Hot northerners. What is more in the Volvo S60 R — comfort or sport?

I can do that too, but I won't. Although under the hood of my car hides a five-cylinder turbocharged engine with a displacement of 2.5 liters, producing 300 horsepower. I will drive calmly, as befits a true Volvo driver: without speeding, without sudden jerks, and perhaps even forget to check the mirror before changing lanes. Or maybe, to hell with it all? I'll turn off the music and listen to the engine — but then I'll be home half an hour earlier? I was eagerly awaiting the test of the Swedish "hot" sedan. It often happens to me: I get into some "firecracker" — and I'm already mentally running to the bank for a loan, so much does it captivate me. And sometimes, after a ride in a Mercedes, I start thinking about how to rob that bank. But after a week, the fervor cools down. You can't ride calmly on a "hot seat," and tearing around in a Mercedes is somehow undignified. So you think. Is there a car that lets you drive both fast and slow — as your soul desires? Maybe the Volvo S60 R? Before meeting the S60 R, I almost quarreled with Vlad Klepach. "That's it, we take the version with the 'automatic,' it's a Volvo after all," Vlad suggested. "What the hell 'automatic'! This is the top version. Give me the 'manual'!" I protested. Fortunately, it didn't come to a fight: we found the perfect compromise — we took both cars! Both with my beloved manual gearbox and with the 'automatic' that puts the left foot to sleep. So which genes will prevail in the "R"? The blood of ideal family Volvos or a particle of DNA with the letter R? The first meeting with the pair of Volvo S60 R was a real revelation! Oh-oh-oh, the little R badge on the trunk lid means a lot. The aggressive front bumper with huge air intakes, stylish 18-inch wheels, and dual exhaust tips make it clear that this car is not just for taking kids to school. And if these are just hints, then the body color of our Volvos literally screams: "Don't touch — you'll get burned!" The gleaming — bright red and no less daring blue — sedans immediately attract the eyes of passersby. Is this a Volvo? No, it's an R! While I was admiring these beauties, Klepach didn't waste time: he jumped into the red Volvo, which, as it turned out, was a manual, and drove off. What a sly one! Okay, let's give the left foot a rest. With that thought, I settled into the luxurious leather seat, moved the Geartronic lever (as Volvo calls its automatic transmission) to D mode and... naturally, floored the gas pedal! Wow! And I, blinded by the looks, had completely forgotten that under the hood of the S60 R hides an inline "five" with turbocharging. And it works to the fullest! 300 Swedish "horses" effortlessly pick up the not-so-light sedan and carry it into the distance, while defeated competitors remain far behind in the mirrors. Yes, this is a real R! But the longer I drove the bright blue "R," the less I wanted to. Strange! The Volvo S60 R handles beautifully, brakes excellently, and accelerates very briskly. But it's much more pleasant to take your foot off the gas, turn up the music, and simply enjoy smooth gliding along Moscow streets. Besides, you'll have to visit the gas station less often: if you press the gas, the 2.5-liter turbo engine doesn't let its "horses" go hungry and asks for more than 20 liters of fuel per hundred in the city, which is not very convenient with a 68-liter tank. And the 'automatic,' although six-speed and quite responsive, still emphasizes the restrained Scandinavian character of the car. But the main feature of the S60 R is that when you get tired of racing and want ordinary comfort, you don't need to go to the garage and change the car. Just switch the active suspension mode Four-C. Three buttons on the front panel with telling names Comfort, Sport, and Advanced control the stiffness of the shock absorbers. And one press truly transforms the car completely! In the most comfortable mode, the car stops bouncing on the joints in the Lefortovo tunnel, and in Advanced mode you feel like if not Schumacher, then at least a pilot of the Swedish touring car championship STCC. Rolls and pitching disappear instantly, leaving only precision and composure in reactions. By the way, along with this program, the 'automatic' switches to sport mode, and responses to the gas pedal become noticeably sharper. I leisurely reach the meeting point, and Vlad immediately flies up in the red "R." What a fireball! But why are the tires cold, and you can't fry an egg on the brake discs?
— Well, how is it? Does it ignite?
— It's very fast, but I didn't race at all.
Wow! Well, nothing, I'll fix that now. I got inside, saw the six-speed manual lever — and forgot about everything in the world! The main advantage of the manual gearbox is the start. You can raise the revs, release the clutch — and the bright red Volvo, with a menacing growl, takes off like an arrow, without creating a smoke screen from under the wheels — all-wheel drive allows you not to think about the surface and how to carefully work the pedals. The "hundred" comes in 5.7 seconds (the 'automatic' takes a second longer), but all the pleasure of fast shifts is killed by the long-travel clutch. And when downshifting, the damped gas pedal interferes with rev-matching. I didn't notice this on the 'automatic.' But on the manual... No, it's far from the excitement of "hot" hatches and a couple of sworn Japanese rivals named Evo and STI, this S60 R. The only thing that unites the Volvo S60 R with such monsters as the Lancer Evolution is the huge turning radius (a full 13 meters!). Because of this, in familiar places where Klepach and I easily turned around in an Audi Q7 or Mercedes-Benz GL, the same maneuver turned into a game: "I'll turn around here in five moves," — "And I in four!" — "Go ahead, turn around!" Otherwise — yes, these S60s have every right to wear the R badge, but it's no accident that the Volvo emblem on the trunk lid is noticeably larger. Yes, it's a very fast car, but it's still a Volvo. And that's not so bad. Which of the extreme speedsters can boast such a cozy and high-quality interior with a spirit of luxury? Which of them has dual-zone climate control, an excellent audio system, or power seats? And a spacious cabin? No, the Volvo S60 R is not a means for an adrenaline rush and storming corners, but the letter R guarantees plenty of driving pleasure. And the price of $59990 for the base version of the "R" doesn't seem overpriced for such a versatile car. You only need one option — the automatic transmission. With it, the character of the Volvo S60 R becomes truly harmonious.

• Front airbags
• Front side airbags
• Inflatable curtains
• ABS
• ESP
• Power steering
• Height-adjustable steering column
• Reach-adjustable steering column
• Leather steering wheel
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Heated front seats
• Built-in phone
• Dual-zone climate control
• Power-adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
• Front power windows
• Rear power windows
• Split-folding rear seat
• CD audio system Dolby Prologic II
• CD changer
• Light sensor
• Rain sensor
• On-board computer
• Rear parking sensors
• Leather interior
• Fog lights
• Headlight washers
• Alloy wheels

• Metallic paint
• Power sunroof
• Automatic transmission