You could call the S60 R a performance car for those who don’t want to wear performance on their sleeves. Outwardly the car is not that different from the elegant brown wrapper that is the S60. There is a new more rounded and aerodynamic front fascia, five-spoke aluminum wheels fitted with super low profile tires and shiny "R" badges placed strategically throughout the vehicle, but that’s about it. The big difference comes in the mechanicals. Volvo fits the S60 R with a 300 hp 2.5-liter turbo engine (developed from its 2.3-liter turbo, not the T5 or T6 motors), that lets it accelerate from 0-60 in a claimed 5.4 seconds. It adds a second intercooler to keep up with the larger capacity turbocharger, and a short-throw six-speed manual transmission. The body is lowered and subtle spoilers on the trunk lid and front bumper significantly reduce lift to keep the car planted.

The S60 R is the first production Volvo to get the Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) electronically-controlled shock absorber system, which constantly monitors and adjusts the damping force of the shocks to give the car consistent road behavior. The Four-C system has three settings which are controlled by buttons on the dashboard. "Comfort" puts the emphasis on a comfortable ride over enhanced road feel. "Sport" tips the scale more toward a harsher but more performance-oriented experience. And "Advanced Sport" optimizes the chassis for maximum road grip (and minimum comfort).

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway turned out to be the perfect habitat for the S60 R in its "Advanced Sport" setting. The tires were glued to the pavement on even the sharpest autocross course turns and the rear end never showed signs of wanting to slide out. However, on a sometimes bumpy route through the Valley of Fire State Park the "skyhook" effect of the "Comfort" setting proved to be much easier on the kidneys than either of the sportier settings.

It’s hard to imagine the average customer (that is, one who doesn’t have regular access to a test track) spending a lot of time in the "Advanced Sport" setting. But the beauty of the Four-C system is that it is so instantaneous that by the time you have fully depressed the setting button the chassis has adjusted itself to the new selection. That will be appealing to those who occasionally want the feel of a sports car but need a sedan and don’t want to shell out the cabbage for two cars.

Volvo has targeted the BMW 330xi and the Audi A4 3.0 quattro as the main competitors for the S60 R. Since both of those brands have more performance cachet than Volvo, the company clearly has its work cut out for it. The most likely buyer is someone who wants the safety and refinement of a Volvo, but is willing to pay for a little extra oomph under the hood. (The starting MSRP for the S60 R is $36,825.) That is, someone who doesn’t want to wear their performance on their sleeve.