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2007 Volvo S80 V8 AWD Road Test

Over the past decade, Volvo has gone through a sea of change. In response tothe mechanical revolution of the front-wheel drive 850s that dawned in the early '90s, Volvo turned around its image, reluctantly trading in angles for curves as if subjected to What Not to Wear, Automotive Edition. And while the purposeful Swede has redefined Scandinavian luxury with its stylish interiors, it has not become infatuated with fickle trends; it has not lost the plot. No matter what the label says or the wrapper looks like, you can expect certain things when you step inside Volvo's flagship sedan. Comfortable seats are one, as are excellent ergonomics. You expect the car to be safe in a crash and boring, if not safe to drive. But if you should come across a new Volvo S80, the one thing that you won't be expecting is the sound it makes; the raspy growl produced when its V8 is fired up. Right away, it's clear that this is no normal Volvo. Or is it?

This wonderfully fruity sound, which has a distinctively American flavor to it, is, as a matter of fact, the result of an unlikely alliance between

Modern and stylish it may be, but the S80 is more about safety. Some things never change... (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Sweden and Japan, of Volvo and Yamaha to be exact. The 4.4-liter, 60-degree engine's advantage is its compact size and light weight, enabling it to be wedged into the bay ofa car that's been spawned from compact car architecture. Like the XC90 that launched this engine, it's extra squeaky clean and with 895 pounds less to haul around the sedan is much quicker too. The car will hit 60 mph in about six and a half seconds, which isn't slow, but for this class it definitely isn't sport sedan quick. How come? Despite having the physical displacement and high-tech continuously variable valve timing, it only manages to muster up 311 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, figures that are now not only rivaled by other eight cylinder engines

V8 engine is one of the greatest features of the car, despite its low-ish output figures. The burbling sound is truly un-Volvo like. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

but smaller six cylinder ones too. Instead, the real value of the V8 is its seemingly effortlessness, laid back nature. With plenty of torque available through a wide power band, it is responsive off the line and works well with the standard six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission and Haldex all-wheel drive system, ensuring that none of the power is wasted. Still, the best part of the engine has to be the sound that it makes ... it'll tease you into driving around with the windows down and the sunroof open just to hear it growl on full throttle.

After the landmark that was the original S80, it would have to take an extraordinary shift in Volvo's design language for the new car to match the black and white changes brought about when the original debuted, but it

Sparkly headlamps and nice 18-inch alloy wheels add flash. Oyster Gray paint is a real favorite around here. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

wasn't to be. The new car is more of a design progression than a radical change, though Imust admit, they've done a nice job in restyling the car. In the past ten or so years, Volvo has gone full circle, reshaping existing cars and introducing new ones along the way with some very eye-catching designs, although all pulling major cues from the previous Peter Horbury penned S80, and has reaped the rewards of its new image, so we can easily understand why disruption of the status quo wasn't in order. For the new car, its designers have taken a rasp to the original S80 and peeled back yet another skin, smoothing out its coke-bottle shape and rounding the details of its head and tail lights. On the whole, it looks smaller than it actually is, a trick created by widening the body, increasing the track and pushing the wheels further to each corner. The downside of this is that the car doesn't

Rich leather, the color of light linen looks fantastic and gives the S80 a really airy feel. We do wonder how long the steering wheel, gear lever, stalks and buttons - all yellow-white - will remain clean. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

seem to register with the same head-turning ability as the initial one, but like we said, after establishing the S80 why change things? If there was one item to change, it'd be the out of place black plastic box that houses the forward-facing radar (more on that later) which sits left of center on the grille. Why it couldn't be hidden or disguised, as most other car companies do, is beyond me.

As impressive as the motor is and as amicable as its body is to look at, these pale when compared to the S80's delectable interior. The sandstone beige cabin is warm and inviting, incorporating the now trademark floating console. The dash is topped with an aubergine plateau of a curious grain, contrasted by the cool, stainless look of the round instruments featuring dot-matrix information displays in their hollowed centers. Ribbed taupe carpets and classic dark wood complete what I reckon is Volvo's best interior to

Lots of buttons, but it's all very organized and friendly to use. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

date, and one of the best cabins I've had the pleasure to spend time in; a marked difference from the typically austere and industrial cabins that dominate the segment. There's a familiarity to the S80's controls, from the S40/V50/C70, but it feels better laid out and easier to use despite the flotilla of buttons, and I admire the glow-in-the-dark look of the HVAC controls at night. It feels impeccably well built, and the ambiance is completely different from anything else on the market.The only thing that could put the icing on the cake would be soft ambient lighting at night around the footwells and door pockets. Just the same, it's an enlightening experience as far as interiors go.

And with this lovely cabin are lovely and thoughtful features that ensure your safety, comfort and mental well being will be looked after. Extra-bright xenon headlamps swivel to look around corners for better illumination. The perforated leather seats, which are supremely comfortable and infinitely adjustable are both heated and cooled. At 650 watts, the optional premium stereo ($1,550)

The PCC has a slight flaw - will anyone bother to take their key out of their pocket? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

is not only powerful, but it's got the quality to back up the punch delivered by Dynaudio (speakers), Alpine (amplifier) and Dolby (Pro-Logic II digital processor). It's almost good enough to warrant shutting the sunroof and windows, and sealing out the noise of that wonderfully throaty growl ... almost.

No matter how much Volvo evolves, its foundation will always be insafety, both active and passive. However, it's with this new S80 the bombardment of electronic nannies starts even before you get in the car. Debuting on the S80 is what's called the Personal Car Communicator (PCC), a high-tech key fob that's available as a standalone option for $495. As you approach the car, press the information button on the key fob, and it will “talk” to the car and let you know via a series of lights in the fob whether it's unlocked, locked, if the alarm's been triggered, and if there's someone hiding in the back seat. The last function is done through a heartbeat monitor. The system works – we tested it out – but there's a slight flaw. Because the car has keyless ignition, owners will tend to keep their keys in their pockets or purses,

BLIS camera is mounted below the mirror. It may help out one day. Just be sure to fold them when parking, as that's bound to be an expensive repair... (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

rendering the keyless part redundant, though the reminder that there might be a criminal hiding out in a car might just be enough to feed one's paranoia.

Because there's only so much stiffness that can be integrated into the frame of a car and only so many airbags that can be stuffed into various cavities, Volvo needed to move the safety game onwards, and therefore is nowfocusing on making sure accidents don't happen in the first place. A prime example of this is the BLIS system ($595), Volvo's take on monitoring the driver's blind spots. After years of being available in Europe on most of the Volvo product range, it's finally making its debut here on the new S80. A pair of still digital cameras situated underneath the side view mirrors take several hundred pictures per second of the area that makes up the blind spot, and using a computer to compare images it can tell if there's a car or motorbike present, warning you with little amber lights mounted right by the window. The system works well, but like the adaptive cruise control it's clearly visible from the outside of the car and slightly unsightly. It also has a couple of limitations in terms of when it operates (limited range of speeds, won't

Brakes combat fade automatically, priming themselves for sudden stops when the throttle is lifted and shaving speed off at the command of the mitigation system. Wow! (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

pick up bicycles, etc.), but it's great to have an extra pair of eyes on the road for most situations.

Also available is adaptive cruise control ($1,495), which as in all other applications automatically keeps a distance between you and the car in front, but the system is intertwined with Volvo's new collision mitigation system. If, for instance, you're changing the radio, chatting on your cell phone or doing any other activity that distracts you from the road and you approach a car too quick for the on board computer's comfort, a joltingly loud beepshould revert your attention, as will the bright red flashing lights at the top of the instrument panel. You might think that the system is for idiots and that you are a good, vigilant driver (like me), but it's not you that's necessarily driving dangerously, but rather unpredictable nature of the world around you. This is where the system transcends from gimmick to invaluable safety feature. Should you so stupidly choose to ignore all those warnings the car will automatically prime its brakes, and if you continue to ignore, it will apply those brakes if a crash is determined to be inevitable, shaving speed off before impact. In this case, the S80 is engineered so that the transversely mounted V8 has left plenty of space for crumple zones, a very good

Four-C automatically switches to "Sport" mode when the S80 is driven enthusiastically. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

thing indeed.

Not that I would have it any other way, but uneventful pretty much sums up the way that the S80 drives. It's a nice machine to cruise along in, especially when it's equipped with the Four-C Adaptive Chassis. Developed for the sport-oriented S60 R and V70 R, it retains the same three settings of Comfort, Sport and Advanced, but I'm slightly puzzled asto why. Advanced is far, far too hard and would only make sense on a perfectly smooth race track, a place which 99.9-percent of S80s will never see. That leaves Comfort and Sport, which, so far as I can see, are so minute in difference that the change can really only be felt if you're deliberately looking out for it. Besides, when driving hard the computer will automatically bump the car into Sport mode anyway. There's also a way of manually changing the assistance on the power steering via the center console for different driving moods, though the median setting is best. Unfortunately, there's no way of increasing steering feel, which remains consistently numb; not a bad thing if luxury is your quest.

Given the S80's target audience, it's reasonable to expect the somewhat isolationist policy that Volvo has chosen for the driving experience, but all things considered, the new S80 is a much better car to drive than before. Both the V8 and T6 versions come with all-wheel drive (3.2's get front-wheel drive), so there aren't any

A fantastic long-distance cruiser. It's everything a big Volvo sedan should be, and more. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

issues of torque steer to deal with, and theEUCD architecture, despite its links to the S40 and company, is extremely rigid, delivering much greater solidity than the outgoing car. High speed stability is paramount, not to mention that in general the car exudes a safe feeling while on the move. Ask more and the S80 is still impressive, with above average grip, roll control and agility that belies its large size. I did expect it to ride a little smoother, however, but the optional "Zubra" 18-inch wheels on low-profile tires (part of the $2,495 Sport Package) gave the car a slightly lumpier gate than what I was looking for, although it's still more comfortable than the best Germany or Japan can offer.

With cars like the new S80, as well as the C30 compact hatch and forthcoming XC60 compact crossover, Volvo is aligning with the world's dominant luxury brands in upcoming market segments, but unlike those brands I can't see Volvo ever having the nose in the air snobbiness that plagues Mercedes-Benz. A car like the old S80 used to be an oddball alternative, but now it's an honest to goodness modern luxury car that I believe would be a truly satisfying vehicle to own. Don't for one second think you'd be less happy behind the wheel of an S80 than something to roll out of Munich or Stuttgart, because it simply isn't the case. This is a formidable vehicle and at thousands less, is a prime competitor in the executive sedan stock, especially if comfort and style are a top priority.

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