manages to pay homage to theoriginal geometric silhouette of the past, but redefines it throughgraceful lines that soften the hard angles and sculpt the cabin,roofline and pillars. The available color palate is vibrant andexciting, which only enhances the look of this car. The modeltested featured "Passion Red" that was paired withblack leather seating and a dash that featured monochromaticinserts and cobalt blue lighting that created a rather elegantambiance. To soak it all in, I climbed in back for a different perspectiveand discovered the rear area not only useable and by useable I meanaccessible by a normal person, but surprisingly quite comfortablethanks to the concave design of the front seat's rear designthat creates just enough extra space to allow your knees to fitcomfortably in front of you. At first glance the back seemed rather Spartan, with only a lonely12V outlet visible, but upon closer inspection, the refinements andconvenience you look for had been thoughtfully and tastefullyintegrated into the vehicle including the air vents concealed inthe A pillar of the rear doors, to the arm rest that contains astorage bin and two (2) cup holders. Up front the driver is greeted by a no nonsense design thatfeatures only critical vehicle information presented efficiently tothe driver, sorry no growing plants with leaves of green on displayin this car just a very contemporary design and the features youneed. There is a modest video display, but is not the focal point. Thefocus of this baby is to drive and with the 3.0 liter, turbocharged V6 alloy engine with direc overhead cam (DOHC), continuesvariable valve timing and a twin-scroll turbocharger and you got amonster on your hands that is capable of 325hp@5400rpm and for youtrue gear heads, it produces 354 lb-ft of torque @ 3000rpm! For therest of us that means it has all the acceleration you will everneed. Once on the road the engineers at Volvo have crafted quite animpressive driving machine that features a six speed Geartronicautomatic transmission that ensures ideal engine management that isfurther enhanced by All-wheel drive with instant traction, Fourwheel power assisted and ventilated disc brakes with ABS, and asuspension system that features so many components and names itwould take two columns to detail fully. Of course safety has not been forgotten, the S60 is a Volvo forPete's sake, but now instead of a heavy steel frame,Volvo's latest utilizes unibody construction with integratedhigh strength steel passenger cage that is reinforced by a systemof air bags and curtains. In addition there are many technologiesat play that will aid you in case of an accident includingVolvo's Whiplash Protection system for both front seatpassengers. Convenience and creature comforts are all addressed and in themodel tested was taken to the next level with the multimediapackage that added $2,700 to the MSRP of $46,875 and included Volvopremium audio, navigation system with voice control and rear parkassist. That's a lot of technology for under $50,000 and Ihaven't even mentioned that the S60 is an Ultra Low EmissionVehicle (ULEV) that delivers 18 miles in the city and 26 on thehighway. Pretty impressive for a company that was searching for anidentity just a few years ago and speaks volumes to the advances invehicle design and the incredible pace we are on to improve the wayand manner we drive today and in the future. It's the newnon-boxy Volvo statement of things to come. Michael Bernstein contributed to this review. I am an expert from sinteredndfebmagnets.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Magnetic Grate Manufacturer , Rectangular Magnets, Magnetic Motor Assembly,and more.
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