Volvo S60 concept
Here it is: the Volvo S60 concept, meant as a preview of the next generation of the Saab S60 sedan. This is a new design direction for Volvo, and I like love it.
Don’t get me wrong, I really liked the current S60 when I tested it out at the nearby Volvo dealer in Chicago, but all good things must evolve to continue thriving. Think of it as Scandinavian vehicular natural selection. The new model has become more muscular in appearance and more powerful in ability, making it a species of car that will thrive more than simply survive.
Of course, this is a concept, so we can’t take all of its frills literally (like the “rear parallelogram doors” that slide open and shut and the touch of a button). But you should expect to see this concept’s holistic design reflected in the updated S60. Saab says the interior of this concept is especially telling of what to expect in the next gen S60.
Filled with exciting details, the interior will retain the light, airy ambiance that is purely Scandinavian. The real panache shows up on the floating center stack, which is made out of handmade, solid Orrefors crystal. Adding to the feel, the seats are slim and contoured, made of soft leather with contrasting stitching. The seats are attached to the center console’s lower section and inner sill, so they don’t touch the floor. This feature, along with the wavy center stack is part of the floating theme Volvo is going for.
We all know Volvo equals safety, so I won’t go into all of the standard safety features. But I do want to point out the new pedestrian-detecting technology. The S60 concept will feature this safety innovation that will be able to detect a pedestrian or anything else that moves into the car’s path. The vehicle’s full braking power is automatically activated in the event the driver fails to respond. For me, this would be a really comforting safety feature, as I often find myself driving in rural areas at night, were deer are a primary concern. Oh, and I also live in downtown Chicago, where people seem to appear in front of your car as if from thin air.
Basically, this car tells me Volvo is continuing to head in a design direction that will appeal to more and more people, and that’s a good thing for the automaker. If you plan to buy a new Volvo in Chicago in the next few years, you be enjoying some very stylish rides. I know that when the next generation Chicago Volvo S60 hits Chicago Volvo dealerships, I’ll be waiting there to test drive it.
