S60 walks a safe line

The Volvo S60's sinuous lines echo comparable coupes made by BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

The new Volvo S60 is likely to come with the carmaker's world-first pedestrian detection collision prevention system when it goes on sale in New Zealand next year.

The system uses radar and camera technology to detect objects on a crash course with the vehicle, and was pioneered on the XC60 sports utility vehicle.

The S60 itself borrows some of the curvaceous styling cues of the XC60 in a vehicle almost identical to the sedan concept - apart from the glass interior and suicide doors - shown at this year's Detroit motor show.

It's a deliberate move by former Volvo design chief Steve Martin to create a "four-door" coupe profile with exterior dimensions almost identical to the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Audi A4, its main rivals.

The current S60 is bigger than the three Germans and the new model is one of the most dramatic designs ever to come from Volvo.

Due to make its world public debut at the Geneva motor show in March, the new S60 will enter production at the Volvo Cars plant in Ghent, Belgium, in mid-2010, before going on sale in New Zealand late next year.

"The all-new Volvo S60's technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel," said Volvo Cars president and CEO, Stephen Odell.

The S60 is likely to also arrive in New Zealand with the latest version of Volvo's five-cylinder turbo diesel.

The same engine is also likely to be under the bonnet of the V60-badged wagon later in the model line.

Also on the cards at a later stage is the carmaker's advanced 1.6-litre petrol Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDi) engine.

Aided by the stop-start city-driving function in the S60 concept, the new GTDi engine developed 134kW of power while averaging fuel consumption of 5 litres/100km (56mpg) and emitting 119 grams of CO2 per km.

Five-cylinder and (turbocharged) six-cylinder petrol engines will also appear, with all-wheel drive likely to be available on premium models.