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Volvo S60 Concept car (2009): the full photos and video

By Tim Pollard

First official pictures

16 December 2008 09:42

Volvo has just issued these first photos of the new S60 Concept car, to be unveiled at the 2009 Detroit auto show. It's a pretty damn close look at what we'll see when the S60 saloon is replaced in 2010.

What's new about the S60? Today's four-door has been plagued by mini-me S80 looks and an indistinct proposition. It's like a Swedish iteration of BMW's 70s/80s/90s same-again school of design – but Volvo wants to break the mould this time.

On this evidence, we'd say they've done a good job of achieving that. The S60 Concept car shows a more progressive design; it's more organic, with softer shapes, more welcoming details, but still has the strong shoulder that's characterised a generation of Swedes. Strip away the parallelogram doors and other concept jewellery, and you're left with the new 2010 S60.

New Volvo S60 Concept car: the details

The S60 is bristling with new design details. The LED headlamps create a silhouette of a Viking longboat when switched on (son et lumière! In a Volvo!) and design director Steve Mattin talks of the flow and curves of racetracks informing the design language. Quite.

There's clearly something in the water in Gothenburg – the S60 Concept car even has a retractable diffuser that swings into position depending on your speed.


>> For the full design story of the new Volvo S60, read the next February 2009 issue of CAR Magazine – out on 31 December 2008.   

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