Volvo S60 Concept drives itself in stop-start traffic

Vo December 18, 2008 Volvo has finally released images of the Volvo S60 Concept car which will be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January. The Concept, which we originally previewed here, gives an indication of what the all-new Volvo S60 will look like when launched in 2010. Apart from the previously mentioned floating centre stack made out of handmade, solid Orrefors crystal, the car features a four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine using high-efficiency GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) technology and producing 180 horsepower. In a conventional petrol engine, fuel is injected into the inlet manifold ahead of the inlet valves. With direct injection, however, the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber under high pressure. The vehicle also has an upgraded version of Volvo's Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with a queue assist function. The radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control maintains the set time gap to the vehicle in front all the way down to standstill, meaning the car can drive itself in slow-moving queues with repeated starting and stopping.lvo has finally released images of the Volvo S60 Concept car which will be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January. The Concept, which we originally previewed here, gives an indication of what the all-new Volvo S60 will look like when launched in 2010. Apart from the previously mentioned floating centre stack made out of handmade, solid Orrefors crystal, the car features a four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine using high-efficiency GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) technology and producing 180 horsepower. In a conventional petrol engine, fuel is injected into the inlet manifold ahead of the inlet valves. With direct injection, however, the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber under high pressure. The vehicle also has an upgraded version of Volvo's Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with a queue assist function. The radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control maintains the set time gap to the vehicle in front all the way down to standstill, meaning the car can drive itself in slow-moving queues with repeated starting and stopping.

"The all-new S60 will be one of the strongest players in a segment where the competition is razor-sharp," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Stephen Odell. The coupe-inspired lines that gave the original S60 its characteristic stance are more pronounced in this next generation. "The sporty design gives a visual promise of an enthusiastic drive and I can assure you that the all-new S60 will live up to that promise. The driving properties are better than in any previous Volvo," says Stephen Odell. "The concept car's exterior gives a clear indication of what customers can expect of the all-new S60. On the inside we've been even more daring," says Volvo Cars Design Director Steve Mattin.

The front of the S60 Concept sports the enlarged iron mark in the trapezoidal grille. The two lamps that flank the grille emphasise the vertical stance of the front and highlight the bonnet's V-shape. The angled headlamps flow up into the strongly sculptured bonnet and, combined with the lower air intake's reverse trapezoidal shape, this gives the concept car a very expressive ‘face’.

Viewed from the side, the concept car's slim coupe roofline and window graphics are accompanied by an entirely new shoulder line, forming a gentle double wave, stretching from the headlamps all the way to the rear. Both the seven-spoke 20-inch wheels and the tread of the low-profile tyres have been specially designed, while the bronze-painted brake callipers match the ‘Warm Liquid Copper’ livery.

The unique rear parallelogram doors offer a spectacular show when they are opened and closed. Door opening is initiated by pressing a button and the movement starts off in the traditional way. In the next phase, the forward section swings out away from the car's body and the door glides parallel with the side of the car until it reaches its end position by the rear wheel.

Inspiration from Viking longboats

In each of the headlamps, the lights create a silhouette of two miniature Viking longboats sailing side by side, one for main beam and one for dipped beam. When driving in the dark, the light is reflected from the concealed, upward-facing High Performance LED bulbs, projected ahead by the ships' filled sails.

Inspiration from the racing track

"In forthcoming models, you will see more and more of our ‘racetrack’ design cues. The car's lines do not end abruptly but instead forge a continuous flow pattern inspired by the fast sweeps of the racing track. In the concept car, this is particularly visible at the rear," says Steve Mattin. The tail lamps, which follow the curve of the rear shoulders, are as advanced as the headlamps. When switched off, the lamp panels show no trace of the traditional red or yellow. But when activated, the position marker lights, brake lights and turn indicators come on in their correct colours. The solid glass panel is sectioned into horizontal ‘slices’. At the rear there is also a retractable diffuser that adjusts with vehicle speed to give better aerodynamic properties.

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