Car Chute

Now Volvo is a car maker that never does things by halves. It hardly ever follows trends, preferring to start one themselves no matter how risky or risque it may be. That’s why the latest Volvo S60 1.6 T4 variant could only come from a Volvo mind. Look at it: its size, no doubt, puts it squarely in the modern-day two-liter BMW 3-series camp. But powered by a 1.6-liter? Surely Volvo is taking its green credentials too far. Has its obsession with ecology gotten it to abandon its age-old mantra of power-to-weight ratio “über alles�? But Volvo has embraced drastic change before; remember the transformation from cuboid to curves?

To many of us, our introduction to motoring was through the 1.6-liter class with its accompanying power, thrift and matching car size and weight. That provides the base line by which many of us, consciously and subconsciously, judge all other cars big and small. Visually, the size of a Toyota Vios and anything of that size is expected to be propelled by nothing less than 1,600cc. Consider too, that today’s Vios is about the size of the 1,600cc Toyota Corona of 1980.

Today we see compact-sized cars, what used to be considered 1,600cc cars, powered by two-liter engines or with horsepower outputs that is the exclusive domain of two-liter engines ten years ago. All well and good as we are firm believers in power to weight ratio. So this Volvo should be getting the thumbs down from us.

But no. Look at the stats: 180 turbocharged horses, a lot from a 1,600 four but then it’s no ordinary engine. It’s from Ford’s Ecoboost family.

The T4 engine is linked to a six-speed twin clutch Powershift transmission, also by Ford. This sweet revving engine can dispatch the 0-100 km/h time in a little over nine seconds. Top speed on a track is 225 km/h. Sober cruising yields 15-16 km/liter. No mere 1,600 can match this S60 datum for datum. Its even got Volvo’s proprietary advocacy cum computer program called DRIV-e which allows you to reap the benefits of driving smart; keeping distance, no abrupt acceleration or braking, planning your route, etc.

And it’s a Volvo packing the most comprehensive of the best active and passive safety systems standard in any class of car. Like all New Age Volvos, there is plenty to keep the keen performance-oriented driver involved. All in the interest of safety; anti skid, anti slip, anti-this, etc.

etc. Even anti rear end. The S60 also has “City Safe,� the Volvo sentinel program that kicks in and automatically brakes when it senses you are headed into a rear end smash up.

Two and a half million pesos may seem

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Photo Credits: Associated Press

The new Z4 is the first roadster in BMW history with a retractable hard top so it replaces both the Z4 roadster and the Z4 coupe. It’s also a slick package with more masculine exterior styling and improved head and elbow room than the predecessor Z4s. And there’s a first-for-the-Z4 dual-clutch automatic transmission with seven speeds, too.

For all this, there’s a price. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $46,575 for the non-turbocharged six cylinder and manual transmission. The lowest-priced 2009 Z4 with automatic starts at $47,900 and with leather seats and other options it easily jumps to more than $50,000.

In comparison, the starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a 2009 Audi TT is $42,895 with V-6 and standard all-wheel drive. The 2009 Porsche Boxster has a retail starting price of $47,550.

Press