If we asked people living between Fort Myers and Naples what is the one characteristic that Volvo is best known for, we suspect they would say "safety". While there have been radical changes in design from the old days of the "big box" look, Volvo continues to focus on safety and reliability, and the vehicles in our Bonita Springs showroom demonstrate that commitment.
A new focus however, is the cost of gasoline and the rising concerns about the climate motivated the engineers at Volvo to create a more fuel efficient vehicle, with a twist. Volvo wanted better fuel efficiency without compromising performance. In short they wanted a vehicle to get greater mileage, burn more cleanly, and without sacrifice to horsepower or torque. The result is something so racically different it will undoubtedly change the way automotive engines are designed in the future.
The Drive-E Powertrain:
Demonstrating what efficiency without compromise looks like.
Volvo has developed a 4 cylinder engine that generates the same or more horsepower of most V6s and some V8s, destroying the industry idea that "more cylinders means more power." The supercharged/turbocharged Drive-E 4 cylinder engine is rated at up to 302 horsepower, greater than Volvo's inline 5 cylinder and 6 cylinder engines. As a result, the Drive-E engine, along with the new 8 speed shiftable transmission, fuel consumption and emissions have dropped significantly.
For example, last year's S60 sedan equipped with a 5 cylinder engine generating 250 horsepower was rated at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway;good numbers for its class of sedan. The 2015 S60 sedan equipped with a standard (turbocharged only) Drive-E 4 cylinder generates 240 horsepower and is rated at 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. The Platinum trim includes the Drive-E engine with both supercharger and turbocharger which drives the horsepower to 302 horsepower while maintaining the same mileage rating. Volvo's vehicles equipped with the smaller, powerful Drive-E engine provide our customers from Fort Myers to Naples with:
- Significantly lower fuel costs
- Significantly lower emissions protecting our Southwestern Florida environment
- A lower vehicle weight improving driving dynamics
- No loss in horsepower and potentially a significant gain
How does the Drive-E stack up against the competition?
We think that fuel cost is an important element in our customers' decision making process. Whether you are a daily commuter from Fort Myers to Naples or simply going to the grocery store in Bonita Springs, the cost of gas has an impact on your monthly budget
With that in mind we've listed the Volvo models now available with the Drive-E system, and their chief competitors for comparison.
Volvo S60 sedan - 25 mpg city / 37 hwy
Volvo XC60 SUV - 24 mpg city / 31 hwy
Volvo V60 wagon - 25 mpg city / 37 hwy
Volvo S80 sedan - 25 mpg city 37 hwy
Audi 4 sedan - 24 mpg city / 32 hwy
Range Rover SUV - 21 mpg city / 30 hwy
BMW 3 Series - 23 mpg city / 33 hwy
Audi A6 sedan - 24 mpg city 33 hwy
For some it will still be hard to believe that a 4 cylinder performs as well or better than a 5 or 6 cylinder engine. For that group of non-believers we extend an open invitation to visit Volvo of Bonita Springs and test drive the Drive-E for yourself. We think you will be pleasantly surprised
Written By: Joe Parisi