Volvo
Quick Drive: 2012 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD
The Volvo is a good vehicle. It’s got plenty of power from its turbocharged six-cylinder engine, packing 300 ponies and 325 pound-feet of torque. There’s some turbo lag on tip-in, but by and large the engine spools rather quickly and dumps the torque across the middle of the rev range. It feels accessible, although not quite as much as some biturbocharged setups (we’re looking at you BMW). It dispatches highway traffic in a quiet, dignified manner, certainly not struggling to make a pass or tackle an entrance ramp.
Quick Drive: 2013 Lexus GS350 AWD
From a practical point of view, adding all-wheel drive to the Lexus GS350 makes a whole heaping helping of sense. After all, every other car in this class offers an all-wheels-driven solution. BMW has its xDrive, Mercedes offers 4Matic, and Audi has its legendary Quattro system. While Lexus hasn’t thought up a clever brand name for its AWD, it has given us a week in the car to see how it stacks up in the luxury car marketplace.
Driven: 2013 Volvo S80 T6 AWD
We enjoyed our rather short drive experience in the big Volvo, though far more when we were crushing highway miles than on the few occasions that we dove into the smaller, curvier Utah roads. That’s not because the S80 felt unstable, or lacked for grip on tight corners, but rather because the car offered too detached a ride profile to really enjoy the technical bits. Steering effort was one-finger light, and quick turn-in required quite a bit more lock be applied than we’d have liked. Further, Volvo has clearly opted for ride comfort over mid-corner stiffness, or chassis feedback, as the S80 seemed to hover on a cushion of air whist we meandered through hill and dale.
Driven: 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD
From our perspective, the new S60 configuration offers nearly everything that we loved about the original car, but without some of the power that was frankly, a little superfluous. Of course there’s nothing wrong with “extra” horsepower, but the S60 T6 always struck us as a vehicle whose engine and handling profiles didn’t match entirely. The midsize Volvo offered a sort of medium-soft ride, with relaxed steering, and handling that was fairly sharp but never overly frenetic. The car’s beefy engine meanwhile, delivered torque (and subsequent acceleration) that overwhelmed the chilled out nature of the car when one gave it the spurs on an attractive road.
Quick Drive: 2012 Volvo C70 Inscription
If you are looking for a stylish, comfortable, reasonably priced, four-person convertible, you could do much worse than the Volvo C70 Inscription. If you are looking for a fun-to-drive, fast, sharp droptop, then you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.
Winding Road Issue 83 Is Now Available!
This month in Winding Road, we test out they fast and smooth BMW M6 Convertible, a car that approaches the status of supercar. Plus, we pack a bunch of other automotive content in this issue.
Comparison Test: 2012 BMW X3 xDrive35i vs. 2012 Infiniti EX35 vs. 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque vs. 2012 Volvo XC60 R-Design
We wanted to put Evoque to the test. Lining up the big-selling BMW X3, the ultra-powerful Volvo XC60 R-Design, and the original-gangster-small-crossover Infiniti EX35, we figured to have great representation within this class.
Quick Drive: 2012 Volvo XC70 T6 AWD Polestar
There’s a clip from Top Gear from a few years ago, where Jeremy Clarkson talks about a hot hatch being able to haul a chest of drawers while still being an absolute hoot to drive. By that definition, the Volvo XC70 Polestar is a hot hatch.
List: Involvement Index Giant Killers For Under $30,000
In particular, the middle of our index is populated with some extremely affordable performance machinery, which can be every bit as involving as cars that cost double or even triple the price. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this list is how it’s set to grown in the coming months. With cars like the Scion FR-S/Subaru BR-Z, Ford Focus ST, and Hyundai Veloster Turbo all set to arrive before the end of 2012, there should be no shortage of affordable involvement options.
First Look: 2013 Buick Enclave
At the New York International Auto Show, Buick is showing its new Buick Enclave. For the 2013 model year, the three-row crossover gets new styling, safety technologies, in-vehicle connectivity, and a more refined driving experience, according to the company.
Driven: 2012 Volvos With Polestar Tuning
Unless you’re an avid fan of Swedish speed machines, you could be forgiven for not committing the name Polestar to memory. Volvo has officially partnered up with the performance brand since 1996, and Polestar has mainly been known for its hand in Volvo racing development. Whether we knew it or not, we North Americans have been waiting since sales began in 2009 to flaunt the blue square badge on our own roads. Our introduction began when Volvo invited us out to Arizona to sample a handful of its models equipped with Polestar tuning: the XC60, XC70, C30, and C70.
Geneva 2012: Auto Show Round Up
Day one of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show is pretty much over. There was quite a bit of new and exciting sheemetal crossing the stages today, and we made sure to cover as much as we could. This is your spot if you happened to miss any of today’s Swiss stories. We’ll be updating this list as more cars are debuted on day two. Also, look for a finalized version of this list soon.
First Look: 2013 Volvo V40
Press days for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show start tomorrow, but that hasn’t stopped a steady trickle of information on some of the new cars set to debut in Switzerland. One such car is the new Volvo V40.
List: The Ten Coolest Shifters
Arguably the stylistic centerpiece of any cabin, the shifter has evolved a great deal from its humble, column-based origins. Now, there are seemingly as many variations on its function as there are cars on the road. We’ve selected ten of our favorites (five autos, and five manuals), and would love to hear which ones you agree with and which other shifters you think should be on the list. The automobile has been around for over 100 years, and there’s been no shortage of designs. Let us know what you think.
Mini Comparison: 2012 Buick Regal GS And 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design
Recent back-to-back, weeklong tests of the 2012 Buick Regal GS and the 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design had got us to thinking that the two mild-performance variants could very well be vying for some of the same car-shopper dollars. With the Buick well down on power (by 55 horsepower and about 59 pound-feet of torque), down on driven wheels (front-wheel drive versus all-wheel), and down on price (about $8000 cheaper), this is certainly no direct comparison test. But, both Buick and Volvo seem to be playing to customers that are perhaps fatigued by the mainstream sport-luxury choices here (BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, etc.), and each car offers a compelling out-of-the-box answer to the sports sedan question.
Detroit 2012: Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid Concept
Volvo, renowned for its safety technology, is now looking to bust into the world of green motoring. The Swedish brand will unveil a plug-in-hybrid version of its XC60 CUV at the upcoming North American International Auto Show.
Buyer’s Guide: Mid-Size Luxury Sedans
The mid-size luxury segment is nearly always a hotly contested battlefield, and these days are no exception. Over the last weeks and months we’ve spent a lot of time driving the new (or newish) entries from Acura, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Saab, and more, so we thought it high time to bring together a feature that lays bare what’s on offer. We did refrain from including the—often wildly different—performance models here (AMG, M, V, etc.). That’s a guide for a different day.
Driven: 2011 Saab 9-4X Aero
It seems that any car-loving person over the age of 35 has an opinion about Saab. You can find all sorts of discussion about whether Saab can make it without a large parent auto company (Saab is now owned by Spyker, the supercar maker, which is about as small—and committed—a parent as you can get). Like most business situations, the issues are complex, but certainly a recent cash infusion from Chinese auto assembler Hawtai along with additional funds from Russian investors, totaling over $300 million, will help Saab in the short term.
Third Look: Turning The Corner With The Volvo S60
Frankly, we like the 2011 Volvo S60. It’s easily powerful, with its 300 horsepower and 325 pound feet of torque supplying ample amount of remarkably smooth thrust. We like the design, and the car’s interior is a particularly comfortable and aesthetically pleasing space for the driver and passengers. We appreciate all Volvo’s technology that keeps us, our loved ones, and nearby strangers safe. From a driver’s standpoint, this is a rewarding car. But from that same standpoint, one part of the driving dynamics of the S60 stands out as an area that could stand some improvement: turning. And with our most recent loan of the stylish Swede, we took the time to sort out the ways in which the act of steering falls short of perfect.
Quick Drive: 2011 Volvo S60
Some brands have a well-identified and executed character that cuts across much of what they do—for better or for worse. Most Toyotas are rather dull and uninvolving, and have rather lame design qualities inside and out. Most Porsches are entertaining to drive, give up some secondary ride comfort in the quest for handling, and draw on the 911 loosely for design inspiration (or distraction).
List: Ten Best Modern Day Bootlegging Vehicles
The illicit alcohol production and distribution industry of the 1930s and 1940s, coupled with the, let’s call it “irreverent,” spirit of some enterprising Southerners, helped to invent the concept of the moonshine-running car. Traditionally these vehicles were modified to offer the maximum amount of performance without changing the stock exterior appearance. A big trunk came in handy for loading in all the booze, too.
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