Think Volvo and you think utilitarian automobiles that shuttle you from point A to point B safely, reliably and indefinitely.

For all their virtues — pathological obsession with safety comes to mind, as does anvil-like durability – Volvos aren’t exciting. They’re cars only soccer moms, Vermonters and tweed-jacketed professors can love.

It’s a stereotype, of course. One that overlooks the company’s hot rod “R” models, among other things. But it is sufficiently pervasive that the Swedes have had enough. They’re billing the all-new S60 as “the naughty Volvo,” a technological marvel equally adept at hauling kids and hauling ass.

And Volvo certainly isn’t just blowing hot air. The S60 T6 we drove has the most powerful engine Volvo’s ever produced, a 300-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged six with a boatload of torque. Stomp it and you’ll hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Triple digits follow quickly. The engine is a joy; it revs smoothly, accelerates briskly and sounds sporty.

The six-speed slushbox is equally nice. You can’t get a proper manual, dammit, but running through the gears in “sport” mode is a close approximation. Power hits the ground through all four wheels; torque vectoring and a traction control system with body-lean-angle sensors help keep all but the most inept drivers out of trouble.

The standard “dynamic” suspension is taut enough to make a winding road entertaining but supple enough for commuting hell. You don’t forget that this is a 3,900 pound car when you’re pushing it hard, but the S60 is remarkably agile. There’s a softer “touring” setup if you don’t know a chicane from a Chiclet, and $750 buys the “FOUR-C” adjustable suspension. Steering response is adjustable — light, normal and heavy — but superfluous. “Normal” is ideal.

In keeping with the car’s sportiness, the S60’s styling is muscular, with a coupe-like silhouette. It’s a bit bigger in every dimension than its predecessor, but the short overhangs, 18-inch wheels and taut lines hide the added length and girth. This is a Volvo, so of course it’s packed with enough safety features to make even Ralph Nader smile — provided you spring for the $2,100 “technology package.” Most notable is the world’s first application of what Volvo calls “pedestrian detection with full auto brake.” Cameras and radar at both ends tell you when you’re about to run someone down. Ignore the warning and the car stops itself. Volvo says it will avoid collisions at up to 22 mph, but we couldn’t find anyone willing to help us prove that.

Other electronic nannies tell you when some jerk is riding your bumper — or when you’re the jerk riding someone’s bumper. The S60 also tells you when you’ve wandered out of your lane, and when someone’s wandered into your blind spot. But our favorite feature was “adaptive cruise control with queue assist.” Beyond adjusting your speed to account for changing traffic conditions — a common feature — Volvo’s system essentially drives the car for you in stop-and-go traffic. The car creeps forward when the guy ahead of you does, then stops. It’s brilliant.

There’s still more tech inside. The $2,700 multimedia package includes navi with real-time traffic info, a rear-view camera and a 650-watt surround sound audio that isn’t as loud as you’d expect. Spend another $1,600 and the kids can watch DVDs (or just buy them iPads for far less). The interior is tastefully and comfortably appointed with an upscale look and feel.

All in all, the S60 offers the solid engineering, sturdy construction and leading-edge safety synonymous with Volvo and a healthy dose of sportiness in a car as naughty as it is nice.

WIRED Reasonably swift and relatively sporty performance in a car that’s safer than putting your money in T-bills.

TIRED Somewhat sedate styling. Some of the tech — adjustable suspension, adjustable steering response – seems superfluous. Soft plastic dashboard is out of place in an otherwise upscale interior. World’s slowest rear defroster.

Top photo: Jim Merithew/Wired. Other photos courtesy Volvo.