Volvo Philippines proudly displayed its cars’ prowess on the tracks at the recently concluded PLDT Alpha Track Day on March 26, 2012 at the Clark International Speedway in an all-out race competition. This annual event hosted by the PLDT Alpha Enterprise brought together the country’s top executives for a car-filled day with the dynamic new breed of Volvos as the main cars for the track run.

After the karting activities in the morning, the Top 40 drivers progressed to practice their skills on the track with the powerful Volvo S60s. They were given the option to “choose their weapon” and drive either the 1.6L S60 T4 or the 2.0L S60 D3 turbodiesel. Both cars delivered superbly on track much to the delight of the car aficionados present. Guests enjoyed the pulling power of the S60 D3 Turbodiesel  -- a powerhouse that pushes the limits with low emissions, 400Nm of torque, and quick, sure power. It ensures immense driving pleasure while enjoying the fuel efficiency of up to 22Km per liter. The single turbocharged engine infuses the drive with the composed feeling of being in control in all situations without compromising on the fun of driving. The S60 1.6 T4 with its 180Hp and 240Nm of torque also delivered top performance and had the drivers fling it around with ease and confidence. The S60’s advanced multi-link rear and McPherson spring strut front suspension mounted on a rigid body with a low center of gravity translate into a feeling of being in command and in safe control. The front and rear suspensions also interact to provide stable braking and crisp steering.

With strong confidence in its products, Volvo Philippines was the only car brand that day to allow their cars to be tested and competitively run on the tracks, including the surprise leg for the Volvo S60 T6 Top Driver Shootout. The Top 3 drivers experienced the raw 304hp, 44Nm of torque of the top-of-the-line variant of the S60. The All-Wheel Drive T6 model with its advanced Haldex AWD technology with instant traction offered the biggest smiles for miles in terms of acceleration, power and road-handling. The Advanced Stability Control feature monitors the car’s behavior with high precision – making micro-adjustments with maximum speed – to further enhance stability in sharp curves and with rapid lateral movements. Corner Traction Control by torque vectoring also helps the car pivot around bends with more grace by braking the inner wheel and redistributing engine torque to the outside wheel. Activating the DSTC Sport Mode via the Volvo Sensus driver-controlled interface turns anti-skin to pro-fun, allowing more spin.

Volvo continues its promise to safety with more and more innovations that allow the car to cleverly “think” for the driver like the standard City Safety feature in the S60 that features pedestrian avoidance technology. It uses a digital camera and radar to constantly scan the road ahead and warns you when it identifies shapes as people who are at risk in front of your car. More importantly, the system will employ full brake force to stop your vehicle – if you don’t react in time. Volvo calls this Collision Warning with Full-Auto Break and Pedestrian Detection, but you can simply call it another Volvo world-first.

“Safety has always been our core value and it will continue to guide us towards making cars that will always have people in mind. We design our cars around you so you can better enjoy how each and every detail answers your every need in a vehicle and road companion. Our cars have actively participated in international racing events like the World Touring Car Championships and we are happy that we are now doing it locally to showcase our cars on the track and prove that this is indeed a new breed of Volvos – designed for passion, precision and performance”, says Loi De Guzman, Asst. Vice President for Marketing Services.

Locally available in four different engine variants, the one you choose will define a major part of the experience ahead. Some engines favor high performance while other favor high mileage, but all of these petrol and diesel engines deliver instant power and smooth running while state-of-the-art technology makes the most of every micro-drop of fuel.

WHICH S60 ENGINE REVS YOU UP?

S60 1.6L T4
Engine: 1.6 Liter 4 Cylinder Turbocharged petrol engine
Horsepower: 180 @ 5700rpm
Torque: 240 @ 1600-5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed Powershift
Top Speed: 225kms./hr.
Standard Retail Price: PhP 2,795,000.00

S60 2.0L Powershift
Engine: 2.0 Liter, 4 Cylinder turbocharged petrol engine
Horsepower: 203 @ 5300rpm
Torque: 300 @ 2200-5300rpm
Top Speed: 230 kms./hr.
Transmission: 6-speed Powershift
Standard Retail Price: PhP2,995,000.00

S60 2.0L D3
Engine: 2.0 Liter, 5 Cylinder Turbodiesel
Horsepower: 163 @ 3500rpm
Torque: 400 @ 1500-2750rpm
Top Speed: 215 kms./hr.
Transmission: 6-speed Geartronic
Standard Retail price: PhP3,095,000.00

S60 3.0L T6
Engine: 3.0 Liter, 6 Cylinder Twin-Scroll Turbocharged petrol engine
Horsepower: 304 @ 5600rpm
Torque: 440 @ 2100-4200 rpm
Top Speed: 250kms./hr.
Transmission: 6-speed Geartronic
Standard Retail Price: PhP3,795,000.00

You deserve a car that has been crafted with you in mind. Built with thoughtful details that will keep you and your loved ones safe while making your pulse race, the S60 is one sleek, smart and strong Volvo that is specially designed around you.