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Turn yon our TV, find your favourite show and no doubt you’ll see one of the characters in the show driving a Volvo. Perhaps it is because Volvo’s represent something unintimidating and wholesome, whose knows?

But the Volvo brand carries a paradoxical image- generally it’s perceived as the global leader in safety, it’s the car chosen by the chino wearing intellectual. Yet in reality, Volvo’s are dynamic, fast and sexy. Though these descriptions have only recently held true for the last ten years or so, they have and will probably always appeal to the thinking man and woman. They are brilliant cars, made by people for people.

When creating a Volvo, egos have been put aside and brain matter electrified for their creation. The S60 T5 in R-Design garb is a thing of beauty. With a midlife facelift carried out not too long ago, the S60 now has a low slung look that’s undoubtedly purposeful. A sloping roofline and tightly cropped rear with boomerang shaped rear lenses gives the S60 athleticism, yet fused with an executive nuance.

The T5 is one of six turbo petrol engines and three diesel engines badged with D as opposed to a T. All varieties are mated to either a slick shifting six speed automatic gearbox, or on higher end models like the T5, fitted with the sublime eight speed gearbox, which is also automatic.

The T5 demarks a 2.0 engine, which with the help of a turbo pushes out a very energetic 180kW of power. This swerve Swede is able to hit the 100km/h mark in a dashing 6.3 seconds. If you have an urban driving style mixed with on-off highway trips, the T5 will sip about 9l/100km.  

On the road, the S60 is light, quick, firm and accurate. It’s skewed toward the sportier side of life and has a connection with the road that is tangible. The steering is weighted to feel nimble with just the right amount of tension to remain a driver’s car.

Driven moderately and within the legal speed limits, the S60 can come across noisier than you would expect of a car of this calibre. The sounds are made up of road and engine feedback. The road noise is due to the sexy low profile tyres fitting to gorgeous R-Design gunmetal colour rims. Their visual appeal and tenacious grip are positives for the trade-off. Overall it’s a comfortable place for five and their carry on accessories.

It’s a compelling alternative to the conventional German trio, especially at prices beginning at R360 000 for the T3 and up to R580 000 for the range topping T6 all-wheel drive R-Design.

www.volvo.co.za