Test Drive Volvo S60 since 2010 Sedan
Strong go on
Volvo, presenting the All-wheel drive version of the S60 model on the market, made a significant step for himself. S60 AWD, possessing respectableness and safety characteristic of this brand, will satisfy the driver's ambitions.The answer to the question, from what positions to approach the S60 AWD estimate, is in the words of Viceser vessel Volvo Cars Hanson Hanson: The owner of a sports sedan uses four-wheel drive mainly for the sake of increasing stability and stability, and not to increase stability. Here you need keywords: stability and sportiness.
Our car is equipped with a five-cylinder engine with a volume of 2.4 liters with a low-pressure turbine and a five-speed automatic machine. In the full drive system used Haldex electronically controlled coupling. The drive on the rear axle wheels is connected when the front slip. When the clutch difference, the larger torque is served where there is a support.
The car at first glance has to yourself. It does not have external coarseness or angry purple, peculiar to some of his classmates. Going to celebrate the detail cast in the eye - the presence of full headlight wipers. It is much better for riding in winter than fashionable nozzles recently.
The interior of the car is decorated in bright colors that even with a highly developed central tunnel helps to avoid the feeling of cramped. Electric adjustable seats - with side support. Overview from the driver's seat is good in all directions. The dashboard is not overloaded and read easily - the central place on it is occupied by an equilibrium speedometer and tachometer. In general, the sensation from the salon is light and positive.
With the weather on the day of the dough, the lead clouds were hung over the city, rain flows periodically changed the curtain of wet snow. Another time, it would probably be upset, but now we have impaired a chance to drive the car in all types of coating, except for dry asphalt, which is not particularly interesting for a car with a full drive.
In the order of digging, we note: recently become fashionable equipment of road vehicles with full drive systems increases the pickup on slippery coating and improves the stability in the turns, however, it also has a root side - if the car still went beyond the fault, to catch it incomparably more difficult than the monotriferous . And the standard ways to exit the drift, equally applicable to various cars, even with the current diversity of systems do not exist. Therefore, we will try to pay special attention to the aspect of safety and predictability in the behavior of S60 AWD.
Despite slush, the transmission allows you to use all the power of a two-pump engine when starting. There are practically no delays when connecting the rear axle. Overclocking - Aki Take. The motor demonstrates a good trap in the entire turn range. The ACP works quickly, quiet and smoothly. When the gas pedal is pressed to failure, the engine has the ability to get out to peak. Kick Down mode is activated with minimal delay, allowing you to easily dial the speed for overtaking.
The work of the automaton in manual sequental mode turned attention: delays when switching transmissions is noticeable so much that it is required to adversely. The option is likely to be useful rather in case of problems with the passability on slippery coating, rather than to increase the car dynamics.
In everyday situations, when managing our S60 AWD will use skills obtained when driving on front-wheel drive vehicles. But we must warn: addictive to the new ratio of overclocking and braking speaker. By the way, the brakes at S60 are powerful and informative, but the work of ABS disappointed: when braking both on asphalt, and on the ground, the system operates with a loud crash, unequal intervals and strong impact on the brake pedal.
In gentle turns, the behavior of the car is stable, even the irregularities of the road fabric and provocations of the gas pedal are not knocked down the machine with the intended curve. Due to the fact that the suspension is connected to the body through the subframes, and in the attachments, vibration-insulating supports are applied, small irregularities are practically not felt.
The approach used in the design of S60 is generally quite interesting. The fact is that the VOLVO S80 platform is served here. As the donor - the car is heavier, using S60 silent blocks, shock absorbers racks and other suspension parts from it automatically led to the fact that the nodes already familiar to the representative comfortable sedan, the class below demonstrates rigid sports behavior. The question of the strength and durability of parts originally designed per longer loads, explanations, I think it does not require.
The length of the future ring road, recently used to put into operation, served as a good landfill for evaluating S60 AWD at high speeds. Gas - to the floor, follow the speedometer. The arrow stubbornly crawls to the right, now and 170 km / h behind. Further, the testimony of devices can be observed only by a glimpse - the road requires a lot of attention. The car is easily gaining 200 km / h, we are on the highway alone, but long at this speed will not last. The reactive force on the steering wheel is weakening, although the ram retains sensitivity.
The best highway in the vicinity of St. Petersburg turned out to be clearly not sufficiently smooth for the ess. The suspension wants to be softer, the steering wheel, the aerodynamic unloading is smaller. On the highway of the European class, the behavior of the car will most likely other. Now the situation in the area of \u200b\u200bmaximum speed becomes shaky, and the retaining of the car on the straight requires the piloting, and not taxi. To gain confidence, descend to 180-170 km / h.
More or less unfavorable with the thesis on the stability of the car, we visit the playground, where you can learn the missing information about its sportiness. The coating is asphalt under the thin layer of snow in the water.
Attack turn. A sharp pulse steering wheel for gas reset, and immediately - pedal to the floor. What will the car answer for such a provocation? Zero emotions. Nordic arc movement with neutral trends towards drift or demolition, rolls are minimal. Balanced S60 AWD is really at the height.
At the next attempt, I break the car with the handbook. No wonder it is so available - easy movement with hand enough to lock the rear wheels. Slip! What will happen in this situation in this situation?
To confess, have already prepared to demolish all the marking of the turn and would not consider it indecent for the first acquaintance with the controlled electronics with a four-wheel drive car. But it goes like a rally, accurately adjusted with the steering wheel and gas, keeping it within the corridor is not difficult. With the machine you can do everything that pleases, and it does not fail, performs the slightest capricious driver.
The alertness in our relationship is increasingly inferior to confidence. Would you like something else? Yes. Mechanical KP. But, you must admit, and the machine with the machine can deliver a lot of pleasure.
Everything is time. Exit. Stabilization occurs sharply, as if the car rose on the rails. To accurately completed turning, only fast steering correction is necessary.
Volvo S60 AWD seems to live in two poles separated from each other: maximum stability on one and sliding on the other, and to move the face, you will need a serious impact or a rigging driver's error.
In the near future, this model plan to establish a full-fledged system of dynamic stabilization (DSTC), which should still insure a car without something that is not inclined to surprises from possible getting into abnormal situations. As for passive security, it is close to the S80 level.
Is it possible to confes the new Volvo? In my opinion, unconditionally - it's nice when you understand.
Text: Dmitry Sokolov
A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [12/2001]
