...and already I find myself looking at Volvos. OK, it's a 300 BHP 5 cylinder 2.5 Turbo Volvo, but a Volvo nontheless. The S60 R which I had the pleasure of sitting in at the weekend was a lovely car. Very understated, but with incredible cabin and build quality. The safety features are excellent, and of course the performance and four wheel drive system put it on par with the new S4.

Likelihood of buying one? Very low at the moment, given my financial and family situation, but certainly a very impressive motor and one I'll be considering a few years from now. And this coming weekend, maybe I'll get that test drive so cruelly denied me by a tantruming baby!

Anyone else got any thoughts on this car?

Closely inspect a full sequence of nappies , listen hard to the range of cries and their meanings, multiply by two or more put in a twenty year fester factor and go out and invest in a Crew Cab Toyota pick-up preferably used by an animal farmer and you will never be dissapointed.

I like the look of the S60R but would go for the V70R. Well made, good space for an expanding family and very good safety.

However the motoring rags don't rate it as a drivers car and haven't been able to come anywhere close to the performance claims.

Maybe the new V50 will rate better although it is smaller.

Its sounds like a great car, but an expensive one to run, and if one tyre needs changing they all have to be changed due to Volvo's 4x4 system requiring equal tread depth.

Personally I'd go for the S60 D5 with some extra toys added.

A friend has an S60, it is a nice car but the build quality of the cabin is a bit variable, some aspects are rather flimbsy compared with the likes of BMW. I to would be inclined to go for a V70.

agree with adrian.

all mags as far as i know have been extremely disappointed with the performance.

in auto form, 0-60 in high sixes/low sevens for a car with that performance on paper?

agree that build quality and interior are lovely though. better economy than the S4. know someone who drives one and is shocked at the economy of the audi.

all mags as far as i know have been extremely disappointed with the performance.

in auto form' date=' 0-60 in high sixes/low sevens for a car with that performance on paper?[/quote']

Auto? Bleh! Apparently the 2.5 Turbo is very tunable, with decent chips being offered by APR, Revo and the like. The car would also be CHEAPER TO INSURE than the Octavia!

No, I'm not really going to buy one - I really want V8 power (or at least V6 twin-turbo) on my next car, and I don't see that happening any time soon given the current money situation!