2019 Volvo S60 revealed; India-bound sedan bids adieu to diesel engines

Volvo Cars' new S60 sedan gets all-new age signature design bits of the carmaker that include Thor's Hammer LED headlights and C-shaped tail lights. The four petrol engine options include two supercharged plug-in hybrids.

Swedish carmaker Volvo has revealed the new S60 sedan in association with the company's first US manufacturing plant inauguration at Charleston, South Carolina. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class rivalling sedan comes with no diesel engine in line with Volvo's announcement that claims it will focus on electrification of its portfolio from 2019.

The new Volvo S60 mimics the design of elder sibling Volvo S90 launched in India in November 2016. The new generation signature Volvo bits in design such as the Thor's Hammer LED headlights, vertically oriented grille, C-shaped tail lamps and sculpted lower diffuser makes the design new S60 upmarket. Unlike the S90, the running lights integrated to the headlamps cluster extend closer to the grille in the new S60 and that particularly gives separate character to the new Volvo S60.

The new S60 is based on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform that also underpins the new V60 premium mid-size estate, S90 and the XC60 SUV. The new S60 shares Pilot Assist system and City Safety autonomous braking capability with the V60 in addition to the Sensus Connect infotainment systems.

Volvo will start the sales of the new S60 early next year and the India launch is expected by mid-2019. It is offered in four petrol engine options including two super-charged plug-in hybrid petrol engines. The 2.0-litre T8 Twin engine will produce a combined 385bhp, with the 299bhp petrol engine driving the front wheels and the 65kW electric unit powering the rear axle. The T8 Twin Motor will also be offered with a 'Polestar Engineered' performance upgrade that includes revamped wheels, brakes, suspension and a tweaked engine ECU which boosts combined power to 409bhp.

A 246bhp four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged T5, offered with front-wheel drive and a T6 supercharged all-wheel-drive unit with 306bhp, will be the other engine options.

"The new S60 is one of the most exciting Volvo cars we've ever made," said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.