A Volvo S60 R Like No Other
The notion that Volvo is not associated with ‘performance’ has never been 100% true; even back in the 1960s, the company was in motorsports and developed some red-hot cars. Of course, the high-performance models never usually made it to the showrooms so in a sense, the buying public concluded that Volvo was just not in the performance game.
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Nevertheless, the engineers in the Swedish company have always had a passion for performance and since the advent of the 850 in the early 1990s, they have had a chance to develop models which can actually be sold and not just be demonstrations of ‘technological capability’.
The latest S60 R is an example and with 220.5 kW/300 bhp and the FOUR-C Chassis, it’s the most powerful and most technologically advanced model Volvo has ever put on sale. For most people, that’s already plenty of power but ‘pushing the edge of the envelope’ is the name of the game and at the 2003 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, recently, two very special S60 Rs drew the crowds.
Built in partnership with EVOLVE, the first U.S.-based design and manufacturing company dedicated to creating performance-enhanced Volvo cars, the two cars – one bathed in Laser Blue, the other in Passion Red – were developed especially for the SEMA show to show how the car’s performance could be taken several big steps forward.
Pumping out an estimated 500 horsepower each with EVOLVE’s custom turbo and intercooler upgrades and a ram-air intake, the twin S60 Rs pack quite a punch. The FOUR-C chassis, with its three driver adjustable settings remains, but is upgraded to include EVOLVE’s adjustable coil-over suspension.
Six-piston calipers with massive 15-inch 2-piece rotors front and rear bring the S60 Rs to a quick stop and 19-inch lightweight graphite wheels shod with 235/35-19 Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tyres add the perfect finishing touch.
The fact that the suspension layout could be retained indicates just how well the chassis has been engineered and the rigidity of the bodyshell to cope with the increased stresses of faster cornering velocities.
Needless to say, Volvo’s renowned reputation for safety remains, despite the modifications. Since the S60 R’s robustly bolstered seats are retained, Volvo’s Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) and the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) are still fully functional.
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