Volvo still has a long way to go as far as brand awareness is concerned but that hasn't stopped them from bringing in some really good cars to India and the XC60 D3 is definitely one of them

TECHNOBABBLE

The D3 engine is a little bit of a marvel in itself and unlike what most people will  think – it is not just a downscaled version of the bigger D5 five-cylinder 2.4- litre mill. In fact, the D3 still retains its unusual inline five-cylinder layout with the overall capacity down to 2 litres. The biggest difference on the D3 compared to the D5, apart from the capacity of course, is a different type of piezoelectric fuel injector which is claimed to increase fuel efficiency with a more precise control of the injection pulses.

The D3 also lets go of the D5’s sequential twin turbo induction in favour of a single turbine which actually ensures a whole lot of power just above idle speeds – delivering its peak torque of 400Nm right from 1400rpm and keeping it up there till the rev counter touches 2850rpm. It also has lighter camshafts, connecting rods and crankshaft as well as a new vacuum pump, flywheel sensor and piston rings. All of that makes this 1984cc oil burner churn out 165PS of power at 3500rpm.

Power comes with responsibility on the Volvo D3 engine and along with all those horses comes a brake energy generation which further helps keep CO2 levels down to just 179g/km. Then there’s a maintenance-free particle filter that effectively brings down the soot content in exhaust gases and along with advanced emission control technologies makes the D3 comply with Euro 5 emission standards. If you think the Volvo D3 engine is already worth whatever money the Swedish are charging for it, there’s more!

The D3 engine has made its way to the engine bays of the S60, S80 and the XC60 which is great in itself but if there’s one thing that Volvo is known for all over the world it is its uncompromising attitude towards safety and luxury.

Volvo is known for many firsts in the automotive safety world and those who don’t really know about this aspect much need to simply google it for a long-drawn love affair with making cars safer. The Indian D3 models are no different and making it standard to all three cars is Laser Assisted Automatic Braking that automatically brakes the vehicle in case of an imminent collision – a really handy tool to have in our cities where other cars, bikes, pedestrians, dogs and everything that can be moved is a threat on road. Adding to the features list are Whiplash Protection, Active Bending Lights, Dynamic Stability Traction Control and an Interior Air Quality System.