Volvo S60 R-Design & V60 R-Design launched

Volvo S60 R-Design

Both the Volvo S60 and the Volvo V60 are new in 2010, and both illustrate that Volvos are no longer just safe, boring boxes. They’re actually quite stylish in a grown-up, subtle kind of way. But Volvo thinks there’s a market for their ’60s’ with bolt on go-faster bits, so we’re treated to the Volvo S60 R-Design and the V60 R-Design.

And it looks like Volvo are right, because we rather like the look of the butched-up V60 and S60. This may be just a style package with no extra power, but the R-Design models do get a specially developed chassis as well as the go-faster bits.

The R-Design features a stiffer body thanks to a strut brace under the bonnet (an old, but effective, trick) and there are new monotube dampers out back which Volvo say respond more quickly. The dampers also get stiffer bushes, and the springs all round get chopped by 15mm and are 15% stiffer.

In addition the bushing attaching the rear sub-frame to the car is a huge 400% stiffer, which will apparently counteract wheel bouncing and shaking. So even though you get no more power than standard you can probably use the existing power to better effect round the twisty bits.

The cosmetic tweaks are predictable, but effective. Decent looking 18″ alloys, a re-designed, more aggressive-looking front valance and a diffuser housing twin exhaust pipes.

The interior gets sports seats (with more bolstered squab) trimmed in off-black and ceramic light or all black, both with contrast stitching. There’s also an R-Design steering wheel, R-Design gear stick, R-design sports pedals and R-Design floor mats. You’ll definitely know you ticked the R-Design option.

But it’s a decent option and can be specced on every S60 and V60 across the range, from the lowly D3 to the 304bhp T6. But for some reason we don’t know how much it will cost. Volvo hasn’t told us.

But we’ll update when they do.

Update: New we have the Volvo V60 R-Design Prices

By Cars UK