Update: Volvo S60 Review.

Volvo in the UK have announced prices and specifications for what is without doubt the best thing to come out of Sweden since Abba.

Volvo’s S60 is the car that could take the fight to the Germans, if looks are anything to go by.

There are three specification levels – ES, SE and SE Lux and all are armed with some groundbreaking Pedestrian Detection technology including ACC with Distance Alert, Queue Assist and Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake available as an option.

The S60 will begin arriving in showrooms from July and that’s good timing given that Volvo Car UK is seeing its best sales in eighteen years with close to 12,000 registrations so far this quarter.

Prices range from 23,295 Pounds for the D3 ES to 36,745 Pounds for the highly specced and top-of-the-range T6 AWD SE Lux Geartronic Premium.

Billed as a four-door coupe, the S60 is more distinct than any previous Volvo and promises to offer driving dynamics and characteristics not yet seen from the marque.

S60 buyers will have the choice of two diesels and one petrol powerplant. The 2.0-litre D3 is a newly developed five-cylinder and produces 163hp (121.55kW) and 400Nm of torque. If you choose the manual gearbox, fuel consumption is said to be no less than a staggering 54mpg (4.3l/100km).

Graduating upwards is the familiar twin turbo D5, which develops 205hp (152kW) and 420Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds while not blistering is at least adequate. Fuel consumption is the big winner here though, with a stunning 53.3mpg (4.4l/100km).

The high-performance T6 variant, which is powered by the current 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol driven engine is good for 304hp (226kW) and 440Nm of torque. Top speed is 250km/h and the 0-100km/h sprint will take just 6.5 seconds will fuel consumption at 28.5mpg (8.2l/100kms)

While the T6 is a reasonably quick, it’s no M3. If the Volvo board is listening, then I implore them to consider a bona fide performance ‘R” version of the S60 and I’ll guarantee the first sale in Australia, providing the car has some real ‘go’.

Volvo already builds the world’s safest cars but with technology such as Pedestrian technology with Full Auto Brake System, safety takes on a whole new meaning.

A radar unit located in the car’s grille, a camera in front of the rear view mirror and a central control unit, make up the Pedestrian Detection system, which detects any object in front of the car as well as the actual distance to it.

The camera is there to determine what type of an object it is, while the full auto brake function responds to vehicles in front of the S60, which are either moving in the same direction or are at standstill.

The system is smart too as the higher definition camera can determine the pattern of a pedestrian’s movements as well as detecting those about to step from the sidewalk on to the road.

Faced with an emergency situation, the driver of the S60 receives an audible warning and a flashing light in the head-up display, which resembles a brake light. At that same moment, the car’s brakes are pre-charged. Should the driver not react in time to avoid a collision then full brake power is activated. If you’ve opted for the Full Auto Brake function with Pedestrian Detection you can also avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds of up to 33km/h.

Call it science fiction, but as far as Volvo is concerned, this technology is for the here and now.

All new Volvo S60s come with an arsenal of standard safety features including City Safety, DTSC, WHIPS, SIPS and inflatable Curtain Airbags for the driver and passengers.

Standard equipment on the S60 includes Cruise Control, Electronic Climate Control, a new infotainment system, which includes a 5-inch screen, Information Centre, leather steering wheel and gear stick, alloy wheels and a Performance Sound Audio System.

While the entry-level ES trim makes do with Textile upholstery, 16-inch alloys and Charcoal trim, the 25,295 Pound SE spec, adds Shimmer Graphite aluminium trim, watch dials, Auto Dimming rear view mirror, rain sensor, Rear Park Assist, Bluetooth, Autofolding Power Door Mirrors with Puddle Lights and 17-inch alloys wheels.

For less than two grand more, you can choose the top spec SE Lux, and include additional features such as Leather upholstery, Active Bending headlights with headlamp cleaning and Power Driver’s Seat and Memory.

There are of course a host of optional features available which are sensible grouped in various packages including the Driver Support Pack, which features; Pedestrian Detection combined with ACC (adaptive Cruise Control) with Distance Alert, Queue Assist and Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake, Lane Departure Warning with Driver Alert, Autofolding Power Door Mirrors with Puddle Lights and BLISS (Blind Spot Information System)

Volvo Australia expects to have the first shipments of S60 cars here in December this year.

Volvo S60 Pricing (UK only)