Five Gasoline and Three Diesel Engines Offered

This new V60, as its name suggests, is a mid-size sports wagon positioned between the existing V50 and V70 models. Previously, Volvo's mid-size offerings were represented by the V70, but from now on, the V70 will be for practical, versatile models in the mid-size segment, while the V60 will cater to those seeking a sportier character, creating a clear distinction between the two.

The V60 shares its basic mechanicals with the S60 sedan and is available with a choice of eight engines: five gasoline and three diesel.

The gasoline lineup includes the top-tier "T6," featuring a 3.0-liter inline-six turbo engine producing 304ps and 44.9kgm of torque, capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds and reaching a top speed of 250km/h (with limiter). Also available are the "T5" with a 240ps 2.0-liter turbo, the "2.0T" with a 203ps 2.0-liter turbo, the "T4" with a 180ps 1.6-liter turbo, and the "T3" with a 150ps 1.6-liter turbo.

The diesel options consist of three variants: the "D5" (205ps) with a 2.4-liter turbo, the "D3" (163ps) with a 2.0-liter turbo, and the "1.6D DRIVe" (115ps) with a 1.6-liter turbo.

Coupe-Like Styling Meets Ample Luggage Space

According to Orjan Sterner, the head of exterior design, the styling "approaches coupe-like aesthetics as much as possible and does not pursue traditional wagon-like qualities." Despite this, the luggage capacity is an impressive 430 liters with the rear seats in use. Furthermore, the rear seats are split 40:20:40 and can be folded down, allowing for versatile seating arrangements.

In terms of safety, the V60 incorporates features such as "City Safety" to avoid rear-end collisions and reduce impact, as well as a "Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake" system that prevents collisions with pedestrians at speeds below 35km/h.

The new V60 is scheduled to go on sale in Europe in the autumn of 2010. It is anticipated that 90 percent of all production will be allocated to the European market.