Capitalizing on the popularity on the C30 R-Design, Volvo has introduced an R-Design version of the all-new S60 to ignite a true sports-car feel for potential owners who desire life on the fast lane and a loud appealing car. The S60 R-Design features a specially developed chassis to ensure drivers get that enhanced driving experience.

Stefan Sällqvist, manager of vehicle dynamics at Volvo Cars, commented, "Refining a chassis is a bit like being an athlete looking to break new records. Once you're beaten one record, you're immediately focused on the next. In the R-Design chassis we've sharpened the steering, the agility and the solid overall impression still further compared with the dynamic chassis in the all-new S60 and V60."
 
"The driving experience should be so connected and compact that it feels as though the car has been milled out of a single block of aluminium," he added.

Deemed sharper and a natural choice for connoisseurs, this S60 R comes with a range of specially developed design details both outside and in.
 

On the outside the cars have an imposing redesigned front with a grille painted in glossy piano black. The sporty stance is further enhanced with color-matched body components, details in matt special finish and a hexagonal pattern that is repeated both front and rear. Distinctive twin exhaust tailpipes and unique five-spoke 18-inch Diamond cut wheels emphasize the sporty overall appeal.

On the inside, the driver and front passenger sit in sports seats in which the backrest is matched by an all-new seat cushion with even closer side support than before. The special leather/textile upholstery is available in a version trimmed in off-black and ceramic light, or in an all-black variant, both with contrasting stitching. The interior also features a special steering wheel, gear selector, sports pedals and floor-mats.

Under the hood, R-Design can be combined with a range of petrol and diesel engines, from an economical DRIVe version producing 115 horsepower to a high-performance turbo version with 304 horsepower. All the engines have been designed to meet high expectations on driving pleasure combined with competitive fuel consumption.

Aside from the broader details, the S60 R-Design has been incorporated with more refined details for good measures, including a rigid chassis, strut brace for direct steering feel, rear monotube damping, short and stiffer suspensions, firmer bushings, traction control and an extensive DSTC system. 

The S60 R's chassis is fitted with a strut brace under the bonnet which consists a bar that ties together the suspension strut towers. This is a classic method of stiffening up the body structure. At the rear,  the monotube damper acts to compress and assure a quicker damping, and combining it with 15mm shorter front and rear springs, the R-Design piece get 15 percent higher stiffness compared to the normal S60.

Just like in the standard versions, the chassis in the S60 R-Design is backed up by a range of electronic systems that sharpen the sporty driving experience still further. Corner Traction Control is a new feature that uses torque vectoring to make for smoother cornering. The technology is a further refinement of the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) anti-spin system.

Another first in the S60 R is the Advanced Stability Control (ASC) that identifies skidding tendency at an early stage. This means that the anti-spin system can deploy faster and with greater precision. ASC provides a huge improvement in driving properties and in emergency avoidance manoeuvres during dynamic driving involving considerable lateral forces, something that Volvo is renowned for. Additionally, there is an Engine Drag Control device which basically prevents the wheels from losing grip during engine braking on a slippery surface.

The S60 R DSTC package also has a sports setting that makes it possible for the driver to drive more actively. By disabling the anti-spin function, the car allows more pronounced oversteer, much like drifting.

The all-new Volvo S60 R-Deisgn is set for debut in autumn 2010 with its introductory color, the Passion Red. From there, Volvo has announced an additional 7 colors for their bigger markets in Great Britain, the USA and Central Europe.