Being the exciting people that we are, in the PH office this morning we were discussing how all of the current Volvo saloon cars look remarkably similar. They're not 'unattractive' by any means, but they are getting very similar to one another, and certainly not the most exciting designs on the market.
This new S60 concept however, which will probably do the motorshow rounds in 2009, suggests a new direction for Volvo saloon car design. Far from the '3-box' saloons of the past, it is a streamlined shape with coupe-like proportions and a sharply-sloping roof give a refreshing, aggressive look to the design.
There is no B-pillar and what appear to be frameless doors, again emphasising the idea of a fashionable 'four-door coupe'. The classic Volvo grill is still there at the front, but in redesigned form and sat between new sculpted headlights.
Meanwhile the rear of the car sports more interesting detailing, including LED lights and triangular exhausts strangely similar to those found on the current generation of Honda Civics. The doors open out like a Mazda RX-8, however this is probably to give the public a better look at the snazzy interior.
The interior looks light and spacious, making the most of the large windscreen to let in the light lost by the high doorline. The striking instrument binnacle is cleverly-lit, and details such as the pedals and gear selector are all quirky and refreshing. Despite this, this is the usual concept car fodder, and only time will tell how many of these details make it through to the next generation of production cars.
The S60 concept apparently carries various innovative gadgets including Volvo's new collision warning system with automatic braking, and a clever system to avoid pedestrian collisions that uses radar and a camera to 'see' things that the driver may not have noticed.
A dual-clutch gearbox will channel power from a 179bhp turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which will apparently be able to achieve 47mpg using clever efficiency features, including a stop/start mode to save fuel and an economy mode called 'DRIVe'.
Whilst the S60 concept remains just a concept, its engine, called a 'GTDi' (gasoline turbocharged direct injection), will apparently make its appearance in the Volvo lineup this year.