Volvo now seem to have found the talisman to change the scenario from ‘just a Volvo’ to ‘the Volvo!’. They call it the D3 engine. Recently we drove their smallest offering, the S60 D3, which has this new heart ticking under its bonnet
HOW MANY OF US REMEMBER THE name of the twelfth player in a match-winning cricket team? Mostly we don’t. Similarly, the mind and vision of the Indian car-buyer is restricted to what s/he sees often and hears about more, etc. Let’s admit, Volvo have belonged to the ‘also showing’ slot in the big Indian bioscope, where the German trio get a 90-mm screening.
But times, they are a-changing and with a new engine introduced throughout their line-up, Volvo are raring to challenge the competition. With this new engine, Volvo might give us some of the most dynamic offerings in the history of the marque. Mind you, I said dynamic, and not, as another German competitor defines some of their cars, sporty.
After being present in the Indian market with their D5 and T6 engines, Volvo have now introduced the D3 engine in three of their major offerings in the country: the S60, S80 and XC60. Originally, the ‘D’ prefix used to denote the performance version of Volvo engines, which now simply stands for difference in size and power.
We tested the smallest Volvo, the S60, and came back with a smile. Quite a head-turner in looks, the S60 drives even better. Its two-litre, five-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine churns out 165 PS of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque. Once the wheels gets rolling, you know you’re in for some fun. The car comes with the option of manual and automatic transmission; the one we drove had a six-speed Geartronic transmission.
Without a sign of any turbo lag, the S60 D3 exhibits a strong bottom and mid-range, just what you’d need for hassle-free city driving. The car is pretty competent in the top end too. The performance results underscore the aggressiveness the car needed to make a strong mark in the market.
With the S60 crossing the 100 km/h mark in 10.16 seconds, it is already clear that with this new engine, it isn’t ‘just a Volvo’ any longer. Along with a good performance, the engine is rather fuel-efficient too and returned 11.25 km to a litre. Luxury and economy hand-in-hand, what more can one ask for?
The suspension has been set up perfectly between being too hard (and thus ruining the ride quality) and being too soft and rolling – perfect for smooth cruising. The brakes have a good bite and with safety features such as brake assist, collision warning with full auto brake, dynamic stability, traction control and pedestrian detection, etc, the Volvo instils extra confidence into the driver. The steering feels accurate and smooth. However, the lack of engine refinement strikes a slightly jarring note. Due to insufficient sound-proofing, a lot of that noise filters into the cabin too.
To sum it up, the new D3 has given the S60 all the vim that was needed to catapult it back into the picture and put it on a par with the competition. If engine refinement is worked upon a little, then the rough edges can be smoothed out too. The other things that one looks for while making a pick in this segment – rich interior, features like LCD screen, sun-roof, electrically adjustable seats with lumbar support, etc – make it good value for money.
Priced at Rs 31.5 lakh (OTR, Pune) despite being a CBU, the S60 D3 may be found lacking in that attractive sportiness, but it’s fast enough to take you out of a snarl in a jiffy, to carry you around the city in luxury and to munch the miles without breaking out into a sweat.
The new D3 has given the S60 all the vim that was needed to catapult it back into the picture and put it on a par with the competition
Story: Gasha Aeri-Alawani
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
