I have always feared that Volvo would remain in the conservative corner of car design and resist the temptation to dabble in cutting-edge cars. Not every auto maker can afford to actually convert prototypes into production vehicles. Lets face it, Volvo S60 is not in the same catagory as a Prowler or PT cruiser for daring debut.

The S60 I drove this weekend was not a radical change for Volvo, but a wonderful refinement. Luckily my local San Antonio dealer ordered 6 S60, including a T5 with Spaceball. Good idea if you are attempting to woo the BMW crowd.

The young salesman did his best to push the envelope and impress me with the car while he drove. Great acceleration. Tighter and more predictable corners than any Volvo I've ever driven.

Then I took the wheel. Salesman cautioned me that the car had a buyer waiting at the dealership, so I may be the last person who got to testdrive the T5 manual for quite a while. Pulled on the highway, found a stretch without traffic, and hit 120mph in fourth. Downshifted and pulled hard right for an "unexpected exit ramp" and then hit the turnaround lane at +60mph. Front tires hopped a bit as I accelerated out, but held. Salesman, now stuttering in the passenger seat, asked that we return to the dealership. No problem. Only made him gasp once on the way back.

Overall pros: What a SLEEPER! No one would know you own a rocket.

Overall cons: My 87 BMW 325 handles better.