Soldato
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the ride height on that black one looks really high but I think it may just be the photo and the colour of the car.
New Volvo S60.... erm....
- Thread starter t3kno_tr0n|c
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Still prefer the 240GLT I had in the early 80's. Looked like a tank in a sporting overcoat, build like a tank and saved my life once because of it.
I had a sit in a new S60 recently.
Can't say that I'm wholy convinced by the shape. It's more progressive than the older one, but is less characterful.
The interior is nicely done, and still has the brilliant seats (Volvo really do make great seats).
The problem I see with it is the ride quality. The old S60 works because it focuses on being a comfortable wafty saloon. The new one is attempting to be more of a "sports" saloon. The problem is that the sports area is what most of the other manufacturers are trying to do, so it looses is USP and is treading on the toes of groups like BMW. That's fine, but IMO it's just not going to happen when it's being dragged along be front wheels.
I think that they would have been much better off trying to make the most comfortable mid range saloon around.
Can't say that I'm wholy convinced by the shape. It's more progressive than the older one, but is less characterful.
The interior is nicely done, and still has the brilliant seats (Volvo really do make great seats).
The problem I see with it is the ride quality. The old S60 works because it focuses on being a comfortable wafty saloon. The new one is attempting to be more of a "sports" saloon. The problem is that the sports area is what most of the other manufacturers are trying to do, so it looses is USP and is treading on the toes of groups like BMW. That's fine, but IMO it's just not going to happen when it's being dragged along be front wheels.
I think that they would have been much better off trying to make the most comfortable mid range saloon around.
Its a massive step up from both a driving and design point of view from the previous model. I've driven the D5 and D3 a couple of times now and they drive and handle very well. The interior design is very good with some of the best seats I've sat in. The safety feature like the active cruise and city safety work extremely well and are quite a selling point in themselves. Biggest concern is that they are deprecating like bricks at the moment, with a July 10 plate fully spec'd D5 which has a 38K list is now 29K with 2.5K miles on the clock.
Caporegime
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Good. No higher power ever decreed that the A4 or the 3 series were the perfect size for a mid-range saloon.
Agree with Sukebe's points about Volvo sticking to wafting in comfort...a 'sporty' S60 just doesn't sit right in my mind. But Sukebe...are you saying that the new S60 is harsher ride than the older incarnations? As I've read nothing about that so if you have any decent reading for me I'd be interested.
Soldato
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Looks nice, its going to suit dark colours really well
Caporegime
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Yes, why are there a seemingly inordinate number of gold, orange and maroon Volvos? 
True dat. But then again, you only ever see 1 person driving a 3 series (with their sales brochures in the boot), and only occasionally with 1 passenger, so if anything that class of car should be smaller rather than bigger.
So that would be the 1 series or the S40 size? Or how about people who drive the car during the week and then at the weekend have a family to drive around?
My comments were based upon the Car mag review and also what was written in the Volvo forums, both of which inferred that whilst it IS a lot more sporty, that it's been at the expense of the ride quality.
Have to admit that I'd like to try one to really quantify the differences. Have to admit that if that's the case, it would make me look far more seriously at the new Mondeo, which is based on the same platform, and can be bought for peanuts now because of the massive depreciation.
That's a good point. Why not buy one of these instead and save the cash?
http://photos.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_608/car_photo_304379_7.jpg
Supposedly drives well, tonnes of space and kit, looks good, and reasonably well built. The 2.2 TDCi Titanium X is one heck of a lot of car and great value on the used market.