|
From Swedespeed.com Reviews and Road Tests ‘Scandinavian Luxury’ is the theme Volvo uses when pitching their new S80. Upon first mention, these aren’t exactly two words you’d expect to hear together. While it may not be oxymoronic, like say ‘jumbo shrimp’, ‘military intelligence’ as of late or even ‘Dodge Ram’, the stereotype of Sweden and/or things Scandinavian isn’t exactly one of opulence. Companies like IKEA have done well in making otherwise-uneducated-on-all-things-Swedish folk in non-Scandinavian regions like North America quite aware that the fair-haired Nordics are awfully stylish, but not the bees knees when it comes to rich and expensive materials. However, fellow Swedish flag-waver Volvo Cars has set to rewrite that perception with the all-new S80; thus, luxury, Scandinavian luxury specifically, is a major part of their message when speaking of this new executive class 4-door.
Walking past the car on the street, an untrained eye for Volvos might not even notice the new S80 is, in fact, the new S80. While the first-generation S80 P2-chassis was completely ground-breaking compared to boxy Volvo forebears, the so-called Y20-chassis second-generation S80 is much more evolutionary in its exterior changes than revolutionary like its forebear. As the S80’s designer Stefan Jansson told us at the car’s launch, since Volvo had just finished completing its lineup of the modern design language with the S40, revolution was not a priority. It’s said the change in the S80’s subtly more aggressive new appearance focused around three main themes: to appear slimmer without changing the size of the car, to look faster and more dramatic even while standing still, and to be more appealing to a younger buyer.
At the front, a grille fully 50% larger than on the old car gives the new S80 a more menacing appearance in the rearview mirror as it overtakes. The traditional V-shaped falling sheetmetal down the hood and surrounding the grille at the front splits the plain of the wrap-around bumper much as it does on the C30 and XC90 before that – a more aggressive look, but so subtle it might be missed. Viewed from above, all four corners of the car have been shaved to give it a more animated appearance, wrapping the light clusters further around those corners to emphasize motion.
Walk up to the car and unlock it with the unique new keyfob and a revolution begins – more silent coup than fighting in the streets, but revolution nonetheless . Technology first shown on the Volvo SCC concept car has been packed into that little key-replacing device and the result is a pleasant surprise.Functions such as a heartbeat detector and communication of that status to the fob itself sounds kind of oddball, but the one-in-a-million time when a carjacker has broken in and is waiting to surprise you may make it worth the investment. Much more useful is the memory feature that tells you the status in which you left the car. When you leave the S80 parked, the fob logs the status of the car… locked or unlocked. Ever leave your car in the airport parking lot and rush into the terminal to catch a flight, then sit there on the plane panic-stricken that you just left your car unlocked for a week while you’re away? With this new fob, you can now remind yourself from miles and even continents away that you did, indeed, lock your car. And for those whose peace of mind is not restored, while you can’t lock it from miles away, you can call your spouse and have him or her trudge out to the airport to lock your car for you as they curse your forgetfulness. This functionality would be even more useful were a valet service much like OnStar also employed. However, we like it just the same and are glad for the fob’s inclusion.
Inside the new S80, the coup continues. Most striking is the re-interpretation of the center stack design pioneered in the S40. In the S80, the stack is more grown-up and stately looking, but just as handsome and maybe even more useful. Material quality on the inside is significantly higher, with real wood, great-to-the-touch leather and solid-feeling aluminum elements like the heavy-duty hinge design of the center console. With competitors at BMW, Mercedes and especially Audi raising the bar, it is good to see Volvo closing the interior gap that was forming due to the shortcomings of the car’s predecessor. Handsome it was, quality to the touch it wasn’t. Things change, and these changes are welcome. The cabin is also more expansive. Lighter colors certainly help, but the most welcome improvement with the new Y20 S80 is the physically larger front and rear legroom.
Switchgear operation and placement is intuitive, particularly for those already of the Volvo fold. Volvo’s watch-face dials get a new trick with round center information display screens and floating needles that span those screens as the indicated speed or engine revs rise. Cool white lighting predominantly replaces most of the minty green luminescence of previous Volvos, adding a bit more of a “techy” aura to the car’s insides at nighttime. On the center console HVAC controls, you’ll still find a slightly green hue to the controls once they’re backlit. Also cool, literally, are the optional self-cooling perforated leather seats. Just like the new controls for the also-optional heated-seat function, there are now three levels of heating or cooling for the seats if your car is so-equipped. Seat-temp control has traditionally been an on-or-off thing, and the added control is a nice change. The cooling function itself is an interesting sensation. It’s great for cooling hot leather seats that have been baking in the sun. However, like seat heat, too much of a good thing can be a bit much. Turn it on the highest setting and leave it there and you’ll quickly begin to feel like your whole back and backside have been rubbed down with Vix vapo-rub. As is typical of many Volvos, the audio system is impressive. With a new DynAudio speaker system, clarity is quite good and its capability to handle high degrees of bass and treble without distortion might surprise you. Also very welcome for those with an iPod or MP3 device is the standard audio auxiliary input jack located within the bin that resides under the armrest. Simply flip to “Aux” mode and control the tunes from the device. This may not be as trick as some iPod integration systems out there; though we find more often than not those types of systems are a bit of a nuisance and simple auxiliary inputs offer a very wide range of applications. Even better, the head unit itself includes a CD changer that is capable of playing standard CDs, or those loaded with MP3 and even Windows Media files.
Our pre-production Swedish-spec S80 was also equipped with a great-looking aluminum trim with cross-brushed texturing. Unfortunately, the S80 isn’t yet viewed by Volvo North America to have a clientele that would prefer aluminum over wood, so the light silver metal will not even be available in any guise for the States. That’s too bad in our opinion as its unique texturing make it an attractive choice, and one that the intended younger clientele of this car might choose. That aforementioned bladeless fob slides in to the dash just to the right of the steering wheel and locks in place. From there, an engine start button is an interesting new addition to the process – one that gets an audible reaction from either of the two power plants Volvo offers, the same range of engines as the XC90 – a 3.2 in-line 6-cylinder and Volvo’s Yamaha-designed narrow-angle V8. The 3.2 offers improved and more natural torque to previous 5-cylinder S80s, and was probably needed to keep up with the German Joneses, though we honestly miss the turbocharged nature of the 5-cylinder. That the 5 is also available in Volvo’s upcoming smallest offering, the C30, probably doesn’t lend to the “luxury” nature of the S80 or its typical buyer though, and the 3.2 is no slouch. The 6’s 238 hp hustles the S80 from 0-62 mph in a respectable 7.9 seconds. For around town, the 236 ft-lbs. of torque at a low 3200 rpm are an added benefit.
More enthusiast-oriented or for the person who just wants more power, the S80 now marks the first Volvo sedan ever to offer a V8 in the form of their 315-hp 4.4-liter unit. Mated to a quick-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission, the torque-laden V8 will motor the S80 on up to 62 mph in a rapid 6.5 seconds and keep pulling on up into more-points-on-your-driving-record speeds without breaking a sweat. Volvo’s version of the Haldex all-wheel drive system is standard on all V8 models. With all that torque, it’s a welcome addition. Unlike the Torsen-based quattro system in Audi’s A6 that delivers power 50:50 full-time, the Haldex unit in the S80 effectively keeps the car as a front-wheel-driver until slippage is sensed. With a more rapid response time than Torsen, the resulting effect is basically the same except on launch when the A6 sends power to all four wheels immediately. To remedy that, Volvo added a non-return valve to the Haldex system, keeping pressure on the clutch to send power to all wheels from launch. This new version of the Haldex system is now available on all 2007 all-wheel drive Volvos, whereas Audis using the Haldex system such as the A3 do not yet come similarily equipped.
Around the bends, you’ll sense a much-needed improvement to the steering feel. Where P2 Volvos’ steering can easily be described as light and floaty, this new Y20 has a heavier and more accurate feeling steering. Our test car was fitted with Volvo’s speed-sensitive power steering that bestows a huge improvement on the steering experience. The laws of physics dictate that it isn’t as engaging as a rear-wheel driven BMW. Being front-wheel drive-based, the feel is somewhat antiseptic, but definitely much, much improved and very similar in feel to what you might find in the Audi A6. As with the S40, drivers can control various functions from the head unit display on the center stack. This functionality now includes three different settings for the weight of the steering – a feature that can only be accessed when the car is stationary. The lightest setting feels much like the old S80, while the heaviest setting gets annoyingly heavy in daily driving. As with Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the middle (and default) setting seems to be just right. In the past we’d have welcomed this functionality, though with the improved steering feel of the Y20 S80, it seems to answer a question no one will have to ask any longer. Perhaps if this function also allowed you to fine-tune the optional speed-sensitive power steering, we might have enjoyed playing with it more than we did. Don’t take this as a pan though, as it’s just this sort of functionality that is definitely a step in the right direction in bestowing the Volvo with competitive features for which to stand out against its market competitors.
Another new function lending to Volvo’s iconic image for safety is a new adaptive cruise control system. Cars like our tester equipped with this system can be identified by a solid, non-perforated section of the car’s front grille. Like other cars in its class, the S80’s system can adapt to the speed of other cars on the highway – a welcome change. Collision detection functionality is also included – not taking control of the car and applying brakes as with some systems, but rather using a red and flashing heads up display, along with an audible tone, to alert drivers of the impending collision. In the real world, the system proved quite effective in waking me from my jet-lagged stupor as I approached a much slower and suddenly braking car on the Swedish motorway. On the road, the V8 is much more of a blast to drive, and truly a capable competitor to its Teutonic rivals. It is not as edgy as the BMW or the Audi, though a three-setting “4C” adjustable suspension certainly adds to the sporting feel. Those familiar with Volvo 4C systems take note – while the S80 does have an Advanced setting, it is nowhere near the track-ready Advanced setting of R models. Impressive and luxurious it definitely is, edgy it ain’t. And therein lies the crux of the S80’s predicament. What we find in the S80 is a much-improved car and a good value. Starting under $39,000 for a 3.2 and at around $47,000 for the V8, the S80 is a solid contender in its class. Our only concern with this impressive new ride from Volvo is that it might get lost in the eye of shoppers not familiar with the Swedish brand. Volvo is banking on a heavy percentage of conquest sales and, should they give it a try, we could easily see why owners who haven’t shopped Volvos in the past might be smitten with the new S80. The trick, of course, will be getting that message out there as the new S80 doesn’t scream “ground-breaking” as its predecessor certainly did. Available Packages Sport Package 245/40R 18 Performance Tires 8.0x18 alloy wheels 4C, 3 settings Ventilated Front Seats Perforated Leather Active Bi-Xenon Speed Sensitive Steering Audio Package Premium Sound System 5x130 Amp 12 Dynaudio Speakers Sirius Climate Package Heated Front Seats Heated w/s nozzles Rainsensor w/s wipers High pressure headlamp cleaning Stand Alone Options Nav Rear Seat Entertainment Adaptive Cruise 17” Run Flat Tire 18” Chrome Wheels Sirius Include. 3 mos. Of comp service
All information Copyright © 1999-2003 Swedespeed. All rights reserved. No photos, news stories, graphics, or Swedespeed logos may be used or reproduced without written permission. Volvo is a registered trademark of Volvo Car Corporation and Ford Motor Company. Swedespeed is an independent media publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Volvo Car Corporation |
