The Volvo S60 represents the essence of contemporary Scandinavian design. The S60 seems compact at first glance, and there's a hunched-shoulder look to the rear flanks, suggesting a hockey player ready to lead a charge up the ice. What you can't see is all the engineering designed to protect the people riding in the structure. It's there that Volvo's reputation for safety continues and deservedly so.

The S60 R is distinguished from the other models by a longer, smoother nose housing a smaller, lower grille; and a larger air dam with a bigger central scoop, flanked by serious-looking side grilles to feed the big turbo and twin intercoolers.

Active Bi-Xenon headlights are now available on all S60 models. A mini-processor gathers data to optimize their beam pattern, and the beams can be turned up to 15 degrees in either direction.

For 2007, new colors and new wheels are mostly what separate 2007 models from last year's models. Volvo claims that the front grille and bumper have been aerodynamically refined for '07, but you'd need the observational skills of Sherlock Holmes to see the difference. Nor will you likely spot the redesigned outside mirrors, although you might appreciate their new integrated-turn-signal feature. The mirror-mounted signals automatically flash three times with light pressure on the turn signal stalk. Unfortunately, the new mirrors eliminate the puddle lights that were previously standard on all S60s.

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