By Barbara & Bill Schaffer

After more than 20 years of reviewing new cars, we know we can always count on a new Volvo to have several distinctive characteristics.

• It will be one of the safest cars on the road
• The seats will be the most comfortable
• The styling will be unique

Along with these givens, various models have other characteristics that may set them apart from the maddening crowd. ?Nevertheless, with a few exceptions, Volvos have not been cars we would consider as high performance.

However, the high performance void has changed as we discovered after driving several of the new Volvo R-Design models recently in Arizona.

Like the BMW M, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Lexus F and few other brands? performance vehicles, Volvo has added performance versions of three models under the R-Design flag.? Developed by Volvo?s official motorsports racing partner, Polestar, the R-Design cars have a small enhancements in horsepower and torque, brought about mostly by changes to the engine software to increase the turbocharger boost. To go along with more power there are a multitude of changes made to the chassis and suspension to improve the handling.

The three new R-Design cars we drove included the S60, XC60 and C30. ?Read about the Volvo S60 R-Design tomorrow.

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