The Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 proved an elegant companion for a few days spent enjoying the springtime beauty of Montagu’s mountains.
Gliding through the Valley
Montagu, a little agricultural nucleus outside of Roberston, has some of the most beautiful mountains in the Western Cape. Folded together like contour lines on a Topographic map, the natural architecture of these big rocks serves as an awe-inspiring welcome to an otherwise understated town founded on the Uitvlugt farm in the mid-1800s.
My extended family owns an old farm-style house in Montagu, along with a little cottage at the foot of the mountains. I received a Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 (A mouthful of a name for such a beautifully minimalist vehicle) and drove up to meet my mom in Montagu as quickly as possible. She had been hibernating in the house for a week, working on her new book.
Evening at the house
The T8 is an epic carriage. The best bits of subtle Swedish quality; clean, striking design language packing performance figures unimaginable for such an understated car. The 4-cylinder hybrid twin-engine pushes out 340 kW and 709 N.m. That’s a lot of speed and power, delivered in such a smooth and measured manner. Fully electric vehicles can still be a bit of a headache on longer trips outside of the city, so a hybrid option is perfect – with the battery reducing fuel consumption significantly if driven in hybrid mode. Volvo claims 1.6 litres per 100 km ( a weighted figure between electric and petrol driving according to EU/WLTP regulations for PHEV vehicles), and I arrived in Montagu sitting on 4.3 litres/100km – the battery exhausted after the 180km drive. Luckily, Montagu is one of the few towns in the wider region that does have a charging facility. The Montagu Country Hotel has one Type 2 charger available to the public. The beauty of a hybrid is that you can leave the battery flat and make your way home using just the petrol, the bonus is that a full charge while you’re away will keep the fuel economy low on your return journey too.
Crawling over some gravel
The vehicle was charged and remained parked for most of the time I was there – given the walking distance of pretty much everything – so the journey up and down the N1 was where the driving would be enjoyed. Luxurious leather seats, the softest suspension set-up and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen system guided me swiftly past the toll gates, through the Huguenot tunnel and into – in what seemed like a matter of minutes – the beauty of the Western Little Karoo.
On the last day in Montagu, we took a short trip north to drive through the Koo Valley and get some shots of the car. The misty morning and rolling mountains made for an epic backdrop, especially as the sun began to crack through.
Koo Valley
To drive the valley is spectacular, but Montagu’s mountains are best experienced on foot. There are so many trails, and we had only time to do one during the week. We picked the Silwerstroom Waterval route, a 7km trail that makes up the first section of the well-known Bloupunt trail. Flood damage has altered the terrain, and the trail begins with a crisis-crossing through loose rock and sand before folding through the valley, feeling the sun intermittently on your back as you wind through the valley. After an hour of hiking, you reach the shaded little oasis of the Silwerstroom. Stop for a coffee, splash your face, breathe the extra fresh air, and decide whether to return the same way or continue exploring. So many different trails lead off from that route, its a great place to get lost for a few hours.
Silwerstroom Waterval
Well-rested and with lungs full of mountain air I was happy to take the Volvo back down the N1 and return to the city. The drive down was just as comfortable as on the way up, and as always the Swedish manufacturer’s subtlety in luxury shines through. One of my top drives this year has been the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge. If you are interested in the finer details, here’s a brief summary:
Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge
- Price: R1,388,000.00 including 15% VAT
- Engine: Twin Engine (PHEV)
- Power: 340 kW (233+107)
- Torque: 709 Nm (400+309)
- Gearbox: 8-speed Geartronic AWD + ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive)
- 0 – 100 km/h: 4.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption: 1.6* litres per 100 km
- Emissions: 37* g/km CO2
- Fuel capacity: 71 litre fuel tank
- Warranty: 5-year / 100,000 km warranty
- Maintenance: 5-year / 100,000 km full maintenance plan
* Weighted figure between electric and petrol driving according to EU/WLTP regulations for PHEV vehicles.
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