Slow and steady goes out the window...

Since 1927, when the Volvo brand was first offered for sale, the marque has been the butt of many jokes. Volvo is acutely aware of its rather, how do you say, traditional image.

As such, across the years it has tried to inject more verve into its line-up, by going for more radical styling and bigger engined, more powerful models. It wants to say "Hey, look at us - we're hip!"

Sadly, the mainstream has never really altered it's view of the Volvo, more often than not the 'safer' - sometimes read: boring - option.

Now Volvo is again attempting to entice new buyers to the brand by creating a new flagship model with more power, more sportiness and yes, the all-important mag wheels.

Called the S60R, with the R standing for 'race', no doubt, Volvo hasn't gone overboard in the styling department, which to our minds is a good thing.

Instead, the S60R takes the body of a S60 and accentuates certain areas, such as the wheels, rear spoiler and front apron, which give it an understated, yet purposeful look.

It works a treat and the new look, while not all that different, still manages to convey a sense of sportiness. Perhaps Volvo can kick it's not-so-rosy public image, after all?

The five-spoke alloy wheels carry a discreet 'R' logo (as does the engine) and are available in 17 and 18-inch sizes, in both cases with Pirelli's P-Zero Rosso 235/45 or 235/40 ultra-sticky tyres.

Inside, the new Volvo offers drivers deeply-contoured sports seats, available in exclusive untreated aniline leather as an option. This natural leather means that the interior, with time, takes on a completely individual patina.

The new go-fast Volvo is based on the company's PCC (Performance Concept Car), first shown in Paris 2000. As far as technology goes, the S60R has got it all. Well, a lot of it anyway, but the neat part is that everything is set out in a simple, easy to use fashion.

For example, there are three buttons on the dashboard labelled Comfort, Sport and Advanced Sport. Each button corresponds to a different driving setting.

Choose the 'comfort' setting and Volvo's special "Sky Hook" technology kicks in to optimise the body's insulation against an uneven road surface. Volvo claims the Sky Hook system is: "... as if the car was suspended from virtual shock absorbers in the sky."

The 'sport' option, when initiated, gives good engine power and more a more nimble ride, while still offering good levels of comfort.

Lastly, the 'advanced sport' mode pulls out all the stops, transforming the S60R into an uncompromising sportscar. The engine performs to its greatest potential and the suspension provides the driver with even more feedback than in the 'sport' option.

The S60R will also come packed with variable damping control, meaning the car can adapt its suspension settings to suit varying conditions.

Volvo calls it 'Four-C Technology' or the Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept, which was jointly developed with Öhlins Racing and Monroe - two of the biggest names in the suspension game.

Essentially, every other millisecond, (500 times per second), the Four-C system updates the setting on each shock absorber, on the basis of continuous information on the car's speed, the movement of the wheels and chassis, and the position of the steering wheel.

The Four-C system is linked up to electronically controlled all-wheel drive, which can react immediately to the position of the accelerator and the torque of the engine.

Speaking of which, Volvo seems to have come up with a seriously potent powerplant for the S60R. You may scoff at the size of the 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder mill under the car's bonnet, but as Yoda would say: "Lack power, the S60R does not!"

The 2.5-litre mill makes a V8-like 400Nm @ 2100rpm. This is a most impressive figure and will endow the new Volvo with serious punch off the mark.

Likewise, a peak power figure of 220kW is quite impressive, though Volvo hasn't yet divulged where these copious amounts of kilowatts occur.

We're guessing at about 6000rpm or so, which would give the new Volvo a powerband stretching almost across 4000 revs. Such prodigious power is attained through the use of larger air intakes in the front apron, which provide improved cooling of the engine via two intercoolers.

Volvo reckons the turbocharged five-cylinder engine pushes the S60R to 100km/h from rest in 5.8 seconds, and we're inclined to believe them - 400Nm @ 2100rpm? We still can't believe it.

The powerful new Volvo is electronically limited to 250km/h, but there's bound to be clever types out there who can disengage this limiter, which would allow for a top speed not far off the magic 300km/h mark - not that we would condone such behaviour. Perish the thought!

The car's power is put to the ground via one of two available gearboxes: a compact (we're guessing they mean close ratio) six-gear manual 'box and a five-stage Geartronic automatic gearbox, which also provides optional manual gear changing.

When it comes time to hauling the S60R in from it's heady top speeds, the anchors look as though they'll do their job admirably. Trick aluminium four-piston Brembo brake callipers cover the front discs, which have a diameter of 330mm and 32mm thick. The corresponding figures for the rear brake discs are 330mm and 28mm. This translates to a braking distance of just 36 metres from 100km/h to standstill.

The S60R will have its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on 26 September 2002. Interestingly, there will also be a station-wagon variant - The V70R estate - based on the same technology.

The Volvo S60R will be built at Volvo's factory in Ghent, Belgium, and the V70R at the Torslanda plant in Sweden. The start of production is planned for early 2003 and the volume will be limited. As such, Australia is likely to see about 50 of the new Volvo speed-demon, arriving in mid-2003.

At the end of the day, Volvo will have to do more than just build one flagship performance model to rid itself of what it considers is a rather unfair image. It needs to commit itself to a longterm plan, which will work new elements into all Volvo models to come - but hey, that's just our opinion. Still, the new S60R goes a long way in redifining what the Volvo brand stand for and, given it's credentials, it looks to be the real deal.