Volvo Malaysia has unveiled the facelifted XC60 with a brand spanking new engine under its hood – the four-cylinder, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, generates 245hp at 5,500rpm and a maximum torque of 350Nm at 1,500 to 4,800rpm (an improvement of 5hp and 30Nm compared to the outgoing model). The XC60 is the first Volvo vehicle to feature the new modular Drive-E powertrain, which the Swedish carmaker claims make the four-cylinder as good as a six or even an eight-cylinder engine, and with less fuel.
‘Project LiveWire is more like the first electric guitar – not an electric car,’ said Mark-Hans Richer, senior vice president at Harley-Davidson Motor Company. ‘It’s an expression of individuality and iconic style that just happens to be electric. Project LiveWire is a bold statement for us as a company and a brand.’ Don’t worry, I don’t understand that statement either.
Feedback from the Harley-Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain suggested a degree of cynicism. Dave Scott said, ‘It looks OK but I’d need a real engine in it.’ Another member asked how safe it would be, ‘For an electric bike it has a good look, but I can’t help but think a silent bike is a recipe for disaster on our ever increasingly busy roads.’
If you want to see this two-wheeled aberration, then you will have to live somewhere along the old Route 66 in the USA as this is where the selected customers will get to ride the test bike as it visits some of the 30 Harley-Davidson dealerships along there between now and the end of the year.
The new XC60 also has enhanced safety features, including its City Safety, the autonomous braking system, which is active at speeds up to 50km/h with this model, and the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which after the upgrade can now warn the driver of rear-approaching vehicles from as far as 70 metres.
The locally assembled XC60 is priced at a competitive RM288,888 OTR minus insurance, which is a RM12,000 reduction from the pre-facelifted price tag.
