The days when Volvo decided that it's no longer hip to be square, and the whole curvy revolution that followed, are now a distant memory.
Volvo is now pointing its pistol at the big boys (read, German Big Three), its 'naughty' marketing campaign for the S60 aiming to plonk its newest creation into the 'exciting' section of our mental filing systems.
The V60, as its name and styling implies, is an estate version of the S60, although Volvo prefers to call it a 'sport wagon' and goes to great lengths to point out that this is no traditional station wagon.
The load capacity speaks for itself. With 430 litres of raw boot space (before you fold the back seats down) it has less loading capacity than the cheaper and older V50 wagon, and even less, in fact, than the 'poser wagon' German rivals like the Audi A4 and Merc C, which measure 480 and 485 litres respectively in the luggage gobbling stakes.
The point of all this rebellious behaviour is that the V60 was primarily conceived to be a sporty car, complete with a sloping roofline and an edgy exterior design. Personally I'm not convinced that it oozes raw sex appeal, but I do admire the distinctiveness of the shape and I'm sure there are many out there who will see it as an attractive stand-out-from-the-crowd proposition.
While we're on the sporty subject it might be wise to throw in some driving impressions from the launch I've just attended in the Western Cape, but before we get there, let's contextualise the very wide range of engines on offer here, comprising five petrols and two oil burners.
Bottom of the pile an efficient new 1.6-litre direct injection turbo petrol engine that's fitted to T3 and T4 versions. The T3 delivers 110kW and 240Nm and is offered only with a manual transmission while the T4 version produces 132kW and 240Nm and can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed Powershift double-clutch gearbox.
Next up is a similarly equipped 2.0-litre petrol in the 2.0T and T5, the former good for 149kW/300Nm and the latter producing 177kW/320Nm. Both engines can be mated to either a six-speed manual or double-clutch Powershift gearbox.
Top of the pile is the 3.0-litre turbo petrol in the T6, which sends 224kW and 440Nm through all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox. This performance flagship will catapult you from 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds, according to Volvo.
On the road, the T6 is smooth and deceptively rapid and even though the engine is largely muted by the cabin insulation, it has a really sweet sound to it. In fact the same applies, to a lesser extent, to the T3 and T5 versions that I also drove.
Despite its diminutive engine size, the T3 felt adequately punchy, but the manual gearbox did need to be worked hard at times and it's not the smoothest-changing 'box either. I was, however, impressed by the Powershift tranny that I sampled in the T5 - this will surely be the gearbox to go for, providing that the engines don'tsuccumb toturbo lag at Highveld altitudes. As for the T5, yes it was a rapid performer but it did not feel as quick as its power output implies - perhaps due to its silky-smooth power deliver and gear-shifting.
On the diesel front, Volvo offers two five-cylinder models, the 2.4-litre twin turbo motor in the D5 rated at 151kW and 420Nm and the similar engine in the D3, detuned for better economy, musters 120kW and 400Nm and sips 5.5 l/100km on the EU combined cycle - compared to the D5's 6.4 l/100km.
On the chassis front, and as with the S60, all South African versions have Volvo's 'dynamic' chassis, which has stiffer settings than the more comfortable 'touring' chassis that's offered in some other markets. Those seeking a better balance can specify Volvo's optional Four-C continuously controlled active chassis.
Whether the stiff suspension gamble will pay dividends, given our abundance of dodgy roads, remains to be seen. Yet one thing I can vouch for is that its cornering ability is at the deep end of the front-wheel drive gene pool.
I was impressed by its feeling of agility, and its stability, which when combined with the nicely weighted steering on the FWD versions, makes it truly fun to weave over twisty asphalt. That said, I was less impressed by the overly-light steering feel on the T6, which otherwise proved pin-sharp.
Naturally the ride quality was rather firm at times but certainly not punishing. Yet shouldn't a Volvo be more cushy than this? The company has always been renowned for making comfortable cars and this car is not comfortable by Volvo standards.
I distinctly remember the generation of Volvos that came before this having extremely comfortable seating - they had front seats that put arm chairs to shame. Unfortunately you're not pampered like that in the V60 - the seats feeling firm and uninviting, like most cars on sale today.
The cabin styling is also a departure for Volvo and the look they've achieved is quite distinctive and even sporty in some respects but perceptive quality, while decent enough, is not up to German standards and the dashboard design is hardly easy on the eye. Cabin space is par for the course by C-segment standards but it's not the most spacious car you'll find in this price range.
Although standard specification is generous enough (even including the city safety function that can automatically brake the car at speeds of up to 35km/h), there are plenty of toys to be had on the options list.
These include lane departure warning, blind spot info system and even an 'alert control' system that will apparently warn you if you're driving erratically.
The V50 impresses as a competent, fun to drive and high-tech offering that might just appeal to those wanting to stand out from the crowd, but it falls slightly short of the all-round brilliance of its two German rivals (the 3 Series Touring is no longer listed as being for sale).
In the V60's favour though, is that it undercuts these rivals by R30-40K on average and offers a wider range.
PRICING:
T3 Manual: R317 700
T4 Manual: R341 900
T4 Powershift: R359 300
T5 Manual: R390 300
T5 Powershift: R406 300
2.0T Manual: R366 000
2.0T Powershift: R382 100
D3 Manual: R362 700
D3 Geartronic: R376 800
D5 Geartronic: R418 300
T6 AWD Geartronic: R474 700
* Both the new Volvo S60 and V60 will be available with the R-Design package by the end of February 2011.