The all-new Volvo S60 - sculpted to move you
The all-new Volvo S60 has its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on the 2nd of March. It makes its entry into one of the automotive world's toughest segments and is backed by an extroverted attitude that promises to deliver a thrilling driving experience, innovative safety and gorgeous design.
The all-new S60 has been sculpted to move you - both physically and emotionally.
It is without a doubt the most dynamic car model Volvo has ever introduced - and its Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is a groundbreaking safety feature.
"The sporty design delivers a visual promise of enthusiastic driving characteristics and I can assure you that the all-new S60 truly lives up to that promise," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Stephen Odell. "Its driving properties are better than those of any previous Volvo. The all-new S60's innovative new technologies help you become both a better and a safer driver." With the all-new Volvo S60, Volvo Cars is advancing its position in one of the car world's most competitive segments: CD Premium.
"The competition is razor-sharp and the customers know exactly what they want. The emphasis is on emotional stance, sporty design and dynamic driving properties. Success in this segment means a lot for the brand's image and we are convinced that the all-new S60 will be one of the strongest contenders," continued Odell.
Stunning coupe design with four doors
The all-new S60 is sportier and more dynamic than any previous Volvo. But it is still an unmistakable representative of Scandinavian design at its best.
"The S60 has been sculpted to move you. Every single line in its design is there to transport you both physically and emotionally. Its profile is very coupe-like so that the rear doors come as something of a pleasant surprise when you examine the car close-up," noted Volvo Cars' Design Director Peter Horbury.
The C-pillar of the all-new S60 stretches sensually all the way to the tail lamps - and the slim coupe-like roof line is accompanied by a new contour at the shoulders on either side of the lower body, creating a gentle yet powerful double wave that sweeps continuously from the headlights to the tail lights.
The dip in the middle of the double wave visually pushes the car down. This enhances the S60's aggressive stance and makes the car look sleeker and lower. The sculpted hood and the short overhangs front and rear also emphasize the sports-car feel.
The most dynamic Volvo ever
The all-new S60 is much more than a beautiful study in design. It is without a doubt the most driver-oriented car model Volvo has ever presented.
"This project has been about pure passion for the task of driving Volvo's chassis development expertise to its very pinnacle. We've crossed into territory where we've never been before," commented Stefan Sällqvist, who is in charge of developing the chassis of the all-new S60.
In the U.S., it is planned that the all-new S60 will be offered with the sporty "Dynamic" chassis as standard, while other markets will be offered with a "Comfort" chassis as standard and the "Dynamic" chassis as an option.
The difference in ride and handling between the two chassis alternatives can be found in the dampers and the front and rear subframes. The Comfort variant has a somewhat softer setting to give a smoother ride on poorer road surfaces.
During the development process, the chassis team carved out a holistic solution featuring changes and refinements for virtually every single detail that influences a car's driving properties. This includes improved steering, stiffer springs and bushings as well as more damping than in any previous Volvo.
The software in the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system, which is standard on the S60 T6, has been modified to exploit the sporty new chassis to the limit. The all-new S60 can be specified with the advanced, self-adjusting FOUR-C active chassis. The FOUR-C active chassis has been modified and refined for better control and more comfortable feel compared to previous Volvos.
Exquisite quality inside
The interior of the all-new S60 takes Volvo Cars to a new dimension in terms of exclusive quality. In addition, Volvo Cars' designers have added excitement, contrast and playfulness to the clean simplicity of Scandinavian design tradition.
"The interior has a more extroverted attitude than before, but without losing any of its practical Scandinavian roots. The all-new S60 brings us up to a whole new level when it comes to the integral experience of color, form, material and technology," said Horbury. Scandinavian design is often described with rational adjectives such as functionality, simplicity and clarity. When creating the all-new S60, the design team added a modern touch and details that generate excitement, contrast and playfulness.
The interior of the all-new S60 is lavish in terms of its driver-oriented details, but it is still a five-passenger car offering comfortable space for all its occupants. The sculpted outer rear seats give the passenger in the middle welcome side support. The all-new S60 benefits from a nearly 2.5-inch increase in wheelbase, from 106.9 inches to 109.3 inches over the previous-generation S60. This increase has a direct impact on rear seat leg room. Rear passengers will notice a 2.0-inch increase in leg room. Knee space in the rear seat has also increased by 1.2 inches compared with the previous-generation S60. The rear seat splits 40/60 and the trunk is 4.2 inches wider than in the previous S60.
Check out our XC60's
Top 10 Little Things That Count
By Joe Bruzek, Cars.com
In the time our editors spend reviewing hundreds of cars a year, we run across features we simply can't live without. The features that make us whine when we don't have them aren't high-end, expensive gadgets but little conveniences that make a high impact on everyday usability and comfort. Here are our 10 favorites:
One-Touch Power Windows
Sure, one-touch up/down windows only save three seconds, but that's three seconds you can use to get out your checking deposit slip at the bank teller's window. And if there's a person you don't want to delay, it's the one who handles your money. The 2010 Toyota Camry has the one-touch up/down feature on all four windows.
USB Input
With a USB input, you can tuck the MP3 player out of the way, let it charge and control your 10,000 songs through the stereo, which is much better than the more common MP3 jack. Bonus points go to stereos that recognize older iPods — some won't — as well as searchable song lists. Interfaces that aren't alphabetically searchable make it agonizing to turn the dial a hundred times to get to your Weird Al Yankovic collection.
Telescoping Steering Wheel
Telescoping steering wheels not only give you more adjustability for finding a comfortable seating position, but they also help keep drivers in a safe position if the airbag deploys. The feature is available in every class of vehicle, so a model that doesn't have a telescoping steering wheel is at a competitive disadvantage.
Backup Camera
Backup cameras make navigating parking lots infinitely easier and can pay for themselves by preventing even one parking lot fender bender. Our favorites have lines on the screen that preview the vehicle's backup path. However, we'd still like to see more backup cameras as a stand-alone option rather than tied to an expensive navigation package.
Steering-Wheel Controls
There's probably nothing you have more interaction with in a car than the steering wheel and stereo, so having controls for both in the same place cuts down on the time your hands are off the wheel. Even better are steering wheels with cruise control buttons -- a separate cruise control stalk almost always gets mistaken for the turn signal at some point.
Trip Computer
A trip computer with mileage readouts can be an easy, no-cost way to improve fuel economy. By looking at the instant mileage, you can tailor your driving habits for the best results. Also included in some trip computers is an outside temperature gauge. Although we can't change the weather by looking at the gauge, it's quantitative proof that the weather forecaster is making stuff up.
Smart Cupholders
Fast-food drinks and jumbo-size coffees are more satisfying when they're not all over your car's carpet. The best cupholders are deep enough to keep cups from tipping over and accommodate different-sized drinks — from small coffees to Super Big Gulp Slurpees — using adjustable feelers and grips.
Heated Seats
This quintessential winter feature makes dealing with subfreezing temperatures as easy as hitting the heated seat button to "on." Heated seats start warming before the car's heat is able to blast at 90 degrees, and they can be fitted on cloth or leather seats.
Height-Adjustable Seats
Seats that adjust vertically are so critical to sitting comfortably that when a car doesn't have more than four-way adjustability, it seems grossly outdated. Six-way adjustable seats should be the bare minimum; anything less should have been left in 1996.
Three Sets of Latch Connectors
Just because a big SUV has three rows of seating doesn't guarantee there will be more than two sets of Latch connectors for child-safety seats. SUVs that have three sets of Latch anchors or more, like the 2010 Honda Pilot, offer more flexibility for larger families.
100% Russian bling: Gold plated Porsche 911 turbo
If you wake up day after day only to find your bank balance replenished by a few million dollars, chances are at some point, you won’t know what to do with it. Take this Porsche 911 owner for example. He couldn’t find ways to get rid of the fast-accumulating green paper and did this to himself.- A 40- pound pure gold covered Porsche 911.
We find the idea annoying but appreciate the work that has gone into it. The carvings and designs on the surface are brilliant and would have taken weeks to complete by an extremely set of talented and skilled individuals. The polished surface looks nice and should have masked the rear-view mirrors entirely, eliminating the need for a reflective glass and related electronics for adjustments, but maybe next time?!
Driving a Porsche 911 on the streets would grab enough attention leave alone a gold-covered one. Is the Sultan of Brunei reading this?
The Chesapeake and Ohio canal went from where to where?
Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Md
Chesapeake Bay to Cincinnati, Ohio
Chesapeake Bay to Cleveland, Ohio
Washington D.C. to Frostburg, Maryland
See answer under Car Doctor.
Air Pressure - Correct, Underinflated and Overinflated
Advantages of Correct Tire Inflation
Maintaining correct tire inflation pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Tire deflection (the tread and sidewall flexing where the tread comes into contact with the road) will remain as originally designed and excessive sidewall flexing and tread squirm will be avoided. Heat buildup will be managed and rolling resistance will be appropriate. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire's structure, blending the tire's responsiveness, traction and handling.
Tire pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection.
Disadvantages of Under inflation
An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance (causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular treadwear. Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.
Disadvantages of Over inflation
An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when encountering potholes or debris in the road, as well as experience irregular tread wear. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities as well causing the vehicle to ride harsher and transmit more noise into its interior. However, higher inflation pressures reduce rolling resistance slightly and typically provide a slight improvement in steering response and cornering stability. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures.
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Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Md.
The original Chesapeake and Ohio canal was about 175 miles long. It was originally intended to go all the way to Ohio, but never made it.
