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AUTO REVIEW: 2019 Volvo XC60 T8-AWD R-Design

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Volvo’s of all stripes, no matter the year have always been exceedingly comfortable and easy to drive. It is part of their safety moniker. The most important piece of safety equipment in a car is the driver. Volvo has never said that but it is evident in the layout of the cars and the ease with which its products can be driven.”

Published

5 years ago

March 29, 2019

Oakland Post

By Frank S. Washington, AboutThatCar.com

DETROIT – Volvo’s XC60 is a real world utility vehicle. It snowed here then it got bone chillingly cold, I’m talking about single digits. Thus, a lot of the vehicle’s technology didn’t get tested.

Forget about all the nomenclature and let’s get to the root of the matter: In Volvo-speak, most T8s are plug-in hybrids. In the case of the XC60 that means a 2.0-liter supercharged turbocharged four-cylinder engine is teamed with an electric motor and a lithium ion battery.

In the broadest terms, the engine and the motor are capable of working in tandem to lessen fuel consumption and increase horsepower. The battery has to be plugged in for recharging, though there were regenerative breaks. The XC60 had a range of 35 miles in full electric mode, that’s when the battery is fully charged; the gasoline engine is also capable of operating alone.

The downside of a plug-in hybrid is that you should have access to a 240-volt power outlet, although it can be charged with a 110-volt household electrical household outlet. But that takes around eight hours. The 240-volt outlet can fully charge the battery in roughly half the time. You can find chargers at upscale hotels, some dealerships and selected municipal parking lots. But the most convenient charging place is at home.

Here’s the upside of a plug-in hybrid: working in tandem with an electric motor boosts the output of a gasoline engine and diminishes the amount of fuel it burns. The combination gives the XC60 T8 an output of 400 horsepower while making 472 pound-feet of torque.

It can get to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.0 seconds and it has a top speed of 140 mph. If that is not impressive enough, using just the gasoline engine it is rated at 26 mpg. In tandem with the electric motor, it can get the equivalent of 58 mpg. An eight-speed transmission certainly helps with mileage.

The R-Design is Volvo’s sport trim package. That means a gloss black mesh grille, matte silver mirror caps, integrated tail pipes and 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside there were contoured seats in leather and a sued like covering with adjustable seat cushion extenders and aluminum inlays.

It had heated and cooled seats, a much-appreciated heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, and the nine-inch side-to-side slide touchscreen. There was also a 12.3-inch digital driver display screen.

Volvo’s of all stripes, no matter the year have always been exceedingly comfortable and easy to drive. It is part of their safety moniker. The most important piece of safety equipment in a car is the driver. Volvo has never said that but it is evident in the layout of the cars and the ease with which its products can be driven.

The R-Design is more energetic and road hugging, so says Volvo. The trim package comes with a sport chassis, stiffer springs and dampers for more responsive handling and less roll when cornering. None of that comes into play when it is 12 degrees and the remnants of three inches of snow and ice are in the streets.

The important equipment became the XC60’s all-wheel-drive system that instantly halted whatever slipping and sliding that occurred. The heated seats warmed rapidly and could be turned down with three settings. So could the heated steering wheel and the charging plug which could be disconnected rapidly and tossed, uh, stored in its tray just beneath the floor in the cargo bay.

The panoramic roof was great. But I chose not to retract it and I really could not get the full benefits of its transparency because it was covered with snow and ice most of the time. But the climate control system kept the interior warm and that was important.

I’ve always thought that Volvo was pretty good at little things like the three ways the XC60 alerted me that the speed limit was being exceeded. The XC60 R-Design had a memory passenger seat, a black headliner, heated wiper blades with integrated washers, power folding sideview mirrors, rear headrests, rear seats and blind spot alert with steering assist and cross traffic alert, keyless entry, a navigation system which I didn’t use and a $3,200 premium sound system.

There was a four-corner air suspension, heated rear seats, full LED headlights, a surround view camera, a heads-up-display and pilot assist, a semi-autonomous drive system that works in conjunction with adaptive cruise control. The cold weather prevented its testing too.

Volvo has certainly entered the ranks of luxury crossovers. And the 2019 XC60 T8 R-Design certainly has the right stuff to justify its $69,640 sticker. It also had the right stuff to deal with the foulest weather and the creature comforts to take advantage of the most pleasant climes.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.