2014 Volvo V60 to Offer New 4-Cylinder Turbo

U.S. enthusiasts looking for a premium Euro-style sportwagon will soon have some fresh choices on the menu, as the 2014 Volvo V60 will offer a trio of turbocharged engines for the new model year. The V60 is the more versatile version of the “naughty” Volvo S60 sedan, and it will come to our shores early next year as part of a concerted effort from the Sino-Swedish brand to reclaim its position as a wagon leader in this country. But what may be more important is that it also represents the U.S. debut of Volvo’s next-gen powertrain technologies

“This is an exciting time of transformation for Volvo and shows our Swedish heart is beating strongly,” said John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “The V60 signifies our first step in a gradual move toward powerful, highly efficient, four-cylinder engines across the entire portfolio of our vehicles.”

Specifically, the 2014 Volvo V60 will showcase the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder unit from the company’s new “Drive-E” engine family, making 240 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. And while the EPA has yet to test the 2014 V60, Volvo’s vice president of Powertrain Engineering, Derek Crabb, notes that: “The sophisticated Drive-E technologies give the customer high performance, improved fuel economy, considerably lower emissions and a powerful sound character. Our four-cylinder engines will offer higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation. If you take a four-cylinder Drive-E engine versus any six-cylinder engine, there’s a massive weight and size reduction for the same power. Fuel economy savings are anything from 10 to 30 per cent, depending on which engine you’re comparing it to.”

2014 Volvo V60: Potential Power-ups

Two other Drive-E engines also have been developed by Volvo—Euro-only 6-cylinder turbo and 4-cylinder turbodieselunits—and the Drive-E powertrain further boasts an eight-speed automatic transmission and a design specifically created for future hybrid applications. At this stage, there's no timetable for seeing any of that stuff over here anytime soon.

On the other hand, the 2014 Volvo V60 will be available with a pair of carry-over engines from the automaker, offered in models also configured with all-wheel drive. Drivers can choose either a 250-hp, 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbo that serves up 266 lb.-ft. of torque or, in the V60 R-Line, a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder powerplant, also turbocharged, and capable of 325 hp and 354 lb.-ft. of torque. Further sporting exclusive R-Design style enhancements, and featuring the R-Line’s Advanced Quick Shift transmission, the result “will be the fastest and most powerful wagon in Volvo history.”

It also just may be the last wagon in Volvo history to offer more than four cylinders beneath the hood. After all, as Crabb added: “We have created smaller, more intelligent engines with power curves that give exciting driveability compared with engines with more cylinders, yet deliver the fuel economy of only four cylinders. In addition, by adding electrification such as plug-in hybrid technology, we will reach power figures in the V8 territory.”

More information about the 2014 Volvo V60, including pricing details, will be provided at a later date.