posted this on coupe board also.

have a G35 6mt on order, first shipments of 04's due in early Sept or late August.

fiancee doesn't like small cars. says it also gives off flashy image. we checked out volvo and i could be happy with s60 r.

but i've been counting the days since my g35 has been on order.

i'm 41, she has 3 kids (one about to go to college), i have two. she has minivan for when the family will all be together.

what has anyone heard about the s60 r

oh, she later threw out comprimise about getting the 6mt sedan instead of coupe.

 

If price is not an issue, the S60R is the way to go!! It is not as nice looking as a G, but the performance is way better.

AWD
300HP

 

And if you really need the space, there's the V70R....

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

i want my G35C 6mt. Just trying to be sensitive to thoughts of fiancee.

s60r is nice car, just don't have any direct comparisons on it.

 

its pretty fast, but it looks gross... just my opinion... and dude its a friggen volvo... trust me you will love your g,,, if ur ever gunna break the ball and chain do it on the one and get the G lol jp... The only reason she doesnt want you to get this car is because its a chick magnet... lol

 

From what I have read the S60R is fast in a straight line (slightly quicker than the G35 even) but no good in the twisties and not much fun to drive. Basically a fast, dull Volvo. I think it looks great though.

 

The S60's have zero legroom and the R starts at $37.5K, almost where the G tops out. Both great cars, tough decision.

<font color=red>chinee</font color=red>
2003.5 G35s

 

I test drove an S60 T5 when shopping for a car, and actually liked it. It was my third choice, below the 330i and G35 sedans. If the S60R had been available, it might have been an even harder choice.

Really, the 4C suspension on that thing can't handle the twisties, even in it's Advanced Sport mode?

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Its a fwd car so like all fwd it has its problems in the twisties.

 

the R is supposed to be AWD. Basically front wheel and will send power to back when needed.

unless you're on a track, won't that suffice?

 

Actually, it's a pretty smart AWD system.. if you take a corner hard on a flat surface, it shifts most of the power to the rear on entry, equalizes it half-way through, and then shifts power to the front to pull you out the end of the curve.

Plus, the active suspension system would increase the damping on the outside shocks to keep the car more level through the corner.

At least, that's how they describe it. I haven't seen any independent test drive articles.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Review from European Car Magazine (August):

This latest version of the turbo five is, at the same time, the most civilized and the most powerful one Volvo has produced. Three hundred horsepower is no small amount from 2.5 litres, and that output has been attained through a combination of some traditional approaches - like a whopping big turbocharger - and the application of modern technology such as continuously variable valve timing and two intercoolers.

There is no shortage of torque, either, with 295 lb-ft of twist available on the six-speed manual-equipped model. (The five-speed automatic-equipped S60R has but 258 lb-ft. All figures quoted herein are for the manual transmission model.)

What is more impressive is that maximum torque is available as low as 1,950 rpm, right up to 5,250 rpm. That rev range certainly covers most of the everyday usage of the S60R, except of course the initial launch from rest. Assuming non-abusive low-rev use of the clutch, standing starts exhibit little of the dreaded turbo lag that plagues many other engines with one large turbo.

That six-speed box is a close-ratio unit that keeps the revs up into boosted territory. Top gear has about the same overdrive ratio as high gear in the previous five-speed box. Shifting feel is very linear and positive, a big improvement over previous manuals from Volvo, although a little wider lateral spacing in the shift gate would minimize incidents of shifting from 2nd to 5th and the like.

All that power could not possibly be applied through only the front wheels, so of course the S60R is equipped with on-demand all-wheel drive, affected through a Haldex hydraulic coupling. When the front wheels are detected to have rotated about one-quarter turn more than the rear wheels, up to 70% of the power is directed rearward. In enthusiastic driving, one might conclude that this is essentially a full-time all-wheel driver with the rear wheels getting most of the power - which is what a performance car should do.
AWD is but a small part of the overall chassis package, though. In addition to Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, which, as in other performance cars, controls all aspects of chassis dynamics as limits are approached, Volvo is trumpeting what they call FOUR-C, which stands for Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept.

It is the Four-C Technology's ability to collect large amounts of information on the movement of the car, and adjust the dampening of the shock absorbers extremely quickly, which makes the chassis on the Volvo S60R one of the most advanced on the market.

The system then very rapidly adjusts the damping on the shock absorbers and the electronic control of the AWD system.
Every other millisecond, i.e. 500 times per second, Four-C 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.

Four-C Technology is the result of a long-term collaboration with Öhlins Racing AB, one of the world's foremost developers of high-tech shock absorbers, and the shock absorber manufacturer Monroe.

This system also allows the driver to specify ride and handling settings. "Comfort" yields a reasonably compliant ride given the 235/40-18 Pirelli performance tires fitted, while "Sport" is as it says, with more concern for handling than ride.

And then there is the "Advanced" setting. Pushing this button should only be done on glass-smooth surfaces and at times when the driver is seeking to wring the last ounce of performance out of the car. This setting is probably not really so useful in normal day-to-day operation, and is more of a "because we can" approach on Volvo's part.

Completing the chassis package are what have become the almost ubiquitous Brembo brakes, with 330 mm rotors and four-piston calipers, along with speed sensitive power steering. Each of these systems displayed exemplary performance.

Volvo is confident enough in the capabilities of the S60R to have provided the opportunity to exercise the cars on a race track, and after that experience it must be said that the S60R should now be considered to be among the top rank of European sport sedans by most objective and subjective measures, no small achievement given the inherent constraints of its basic architecture.

For those into numbers, the zero-to-100 km/h sprint is claimed by Volvo to take but 5.7 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Seat-of-the-pants impressions vary depending on how many of the electronic aids are engaged, but with everything turned off, the S60R will drift around corners with the best of them, with perhaps a bit of understeer at initial turn-in for a corner. It would take a very ham-fisted driver to upset the composure of the S60R with all possible electrons activated and doing their things.
The Volvo S60R has a completely new front, with larger air intakes and spoiler to provide effective cooling of the engine, and two intercoolers. The black eggcrate grill is a unique feature on the S60R. It has a matt silver edge, and this color theme is also picked up in the framing of the Bi-Xenon headlights.

The five-spoke wheel rims carry a discreet R logo and are available in 17" and 18", in both cases with Pirelli's P-Zero Rosso 235/45 or 235/40.

The Volvo design team has been considerably bolder in planning the interior. The first things to catch a driver's eye are the four clear blue, silver-framed instruments, a design reminiscent of an exclusive watch. The three-spoke leather-clad steering wheel has a slightly elliptical section to ensure an excellent grip. The leather details are stitched in blue, reflecting the color scheme of the instruments. The deep-contoured sports seats in the Volvo S60R are available in exclusive untreated aniline leather as an option, a natural leather which means that the interior, with time, takes on a completely individual patina.



Another review I read a few weeks ago said the car was fast but not very fun to drive (unlike a M3).

 

from what i've read, it is a fine car. just must keep the peace.

 

I saw a list of worst used car of 2000 and Volvo V70 made it to the list. Depends on how long you want to keep the car. I have a 850 and it has tons of problems related to electrical stuff. The trunk light would left on while the trunk is closed. Battery had to be replaced 3 times ..and dealer still can not fixed the problem. Then the brake pad would have hair-line crack.. etc.etc .. the engine is still running ok. I will never buy any Volvo again. The sales is dropping in Canada ...

Frankie