Volvo S60 Radar Cruise Control Challenge - XCAR

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I'll level with you, I'd been drinking when the idea for this one made itself known to me. I was on a Volvo event and had just driven a Volvo V60 DRIVe (now the D2) from Marlow (just off the M4 outside of London) to Mayrhoffen (in the Tirol, Austria) on just over a single tank of fuel. No mean feat, I hasten to add.

While I was enjoying a beer or three in the bar a chap from Volvo mentioned the cruise control had been improved and would now work from standstill. What he meant was that in theory you could get your car up to speed, set the radar cruise control (which will modulate the speed for you if people/cars/things got in your way) and let the car do its thing. If/when the car comes to a full stop all the driver has to do is press the reset button to get it going again. In theory you don't actually have to press the accelerator more than once.

I put it to the back of my mind for a year or so until XCAR became a 'thing'. I was told we could make some interesting features so decided it was time to see whether it was possible to commute only pressing the go button once. We hatched a plan to get from Kew to the north side of Tower Bridge on a lovely summer's morn. Why that far? It's a feasible distance for a city commute and it meant we didn't have to get up too early...

Thanks to London traffic being what it is we had to start early in the morning and hope that there wouldn't be too many fools on their way to work early. There wasn't too much traffic, but the phrase: "never underestimate the power of human stupidity" has never been truer. London's drivers are aggressive, selfish and take no prisoners -- smooth, quiet drives to work are rare.

The car we used was near identical to the one that inspired the film -- this time I was in a Volvo S60 DRIVe (again, now the D2 -- they don't make a DRIVe any more). As eco cars go, the Volvo is pretty great. You don't lose too much 'car' in the pursuit of precious economy. If you're looking for a good looking eco saloon you could do much, much worse than have a gander at the S60. Just remember -- do spec the radar cruise, but don't rely on it.

Specs

Volvo S60 D2
Engine: 1.6-litre diesel
Power: 115bhp
Torque: 199lb ft
0-60mph: 10.9seconds
Top speed: 121mph

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