Test drive Volvo S40 2004 - 2007 sedan

New mythology

Volvo practically dispelled the myth of the Volvo-Driver, which is calmly moving in the right lane on the universal suitcase with a hypertrophied trunk. This is a figure from the past.

 

Here is a relevant picture: the volvo-drive river rushes in a low-planted all-wheel drive turquoise shell with a 300-horsepower turbo engine and, gleaming cold xenon, releases the left row from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Saab

 

I repent, I used to be prejudice to such a phenomenon as Volvo, referring to the pleasure of driving. Safety, style, quality inherent in the Swedish brand, of course, is good, but where is the enthusiasm, excitement, emotionality?

 

With the S60 R, for the first time I talked closely last year, it was a sedan finalized in the Obukhov studio, which turned into an army mutant with an enlarged clearance and almost off -road wheels. I wanted to check in the case a real erk. And finally, the desire was fulfilled, here it is - R -product in its purest form. And I, accordingly, act as a Volvo-Diver of a new wave.

 

S60 R is one of the first representatives of the new generation of Volvo cars, giving the driver not only a traditional sense of reliability and security, but above all, emotions. Already the appearance of the model promises a lot (it will still reach the hot filling).

 

An unusual turquoise color, a spectacular and very harmonious body kit, 18-inch wheels, low landing, anti-wing, a formidable front bumper, double exhaust nozzles. Full set! Moreover, and the Bukovs R wherever possible - on the false radiator grille, trunk lid, wheeled disks, brake calipers, a car looks like a ringboard that has entered the civilian route. The S60 R lines can be admired for a long time, from different angles - it turned out a beautiful solid sedan and, moreover, in sports aggressive.

 

Inside, a sports mood is supported less actively. Here we can talk about luxury and desire to look noble. The aura of elegance is primarily created by the color of the leather finish of armchairs and door panels - a caressing look of light brown tint. On the torpedo and the doors of the insert of polished metal. The hard rim of the three -spoke steering wheel, the automatic transmission selector and the handle handle are in black leather vestments. You will also slam the doors from the inside of the doors in pleasant contact with the skin, which also covered the pens. The assembly of the salon is high -quality, the interior looks elegant. However, if people from the Russian representative office of Volvo gave me S60 R with black leather trim, this paragraph in the text could not have been.

 

Under the hood-a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbo engine, the pride of the company. And there is something to be proud. Firstly, there is a rare layout with five cylinders and turbocharges, which can already be considered a generic sign of modern Volvo. Secondly, solid indicators are exactly 300 horses and 400 nm of torque. Recall that in -line turbocharged fives are installed on ordinary S60. How does the top version differ from them in this case?

 

The 300-horsepower engine received a new KKK turbine. The air entering the cylinders is cooled by two interculers. Enhanced piston groups and connecting rods. At the inlet and release - variable phases of gas distribution (CVVT). The cooling of the block head is improved. Even the Carter pallet was modified - for a more effective fence of oil with active driving.

 

The engine leaves the best impression. This is an even Nordic motor that issues the maximum traction at 1950 rpm. Under the characteristic for in -line five, Red S60 R demonstrates powerful acceleration in each gear. The automatic box switches quickly, and in sports mode when dynamic driving is an excellent ally. But if you want to move as aggressively as possible, you need to switch manually, shaking the selector back and forth, then it will be possible to slow down the engine and generally fully control the car. True, you will have to get the readings on the inclined transmission from a tiny information display in the lower part of the tachometer. I note, however, that no matter how good the machine is, the mechanics by car of this class are still better. Suffice it to say that the version with the manual transmission accelerates to 100 km/h faster for a second, showing the impressive 5.7 seconds!

 

However, the car accelerates perfectly with the automaton, including in higher gears. I was lucky to make a protracted raid in Russian expanses on the turquoise S60 R. I must say that even complex overtaking on the two -lane highways caused a minimum of difficulties. It was often not required to switch down - it was enough just to drown the accelerator, and the moment motor informed the car in which four people needed for quick maneuver were sitting.

 

However, can Volvo offer the very coveted harmony when the engine and checkpoint are in full agreement with the chassis? Theoretically - yes. The suspension is based on the Four -C active shock absorbers, which has three work algorithms and independently controls the operation of each rack separately, depending on the conditions of movement. And what's in practice?

 

Thanks to Four-C, S60 R, it is not only practically not fired in corners, but almost does not peck with the nose during braking and does not raise it during acceleration. Active chassis can operate in three modes - Comfort, Sport and Advanced. By default, a second option is established, which, depending on the driving manner, can quickly retrained in the first or third. As for these two, the difference in their work is obvious. Where the road is far from the ideal, where it is full of patch and waves, the most suitable for measured movement will be comfort; In it, the car is best extinguishes various kinds of vibrations, thus showing the maximum care of passengers.

 

However, I like Advanced. If in the Comfort S60 R mode it turns into a simply powerful sedan with reactions that lacks clarity, with some kind of suspension, then in an advanced car is tenacious, accurate, fast, shaking. Sports! How great it is when there is a choice! Manufacturers always have to look for a compromise between comfort and controllability, only a few cars are able to adequately combine these contradictory qualities. And there are very rare cases when they are fully represented in one specific car and are offered to choose from.

 

The steering with varying effort Servotronic shows itself in the best way with the maximum sandpaper. Yes, and the checkpoint works in sports if you select the Advanced mode. And it’s good that the brakes do not depend on any other system! Powerful calipers tightly clamp the large pancakes of the disks, and the sedan stops always as quickly as possible. To get the brake system out of yourself, you need to try hard.

 

But there is still a full-wheel drive with an electronically controlled coupling, which, incidentally, is part of Four-C and contributes to the passive safety of S60 R. Always on the alert of the DSTC stabilization system. As, for example, a similar system for BMW, it can work in two modes. The first is involved. The second is disabled half: DSTC allows slipping, but nevertheless sterches. To turn it off completely, you need to methodically press the corresponding key five times, confirming your choice. Only in this case you will be able to be with the car one on one and demonstrate the maximum speed of turning. But not by a fan - this is not the element of Volvo.

 

So it turns out that in his new role, the Swedish brand in the person of S60 R, without losing his traditional advantages, also offers emotions, sports mood, dynamism. It seems that one myth in our lives has become less - soon no one will remember the notorious Volvo -Driver.

 

VOLVO S60 R prices and configuration

 

Prices for the top version of the S60 start at $ 59,900. In the basic configuration: steering hydraulic power steering with varying force Servotronic, central locking, airbags, electric windows, separate climate control, immobilizer, casting r17, heating, headlight purges, alarm cleanser, alarm , electronic systems Tracs/DSA/DSTC, spoiler, mechanical 6-speed gearbox. By paying, you can get cruise control, fog lights, hatch, automatic transmission, metallic color, r18 discs.

 

Text: Leonty Tyutelev
 

 
 

Source: Motor magazine [June 2006]