thanks to some revolutionary technology utilizing both a turbocharger and a supercharger.
It's hardly revolutionary as far as engineering is concerned, but is revolutionary for Volvo, I guess.
AFAIK, it's also the 'most powerful' production version of a twin-charged engine, which is kinda neat. I don't know how much I care about aural pleasure in an S60...I mean, yeah, in a 335i it matters more, but I dunno...this is a luxo-family sedan. With that being said, AWD is kind of hugely important in this segment...so much so that I think it was very premature to sell the 'cheaper' version first (as opposed to having available the top-o-the-line S60 T6 AWD (or T8 if they offer that electrified engine in the S60)).
It's funny - of this class of cars, of all the competitors, I find fault with all and can't decide which would be my choice. That is, if I had $50-60k to spend on a family sedan, what would choose? There's lots to love from each: the 8-speed in the TLX with PAWS; the Q50's steering (yes, it's sh!t, but in theory it's desirable); the A4's Quattro; the 3-series' infinite body styles(?); the IS's reliability and resale; the new C-class's styling; etc.
I'm not sure. I'm getting rather tired of these manufacturers having massive omissions. To the contrary of my above list of things to love, I could do the same of things I hate: the 9-speed in the TLX (i.e. no AWD with 4-banger, no V6 power with the better transmission); the Q50's steering (
); the A4's dated platform, FGC experience, and lack of a diesel though offered elsewhere in the lineup; the 3-series' ubiquitous nature and FGC experience; the IS's cramped interior; C-class's spartan styling; etc.
With all that being said, the S60 is yet another Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Great engine, not much else about the car that compels me to want it. I hate that dashboard. I hate that it doesn't (yet?) have AWD. I hear the handling is too sedate. The infotainment system is convoluted/dated. Etc.
I think Volvo's marketing department hasn't quite done its job. These new engines should be sufficient to sell the car, but torque-steer in a >$50,000 luxury sedan?! Tsk, tsk, tsk.
I'm also a bit surprised that with a 2.0L twin-charged engine, they couldn't reproduce the extra 30lb-ft of torque...I mean, MB is doing it with a single blower. With the supercharger taking over the bottom end, the top-end could have been dealt with using a much larger turbocharger...isn't that the point of twin-charging?
Come on, Volvo...mount the engine properly: transversely; get rid of the hanging needle on the dashboard; get the AWD on the cars NOW without further delay; and put in a proper user-interface (i.e. no gluing of iPads).
At such a time as at least two of the above are done, this car could be beyond 'competitive' and I'd think a real winner (if marketing does its job properly). Look at the original Infiniti G35 - a newcomer to the segment, it absolutely stole market share quickly as being a better product, for less, than the 3-series/A4/C-class. With a new chassis, totally unique powertrain, and Volvo's legendary safety record, the S60 could/should be flying out of dealer lots.
