Volvo's new S60 sports sedan its first car made in the US
The new S60 marks the very first Volvo car made in the US.
According to Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, this is one of the most exciting cars they've ever made. It is described as "a true driver's car" that gives Volvo a strong position in the US and China sedan markets, creating more growth opportunities for the brand.
The new S60 is the first Volvo to be sold without a diesel offer, signalling the company's industry-leading commitment to electrification and a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine.
In 2017 Volvo Cars was the first global car maker to announce its strategy that from 2019 all new models will be electrified.
What about South Africa?
In South Africa, the S60 will be available with two turbo-charged petrol engines (T4 and T5), as well as a super-and-turbo-charged petrol derivative (T6).
The new S60 will be introduced locally next year, but final dates and specification are not yet available. The T6 and T8 Twin Engines are under consideration for SA.
The new S60 shares Volvo Cars' own Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, safety technology and infotainment system with the new V60 premium mid-size estate, launched earlier this year, as well as the top-of-the-line 90 Series cars and award-winning XC60, all of which have achieved industry-leading safety ratings. This makes the new S60 one of the safest cars on the road.
City Safety with Autobrake technology assists the driver in avoiding potential collisions, and Volvo claims it is the only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals. In a world first for the mid-size sedan segment, City Safety now also engages auto braking to mitigate oncoming collisions.
The optional Pilot Assist system has been upgraded with improved cornering performance. The S60 also includes Run-off Road Mitigation, Oncoming Lane Mitigation and other steering assistance systems.
Electrified versions of the new S60 also offer a performance handling upgrade called Polestar Engineered - developed by Volvo Cars' electric performance arm, Polestar.
Polestar Engineered is available exclusively on the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid and is a complete offer that upgrades the car's wheels, brakes, suspension and engine control unit, boosting the S60 T8's combined output to 305kW (415hp)*. This model is also under consideration for South Africa.
*US specification
