Every time I see the Volvo S60, I see a missed opportunity.
Surely former Volvo design director Steve Mattin meant well as the S60 was developed under his leadership, and I’m sure that he brought to bear all the great things he learned at Mercedes-Benz over the course of the 17 years he spent there as a designer.
But when I see the S60 nicely integrated into a single, smooth shape that is searching for a new styling vocabulary, it makes me think of yet another homogenized German sedan.
Far better to have continued with Peter Horbury’s classic shoulder line, first developed so long ago for the 1992 Volvo EEC safety car. Every time I see this device on the Volvo XC60, I’m reminded that it’s utterly unique and completely modern. It's very faint on the S60, clearly about to fade into invisibility in the near future
Probably there’s no reason for me to worry about the future of Volvo’s sedan styling, since Peter Horbury returned to Volvo in 2009, although it was too late to affect the look of the S60.
Meanwhile Steve Mattin just became design director at Avtovaz Lada. That’s in Russia, you know.
I keep going back to what legendary Volvo design Jan Wilsgaard once said about the popularity of the old square-rigged Volvo 240 sedan: "It might be due to the fact that the car is a little square and sluggish, just like the Swedes themselves."
The Volvo S60 doesn't need to look like just another German sedan.
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com
myob says:
03:27 PM, 09/13/11
Eeeeevvverrrrybody's a critic. : )
I happen to own a "Horbury" shoulder line XC60 R design and actually prefer the looks of the S60 R design a little. The wagon is stunning.
icaruschuck says:
05:15 PM, 09/13/11
I LOVE the Horbury shoulder line- his S60 is still one of the best automotive designs IMO. Especially in R trim. I'm glad to see him back.
esoterica says:
05:49 PM, 09/13/11
Horbury not only influenced/predicted almost all the modern trends in automotive design, but his execution was better than just about anyone.
The 1999 Volvo S80 and 2001 S60 were about the first cars to have a pedestrian-friendly front end, and yet they still managed to make it attractive, which is a feat than many automakers still haven't managed.
The S60 started the sedan-styled-as-coupe trend.
Despite the name "Bangle butt", the S80 and S60 were also the first to start the two-tier trunk trend that's been copied by countless automakers (generally in the name of making a vehicle visually less tall), just no one noticed that Volvo did it first because unlike BMW, Volvo made it not look awkward.
Volvo also did complex surfaces before BMW, with the door-panel concavities in the Horbury-designed vehicles. About the only styling trend that Volvo didn't influence/predict was the trend towards high belt lines, but that trend has largely gone away already.
lincolnman3 says:
05:52 PM, 09/13/11
Peter Horburry is certainly one of the most talented designers ever - his work at Volvo during his first tenure was absolutely brilliant. With that said, I would have to assume he had little to any input into the new "You" concept that previews future Volvo styling - that concept just lacks his cohesion and flair.
Here's hoping that things haven't progressed too far down the development cycle and that he has the opportunity to "reboot" the look.
Spoken from a new Volvo C30 owner - one of Horburry's truly great designs.
deric4eyes says:
07:12 PM, 09/13/11
+1 RE: the "Concept You". It looks like whoever designed it was looking at pictures of the Audi A7 while sketching it. Volvo should keep the shoulder line theme.
rod_stewart says:
10:41 PM, 09/13/11
Agree w/ the author about the Horbury shoulder line, very unique and beautiful....
But the real problem with the new S60 is the HEADLIGHTS, big droopy goofy looking headlights, like they were ripped off a buick Lucerne. Something else Horbury did very nicely is headlights.
So we can add S60 to the LONG list of current cars that looked BETTER before their latest re-design
-Rod
bodyblue says:
04:14 AM, 09/14/11
"About the only styling trend that Volvo didn't influence/predict was the trend towards high belt lines, but that trend has largely gone away already."
The high belt line has surely not "largely gone away". A few new cars have a slightly lower line (Camry, Volvo) but most new cars have the "bunker" look.
ed341 says:
04:58 AM, 09/14/11
"Despite the name "Bangle butt", the S80 and S60 were also the first to start the two-tier trunk trend that's been copied by countless automakers (generally in the name of making a vehicle visually less tall), just no one noticed that Volvo did it first because unlike BMW, Volvo made it not look awkward."
Take a look at the spoiler integration on the E30 BMW M3 if you want to see where the "bangle butt" originated.
kain77 says:
06:57 AM, 09/14/11
I've said this when the LT S60 was introduced, but the last gen of Volvos were its best looking lineup ever. This is a far cry from when Volvo's image was boxy and safe... and looks were a distant last.
milt721 says:
07:57 AM, 09/14/11
The 1994-1997 Honda Accord has a similar design cue. See pic #5
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0PDoS1LwHBOLxMAedKjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBpcGszamw0BHNlYwNmcC1pbWcEc2xrA2ltZw--/SIG=13idevo21/EXP=1316040907/**http%3a//www.buycarandsellcar.com/Used-Honda-Accord-LX-1994-California-Modesto-95351_839687.html
Sorry for the long url.
ed124c says:
08:11 AM, 09/14/11
I have no idea what the Horbury shoulder line is-- it makes me think there is some kind of fraternity code going on here.
I looked at milt721's Accord photo and still have no idea what you are all talking about.
ocramidajzj says:
08:28 AM, 09/14/11
I test drove a S60 Type R the other day (I usually start researching cars about a year before I'm ready to buy). Nice car with some odd omissions for a sports sedan (namely paddle shifting for the "only option" auto tranny). A little tight as far as interior room but very nice interior with nice electronics and fit n' finish. Felt more comfortable and less auster compared to German counterparts. To the point of this article though, the exterior seemed a little off/imbalanced to me. The nose in particular, just seemed so ordinary compared to the rest of the car.
legacygt says:
08:40 AM, 09/14/11
The XC60 and C30 represent the peak of Volvo's design. These cars are excellently styled and unique. This post is right. The S60 drops the ball. It's one of the few cars that looks better in pictures. The marketing materials are trying to portray this car as sexy and they've found some angles that might support that claim. But in person, this car is boring. It could be a Fusion. It could be a Malibu. It could be a BMW. It could be anything and, at the same time, it's nothing.
eperris says:
11:54 AM, 09/14/11
Come on Jordan, you can write better than this. You are writing for the informed, interested public, but not for deep insiders who remember what the 1992 EEC shoulder line looked like. You have a nice style, but this time you erred too far in not tightening up your detached stream-of-consciousness musings.
stovt001 says:
12:15 PM, 09/14/11
The Horbury shoulder line is one of my favorite design elements on recent cars. I'd like to see it come back.
stovt001 says:
12:18 PM, 09/14/11
@ed124c: look at the picture included at the top here. It is that "L" shape made by the greenhouse/C-pillar and the fender, similar to the "L" shape made between one's neck and, er, shoulder.
ed124c says:
03:35 PM, 09/14/11
Now I get it. Hey, the Toyota Sienna has the Horbury look.
Thanks stov.