FOR those people lucky enough to be shopping around for a performance saloon in these cash-strapped times the search rarely strays far from the premium German marques.

Given the quality of BMW, Mercedes and Audi in this area that is quite understandable, but if you're prepared to stray from the Teutonic crowd you could be pleasantly surprised by what's available.

I certainly was when I got behind the wheel of one of the options you may come across if you broaden your horizons - the Volvo S60 dressed up in the Swedish manufacturer's R-Design trim and powered by an efficient 215bhp D5 turbodiesel engine.

This sleek and sporty number sits on a lowered suspension, boasts coupe-style good looks and packs a real punch in the pace department.

The 2.4-litre diesel under the bonnet will fire you from a standstill to 60mph in less than seven seconds, on to a pretty hefty top speed of 143mph and offers strong acceleration even at low revs.

That lowered, stiffened suspension ensures fantastic body control and grip but also, in typical Volvo fashion, keeps the ride on the right side of comfortable.

The sharp and precise steering enables you to take full advantage of the chassis' nimble handling capabilities.

While it doesn't quite match the class-leading BMW 3 Series this is an engaging and enjoyable car to drive that is more than capable of providing a few thrills.

But all that impressive performance won't break the bank.

The D5, paired with a compact and smooth six-speed manual transmission and an automatic start/stop system, delivers nearly 63 miles per gallon on average.

And with carbon emissions pegged back to 119g/km running costs and tax bills will be low enough to please the many business users the S60 is likely to attract.

Such customers, of course, like to travel in style - and again the S60 is up to the mark.

High-quality soft-touch materials cover most surfaces inside the cabin while the plush leather and nubuck upholstery in this performance version is complemented by aluminium trim and sports pedals and there's exclusive R-Design branded sports seats, a leather sports steering wheel with audio controls and a leather gear knob.

Volvo's now trademark floating console keeps all controls within easy reach of the driver and large rotary knobs and buttons make the main functions easy to access. The phone-style keypad, though, will take a little while for anyone who hasn't previously driven a Volvo to get used to.

There's plenty of space for four adults with impressive head and legroom. Even in the rear, where many such coupe-styled saloons squeeze passengers uncomfortably, my 5ft 10ins frame fitted with ease.

The compromise for this is a smaller boot than in some of the S60's rivals, although the 60/40 folding split rear seats do fold down for extra space.

Kit levels are suitably impressive for a car with premium pretensions, especially at this R-Design trim level, and you'll get cruise control, electric climate control, a top-end stereo system with aux-in, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, touch screen interface, satnav, heated folding wing mirrors and LED daytime running lights.

As you would expect from Volvo, safety is also very well taken care of.

All the usual airbags are present, along with a whiplash protection system, ABS brakes, stability and traction control and Volvo's acclaimed city safety system.

This operates at speeds up to 31mph and ensures the car automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time to audio and visual warnings when the vehicle in front slows down or stops - or if the car is approaching a stationary vehicle too fast.

An enhanced version of the system that even other safety aids such as blind spot and lane departure warning systems - all of which can be de-activated at the push of a button if the flashing lights and alerts become too intrusive.