The Vovlov S60 R

Originally Posted by jdf

"I thought she was a diesel"

I have gotten that too and it sounds nothing like a diesel!! I think it been a 5 cylinder throws people.

I don’t have an S60, but it is an R. I’m very happy with it, progress is effortless and overtaking ability in any gear will surprise. Handling is ok, but you will never forget it is a big solid car with a bigish engine hanging over the front wheels.

Quick Volvos are very good at what they are designed to be; quick and discrete

Volvo really do the whole Q car thing well alright.
Even the likes of mine and johnos cars- both quiet large and fire engine red with large dark wheels do tend to go un-noticed.
Most discreet I ever had was a breathed upon( by Race-Tune in the UK)
Phase II V70 estate. In maroon. It was like being able to travel at Warp speeds witha cloaking device!!

As for the S60's... probably even more discreet.
The T5 is rapid but the R is a different league. 300BHP, 400Nm torque and AWD compared with 260BHP, 350Nm and FWD.
Parts are reasonably priced even for hot models and are readily available as are tons of go-faster goodies.
Happy days...

Originally Posted by fastford

Sat in a duck egg blue R in Koping in 2003 when they were just out. I've a feeling it was the first one into Ireland and I'm sure they had it as a demo.

A mate of mine bought that green/blue one from Koping good a few years ago. He kept it for a few years and then sold through the free ads on here about 2 or 3 years ago. Seriously quick machine, but it devoured petrol like it was going out of fashion. He got some engine work done by a crowd in the UK and it transformed the car.

Originally Posted by johno

I have gotten that too and it sounds nothing like a diesel!! I think it been a 5 cylinder throws people.

At least nobody's ever said that to me!

I've been considering an R or T5 for quite a while now. They seem to be one of the ultimate sleepers, there was a blue S60 R in a garage in DunLaoghaire a while ago, not sure if it's still up for sale.

I'd like a comfy cruiser that also has a bit of go, they seem to tick a lot boxes, I just can't justify such a big car until I have kids though, it's definitely on the list though.

Would there be much of a performance diff between say an S60 T5 and a V50/V70 T5? Also a lot seem to be auto, what are they like in auto form? or is manual the only way to go?

I would obviously prefer a manual, but most available are auto.

the R is nowhere near as quick as the numbers would suggest. it has a big traction advantage over the T5 at low speeds but once over about 30mph in the dry it loses its horsepower advantage to drivetrain losses.

the AWD is notoriously fragile and they cost around €6k to fix when (not if) they let go.

on the plus side they can be got with that nice natural finish leather that is unavailable on the other models, and the variable damper settings are effective as a diversion when you're bored.

i would go for a T5 over an R any day of the week. granted it's as graceful as a drunken elephant trying to get from 0 to 30mph in a hurry but once it gets going it's as least as quick as the R with a simpler and more efficient drivetrain. it might even be quicker at high speeds.

as jdf says, they are very sensitive to tyre choice. pirelli p-zeros will get you off the line fastest. michelin ps2's will give the most steering precision and feedback. bridgestone re050's are the best compromise taking quietness into account. and if you make a bad tyre choice, vapourising them is a quick and simple process, even the rears disappear quickly when you nail it.

vvspy is a good place to go for info.

Whenever I have money again it's going to be an s60 t5 - it just ticks all the boxes for a fast daily driver with adaptability meaning you don't have to sell it down the line due to family needs.