Volvo Cars launch new S60 sports sedan – the first Volvo car made in the USA

Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, today revealed the new S60 mid-size premium sports sedan at the company’s first US manufacturing plant in Charleston, South Carolina.

The new Charleston plant is officially inaugurated today. The combined car launch and factory opening reinforce Volvo Cars’ commitment to the US, an important market for the company and its new premium sports sedan. The new S60 is the first Volvo car made in the US.

“The new S60 is one of the most exciting Volvo cars we’ve ever made,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “It is a true driver’s car that gives us a strong position in the US and China sedan markets, creating more growth opportunities for Volvo Cars.”

The new S60 is the first Volvo car to be sold without a diesel offer, signalling the company’s industry-leading commitment to electrification and a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine. In 2017 Volvo Cars was the first global car maker to announce its strategy that from 2019 all new models will be electrified.

Two turbo-charged and super-charged plug-in hybrid petrol engines will be available in the new S60: Volvo’s T6 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that generates a combined 340hp, and the award-winning T8 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid that delivers 400hp. Volvo’s proven T5 and T6 petrol engines will be available at launch.

In a first for the segment, customers can access the new S60 via Volvo Cars’ new premium subscription service Care by Volvo, which offers car access with no down payment via a monthly flat-fee subscription rather than ownership. Care by Volvo makes having a car as transparent, easy and hassle free as having a phone.

“The active chassis and drive modes deliver excellent control and an engaged performance that makes this a driver’s car,” said Henrik Green, senior vice president for research and development at Volvo Cars. “It also brings the acclaimed technology from our 90 Series and other 60 Series cars into this segment, making it one of the best sports sedans on the market.”

The new S60 shares Volvo Cars’ own Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, safety technology and infotainment system with the new V60 premium mid-size estate, launched earlier this year, as well as the top-of-the-line 90 Series cars and award-winning XC60, all of which have achieved industry-leading safety ratings. This makes the new S60 one of the safest cars on the road.

The City Safety with Autobrake technology assists the driver in avoiding potential collisions, and is the only system on the market to recognise pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. In a world first for the mid-size sedan segment, City Safety now also engages auto braking to mitigate oncoming collisions.

The optional Pilot Assist system – which supports the driver with steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130km/h – has been upgraded with improved cornering performance. The S60 also includes Run-off Road Mitigation, Oncoming Lane Mitigation and other steering assistance systems. The optional Cross Traffic Alert with autobrake further enhances safety for people inside and outside the car.

Volvo Cars’ Sensus Connect infotainment system is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G, and keeps drivers connected at all times. The intuitive control is a tablet-style touch screen interface that combines car functions, navigation, connected services and in-car entertainment apps.

Electrified versions of the new S60 also offer a performance handling upgrade called Polestar Engineered – developed by Volvo Cars’ electric performance arm, Polestar.

Polestar Engineered is available exclusively on the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid and is a complete offer that upgrades the car’s wheels, brakes, suspension and engine control unit, boosting the S60 T8 combined output to 415hp.