T5 in Volvo magazine

[Simon Linton]

I don't keep up with all the add-ons that Volvo put on every year, so when I read in the Volvo magazine that the new T5 had been updated, I was appalled.

Why?

Well my contention that the R is over-engineered seems to bear out in the market, where dealers can't shift these £40K+ cars; I have recommended that the T5 is a better buy since it is much cheaper and does not have the main Achilles heel of the R which is its less than satisfactory adaptive suspension.

So what do Volvo do? Add 4-C suspension to the T5 - Argh!

It's the same two-position one as the S80 which I hope means that the dampers can be softened against the hard springs, but I bet it's the dampers that are hardened against the soft springs like the S80, which has been criticised for its soggy handling.

So if anyone wants a good S60 that's a good buy and a good platform for future upgrading, get the "old" model.

(That'll start a lively thread.....)

[IC]

Hi Simon, I understand that the suspension on the new cars has been modified. The new generation 4C active suspension has re-worked software that has speeded up the damper response which has been fine tuned specificaly for the UK's roads so that the suspension can respond quicker to changes in road surface - I wonder what sort of improvements will be in evidence. There is a revised S60R which will arrive on our shores in a few months.

I for one haven't tried the new R - "the proof of the pudding is in the tasting". I would like to experience driving the V70R or S60R with a manual gearbox of course! I would like to see a comparison between a classic R on a track and the new generation to see how they perform, then we could have some sort of idea how they perform in comparison.

[Bob]

Yesterday I was posting the details of the new 60 and 70 series range onto our web site Volvo press pages (www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/press_releases.htm) and saw this and some of the other changes being introduced, and I also wondered why. As Simon says, the dealers cannot sell them, and there is a 10 mile long queue for the XC90. Is Volvo trying to compete with BMW and Merecedes in the select high performance car market, that BMW and Merc have been strong in for some time?

Bob
_____________________________
Robert Isaac
Director and Web Admin
robert.isaac@volvoclub.org.uk

[IC]

One has only to look at the amount of automatic and geartronic V70Rs for sale in the UK to see that they outnumber manuals by quite a margin. The geartronics are so much slower than the manuals - what's the point of buying a more expensive geartronic R that is slower than a standard manual T5?. The Rs are nice, however it is the manual that has the better performance - is this why there is a glut of automatics and geartronics for sale (as well as the suspension issues that Simon has raised)? You only have to look at other performance marques with automatic gearboxes to see that it is possible to have an automatic gearbox and performance - the Audi RS6 comes to mind albeit at a very high premium in comparison (the S4 is a better price comparison). Talking of price - was the V70R Classic not around £42,000 when new? - how does this comparison with the pricing of the latest R?

I do think that it's a question of balance when looking at the R - there is nothing wrong with developing abd implementing new technologies in a car if it means that the car drives and performs better (without overkill). The new suspension could have potential if it was set up to owners' tastes - however what are the real advantages and disadvantages of the technology in comparison with standard traditional suspension? I know members' thoughts on the present R system!

Why all the fuss about the performance and technology of the R if the geartronic gearbox compromises the peformance advantage of the engine?

It appears that there always have been more second-hand Volvo V70 automatics (the choice was made by Volvo with the T5-R as so many manuals and automatics were brought into this country - the manuals being rarer) than manuals for sale simply because that's what people chose as an option when new. I for one spent a long time trying to find a manual - the specialist that I bought from told me that V70 manuals were not popular and were difficult to shift off the forecourt - there is a premium on second-hand automatics of around a £1000! imagine the frustration of finding just the car with high specs but with an automatic gearbox. :-( Manuals are out there - it just takes a little patience to find the right one!

There was simply no option to people that wanted to purchase the last version of the classic 265bhp R it was automatic or automatic as a choice :-( I would not want an automatic R simply because I enjoy the performance of a manual too much - I like having the choice of using the gearbox and making the choice of changing when I think is appropriate (I know - the geartronic gives you the choice, however the performance/driving implications might not suit some people) - not having the decision making taken away from me (never mind the increased pad and disc wear). I know the advantages of having an automatic in city driving and all the other aspects of automatics, however longlevity and endurance can be an issue when a lot of power is sent through an automatic gearbox - this is perhaps why the power is limited in an automatic in comparison with a manual (the first generation V70R Classic manuals and automatics have different turbos and output 250bhp/240bhp). To my mind if there is performance issues with the new Rs a manual is the only option! There is nothing wrong with buying a car if you like it - never mind the issues - however it looks like there are not an awful lot of people out there with that approach to the R. What market is the V70R aimed at?

If someone did offer me an automatic R for nothing I'd take it without much thought- mind you if I had to pay for one I wouldn't fancy having to pay extra for the active suspension (unless it worked) and a geartronic/automatic gearbox that I would not want ;-)

Ps, I am aware of the different advanced techniques in driving a geartronic or automatic.