“The Crossover Beast” Made by Sweden Sports Car Power, Plug-in Hybrid Mileage including all the Bells & Whistles – By Johnnie K. Lindgren
The luxury crossover Volvo XC 60 T8 R-Design. Sibling number two in the XC family including big brother XC 90 and kid brother XC 40. A Nordic sleeper, a sheep in wolf’s clothes.
Design: Up front a wide grill with the emblematic 80 year old iron arrow mark and the signature T-shaped Thor’s hammer LED headlamps. The XC60 boast overall clean, muscular lines. Rear view shows emblematic XC vertical and new sporty horizontal tail lamps. This crossover rides on cool 19 inch alloys.
Interior: Flawless cabin with a taste of Sweden. Leather and brushed aluminum. Uncluttered design, leather and brushed aluminum. Everything well-appointed. An airy feel provided enhanced by a glass panoramic roof. In the center stack of the dashboard Volvo SENSUS a nine-inch size infotainment touchscreen with navigation mated to a ultra premium 15 speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. Plus smartphone connectivity via CarPlay and Android Auto. Note the the bling-bling Orrefors crystal glass gear selector.
Engine: As its 90 series cousins, the T8 model of the XC60 employs the same so-called Twin Engine turbo and supercharged 2.0-liter petrol power plant (driving the front wheels) and an electric lithium-ion battery motor (propelling the rear ones). All Wheel Drive, eighth speed Geartronic with paddle shifters. And 400 horse power and enough torque to schlep a townhouse. Transmission eighth speed Geartronic with paddle shifters.
Drive: You start the engine. Chose the driving mode: AWD, Pure, Hybrid, Power or Off Road. On Hua Hin Today Motoring test drive from Bangkok to Hua Hin with stopover in on Rama II, Porto Chino chicky-micky community mall. Tuna sandwich and double espresso. Hit the road, again. Step on it! Oh My God! 0-100 in 5,3 seconds! That’s faster than the coveted German Porsche Macan. And Safety?
Remember it was Volvo that invented three-point seat belt in August 1959. XC60 comes as standard with a plethora of safety technology, including autonomous braking with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, collision warning, a system that’ll help you swerve to avoid oncoming traffic if you stray into the other lane, a system that prepares the car for a crash if it senses it runs off the road, plenty of airbags and whiplash protection for the seats.
Before arriving in Petchburi I connect my iPhone to Bowers & Wilkins stereo “Concert Hall” mode and the ABBA Greatest Hits all the way down to Hua Hin. Verdict: All the VOLVO car I’ve tested in Sweden and Thailand the XC60 T8 R-Design Super, turbocharged and (electric) plug-in SUV did hit the sweet spot: design and performance! Like Wow!
Now, where to plug in your luxury performance hybrid in Hua Hin? No worries! Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is committed to innovation and sustainability by installing Hua Hin’s first electric car charging station.
EA Anywhere charging station, state-of-the-art facility that meets IEC international standards to support all types of electric vehicle, including hybrid plug-ins (PHEVs) and battery-operated vehicles (BEVs).
VOLVO XC60 T8 R-Design 4-cylinder 2.0 liter twin power plug-in hybrid Combined system output: 407 hp 100 km/h: Acceleration: 5.3 seconds Transmission: 8-speed AWD Torque: 640 Nm Acceleration: 0-100 km/h 5.3 seconds Max speed: 230 km/h Fuel consumption PHEV mode: 46.7 km/litre
Price: 3,590,000 million THB
www.volvocars.com
