If you've driven a Volvo recently--the outgoing S60 or the range-topping S80 --Scandinavian design elements like the free-flowing center console will be familiar. Critics who've only viewed photographs will no doubt make snide comments about Ikea overtones. Such descriptions miss the overall warmth exuded by the cockpit, a stark contrast to many of its Teutonic competitors. From the instrument panel and the seating surfaces to the sculpted door trim panels, the materials are of extremely high quality and the details executed with precision and obvious craftsmanship.

Designer Jonathan Disley emphasizes that the exterior's "racetrack" design was applied to the interior. While I wouldn't take this statement literally, the design is definitely well executed, especially in the striking tan/black trim of the test vehicle. And special mention should certainly be made of the seats: They simply are among the best found anywhere.

My one quibble with the interior is its tilt and telescoping steering wheel. I'm five-foot-eight, and I could not get the wheel far enough away for my taste. This difficulty was offset by the relatively thin A-pillars, which drastically reduce the dangerous blind spots present in so many contemporary cars.

Volvo claims that the interior is both roomier than the outgoing model (a benefit of a 2.1-inch wheelbase stretch) and roomier than its most direct competitors, the Audi A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C Class. I'd agree--but still, the rear-seat space seems tight. The sculpting of the front-seat backs does help. The rear seat splits 60/40, and the trunk open-in has been made 4.2 inches wider than in the previous-generation S60.

Infotainment options centered around the standard seven-inch screen, which displays both audio/ video and climate-control status. Parking sensors front and rear and a rear park-assist camera are optional. A camera in the front grille with a 180-degree field of vision is a completely new feature. Available as an accessory, it too is integrated into the seven-inch screen.

HD radio is standard, as is a six-month subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio. Navigation is upgraded and is now voice-controlled. It can also be accessed through controls mounted on the steering wheel.

Sitting at the top of the S60's audio hierarchy is its "premium system," featuring Audyssey Laboratories MultEQ technology. It features a class-D digital 5x130W amplifier with circuits from Sweden's Anaview and Dolby Digital in combination with Dolby Pro Logic II Surround.

The results are top tier, front or rear. The premium option features integrated Bluetooth for hands-free cellular phone use, a USB port, and an auxiliary outlet for portable music devices. It also provides support for Bluetooth audio streaming (A2DP).

Back at the Oregon Raceway Park track, Volvo had a second set of S60s at our disposal. After getting instructions from K-Pax Racing and Volvo S60 driver Andy Pilgrim, we were let loose over the track's longest configuration, 2.1 miles.

While the all-wheel-drive S60 is based on a front-wheel-drive platform,