Will Volvo kill the S60?
AutoWeek is reporting that Volvo's S60 may be on the chopping block as the company’s new S80
(unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show) has become significantly sportier, and the next S40 (due in 2010) will certainly
grow in size. With the new S80 stretching 191 inches tip to tail and the next S40 likely coming in at around 177
inches, company officials are questioning whether there room for the S60, the current iteration of which is 180
inches long.Though Volvo’s new C30 hatchback will likely drive the S40 upmarket into S60 territory, its sales at 60,000 units per year remains significant. If Volvo is serious about reaching its goal of 600,000 units per year by 2009, we're not so sure it would axe the S60. There’s no guarantee current S60 owners would find a home in either the S40 or S80, and until S60 sales begin to show signs of trouble, this scenario seems unlikely.
In the end, the S60’s fate lies in the hands of those heading up Ford’s Premiere Automotive Group, so we’ll have to wait and see if they believe redesigning the S60 is worth the investment.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Harry 7:48PM (3/14/2006)
Just call the new S40 "S60". Ford gets to charge more bucks (relatively) for a "lesser" car. Gives more room to the S30 and any other niche projects.
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Sebastian 8:27PM (3/14/2006)
I would hope they keep the s60 and v70 as they were the models that really started the design revival for volvo. I especially would hate to see the V70r and S60r disappear. Also I find that the s40 is significant for the size it is, I feel that the s40 should not grow larger because it fits a small sporty area of the automotive market, and making it larger would take away some of that character.
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Philip Dunlop 9:17PM (3/14/2006)
Yeah none of this makes sense, and I think a lot of what Sebastian says is true. The S60 is not only the beginning of their design revival, but it's been possibly one of Volvo's most successful cars of the past few years, and I think it is, genuinely, a beautiful car.
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Colin 9:54PM (3/14/2006)
In my family, we have 3 S60s and one S40. The S60s are the worst riding, most blind spot having pieces of crap ever built---their bargain price is what reels most buyers to this "luxury" car. Now, the S40 isn't bad for what its class consists of.
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Daniel 9:54PM (3/14/2006)
Actually, the s80 started the new design.
I own a 2005 S60 T5 6speed, and though I LOVE it, it's not nearly as 'modern' as its competition. I actually have it listed for sale right now, and plan to replace it with an M35.
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Fooman 10:21PM (3/14/2006)
All I can say is that the s60 is one of the best looking four door cars of the past 10 years. And as long as you do not get the base engine, it moves around vry competently.
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GM Lover 10:55PM (3/14/2006)
If the S60's are SO bad, why would your family buy THREE of them? (unless you bought them all at the same time, which would be weird) Kinda like the old saying "fool me once..."
FWIW, I rented a S60 last year and was very impressed with the car. I have really liked the way Volvos have looked this last generation, but would probably never have considered buying (or even test driving) one. But the car was comforable, quiet, drove well and felt of high quality all around. When I got back from my trip I even went and test drove a stick-shift S40 and probably would have seriously considered it if the back seat was actually habitable.
I think the S60 is definitely showing it's age and is due to be replaced, but I think they be stupid to axe the model...and I agree with the earlier poster, they should keep the S60 name if they move the S40 upmarket. That would be like BMW getting rid of the 5-series name upon the growth of the 3-series. From a marketing standpoint, I don't think you'd ever get buyers of the S60/5-series to consider buying a "lesser" S40/3-series as a replacement, whereas what S40 or 3-series buyer wouldn't want to aspire to the S60/5-series?
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Dave M. 11:11PM (3/14/2006)
Our S70 was a tank like no other...incredible seats, solid handling, very luxurious inside (well, for us). Unfortunately, it at first nickel and dimed us to death, then it got much worse. After 5 years it only had 60k on it, but needed close to $9k in repairs (complete a/c system, new ABS system). We took a bath and got another Toyota.
/Don't even ask me about my former Audi......
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hrudu 11:42PM (3/14/2006)
I bought a volvo s40 for $27k OTD and spent about 10k more in the last 5 years for repairs and 'services' to keep it running.
I call it LESSON FOR LIFE!
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Justin 12:36AM (3/15/2006)
How about keeping the S40 and S80 FWD and make the S60 the sportier RWD model. Volvo made RWD cars untill 1998. Ford doesn't need to strangle the brand with FWD for the rest of existance.
FWD volvos have always been a money pit. Everybody knows that. Stick with the old RWD 240, 740 and 940 if you want cheap, reliable safe transportation.
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Esoterica 12:45AM (3/15/2006)
This article seems highly suspect -- do they really expect us to believe that the current S60 is now in its sixth model year and Volvo hasn't yet made plans regarding whether to replace it or not, when auto development cycles typically take about three years? I personally really like the current S60 but there's no way it's going to be competitive when it's a nine-year-old model. Even the venerable 850 didn't hang around that long, including the time it spent as an S70.
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David 12:51AM (3/15/2006)
Is Ford taking advice from Saab's GM?
I think the S60 has, up to this point, been the best looking Volvo in the lineup, not to mention a best-seller. It's proportions make it roomier than the S40, yet more compact and sporty than the S80.
If they want to save money, I'm sure they can share platforms with either its big or little bro. But to shave the offering to two? Say it ain't so...
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team 4:48AM (3/15/2006)
My parents had a Volvo when I was born but never bothered getting a new one.
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JB 7:43AM (3/15/2006)
The problem with the S60 and S40/V50 is they are too small in the rear seat area for Americans. The styling has driven the space in the rear down so much trying to look like a coupe without actually having only 2 doors. They should have stretched the roof out and made the sedans hatchbacks, since the trunk opening is a mail slot. Who cares if the trunk opens beyond 90 deg when you can't get a box in the trunk? Volvo quality lately has been suspect, too. My 850 has 175,000 miles and is largely original - but I am a car guy and take care of it. I do those things, like flushing the brake fluid, cleaning the flame trap, that a lot of owners never do. True, a Toyota will run forever, and some even seem to thrive on abuse, but the doors of my 850 wagon still close with a satisfying "thunk" and the seats are fantastic. I think sedans are unnecessary anyway - the S60 is really a V70 sedan - why give up so much for styling? Buy a V70 and carry some real cargo and still get 28 mpg hwy.
If Toyota or Honda build a nice wagon, that would be another story. Nissan has a nice RWD wagon in Japan that would be good Infiniti, but I'm drifting off topic.
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MK 11:02AM (3/15/2006)
Although ti seems suspect that Volvo will kill the S60, if they are planning on doing so, I would at least hope they'd throw the new V8 in the S60R before it bows out.
They already have AWD so all it would take is throwing in a 6 speed manual and it would give some of the competition a run for their money. It would defiitely win me over.
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MK 11:02AM (3/15/2006)
Although it seems suspect that Volvo will kill the S60 since it does bring in a good chunk of change, if they are planning on doing so, I would at least hope they'd throw the new V8 in the S60R before it bows out.
They already have AWD so all it would take is throwing in a 6 speed manual and it would give some of the competition a run for their money. It would defiitely win me over.
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lalaland 11:39AM (3/15/2006)
This article is totally bogus. Rendell has taken some innocuous quotes and created a nonsense article full of incorrect facts. The only telling quote is the final one from Kerssemakers, "If it was up to me..." Guess what, it IS up to him. He's head of product planning. The S40 came out two years ago, the S80 is new this fall, and the S60 is due for a change in 18 months. Not 2010 like Rendell says. They may take the S80 platform and shrink it down, or take the S40 platform and grow it up, but there will be another S60 sedan and V70 wagon and XC70 wagon in the lineup. Rendell is an idiot freelancer trying to generate some extra cash by writing inflammatory stories with no basis in fact. This is the car world's version of "Is Angelina's tummy growing? Is Brad's baby on the way?" Pure rubbish.
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Liters 12:53PM (3/15/2006)
Volvo has kept from developing the S40R arguing that it would most likely bite into the S60's market share. If Volvo decides to cut the S60, the S40R should be right around the corner, which should surely have more adherents than any single trim of S60. Good move, just keep it priced under the M3(2007-8 sedan).
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Paul 4:16PM (3/15/2006)
Poor decision to get rid of the S60, just update it along with the S80 and give it a better base motor. The 168hp motor has seen its hayday, and its time to move on.
FWIW Sebastian, the V70 is based on the S80 IIRC, so axing the S60 would have no affect on it.
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St?ane Dumas 5:03PM (3/15/2006)
"How about keeping the S40 and S80 FWD and make the S60 the sportier RWD model. Volvo made RWD cars untill 1998. Ford doesn't need to strangle the brand with FWD for the rest of existance."
Justin got a interesting point, a S60 as a RWD model might fit a niche then Volvo left since the departure of the 900 series (which itself was derivated from the 240 & 700 series)
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