Stylish and sporty: the Volvo V60

Volvo Cars design director Peter Horbury said: “Many of the customers who had an advance look at the new V60 during the development process feel that its attitude is at least as sporty as that of the all-new S60.”

No less than 90 percent of the annual V60 production of 50,000 cars will find European buyers.

The response of the enthusiastic customers is music to the ears of the project group, which has always had its sights set on giving the V60 the emotive aura, sporty design and dynamic driving properties of a genuine sports wagon.

Gerry Keaney, senior vice president marketing sales and customer service, said: “The typical sports wagon customer is an S60 buyer who would like some extra space and flexibility, but without the slightest compromise on sporty design and exciting driving properties.

“The competition is razor-sharp and the customers in this segment know exactly what they want. That is why we have further boosted the interior’s sense of exclusive quality and packed the car with safety- and comfort-related technical innovations. The result is a unique sports wagon, in total harmony with its sporty attitude.”

The pronounced wedge shape and the slim coupe-like roof line of the new V60 are accompanied by the shoulder profile along the car’s sides, creating a gentle yet powerful double wave from the headlamps at the front to the tail lamps at the rear.

“From the design viewpoint the focus was on making the car as close to a coupe as possible, while retaining that handy extra space at the rear. Our sports wagon does not aim to compete with the traditional estate car. For the customer who wants a lot of load space, there is our V70 or XC70,” says Örjan Sterner, head of exterior design for the new Volvo V60.

He adds: “The dip in the middle of the double wave visually pushes the car down. This enhances the stance and makes the car look sleeker and lower. The sculpted bonnet and the short overhangs front and rear also emphasise the sports car feel.”

The dynamism of the design is further enhanced by what Volvo’s design team calls the “racetrack” design. The car’s lines do not end abruptly but instead continue to flow organically, continually, echoing the smooth shapes of the racetrack.

A styling pack gives the V60 buyer the opportunity to boost the sporty attitude still further. Available in the accessories range, the styling pack includes skid plates front and rear, a front decor trim, side scuff plates, special exhaust tailpipes and unique 18-inch wheels.

The styling pack gives the car the robust look inspired by the ruggedness of the XC60. Volvo’s designers have integrated LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology to create distinctive light patterns both front and rear. The vertical position lights at the front, the eyebrow-like side-marker lights, the turn indicators integrated into the door mirrors and the tail lamps at the rear all give the new V60 an unmistakable profile even in the dark.

The new Volvo V60 is being launched with a range of exterior colours selected with immense care to emphasise the model’s inspiring lines. Among the 15 colours available are two new shades, the radiant Vibrant Copper and the more classic Electrum Gold.

Gerry Keaney added: “The figure ‘60’ in our model range nowadays indicates our sportiest models. The XC60 was the first step. We took the next step with the all-new S60 sedan - and now we’re launching the V60 sports wagon.”

The first cars will be delivered to customers in Autumn 2010.

Contact TMS Volvo Coventry on 0844 662 6229