2000 VOLVO S60 D5 5MT FWD (163 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Volvo introduced the S60 lineup in 2000, and the car made a huge difference in the Swedish carmaker’s design language.

Volvo was on its way to becoming more and more important in the premium car segment after it was purchased by Ford in 1999. Obviously, though, the mid-size sedan was designed long before the blue-oval carmaker acquired the Swedish brand. Thus, the S60 was considered by many as the last true Volvo.

With a design signed by Hungarian American designer Geza Loczi, the car sported plenty of rounded shapes, and there was not a single angular-shaped panel in the entire car. The front fascia resembled the former Viking boats, with the grill placed in an advanced position than the headlights. The curved beltline started from the front and was ended on the quarter panels forming what was then known as the “Volvo’s shoulders.” At the back, the sloped C-pillars looked fluid, emphasizing the new flow concept of the carmaker.

Inside, Volvo placed all the safety systems it could. Moreover, the car sported a small drawer where a SIM card for a mobile phone could have been placed. The bolstered seats featured the unique headrest design imagined by the Swedish carmaker safety team, which drastically reduced the risk of whiplash in case of a rear-end accident. Passengers in the back seats enjoyed enough room, despite the sloped roofline.

Under the hood, Volvo installed a choice of turbo-diesel and gasoline engines paired wither with a manual or an automatic transmission named Geartronic that allowed a manual mode. For those times, that was quite unusual.