Volvo V60 on sale by end of 2010

* New estate arrives this year * Between the V50 and V70 * Expect to pay from 24,500...

Volvo V60 on sale by end of 2010

Volvo's new V60 estate will go sale before the end of the year, to bridge the gap between the V50 and V70.

Originally, we had expected the car to arrive around the middle of 2011, but Volvo has now confirmed it will on sale by the end of 2010.

If the new S60 saloon we've just driven is anything to go by, the V60 will be a quality rival for upmarket estates such as the Audi A4 Avant and BMW 3 Series Touring.

Up to eight engines could be on offer if all of the units from the S60 are adopted. A 114bhp 1.6-litre DRIVe diesel model should be able to offer an average of more than 60mpg, with CO2 emissions of less than 120g/km.

Besides the DRIVe version, there will be also be a 158bhp and 202bhp 2.0-litre diesels.

Expect four new 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre direct-injection petrol engines, with outputs between 148bhp and 236bhp, plus a 3.0-litre T6 petrol with more than 300bhp.