Volvo S80 FIVE CYLINDER RANGE
If Practical Virtues Are What You Seek In A Large Executive Saloon, Then Try An S80. Jonathan Crouch Drives It...
If you've just under £24,000 to spend on an executive saloon, you'll find that you're not short of choices. Some are sporting, some are sensible - and some claim to be a combination of both.
Volvo's S80 for instance.
Though the six-cylinder T6 model has made the headlines as a credible
Audi A6 and
BMW 5 Series competitor, the complete four-door only range (which also includes both diesel and Bi-fuel options) actually starts at £23,728 with a choice of four five-cylinder petrol variants and a diesel. The petrol contingent is comprised of a 2.0-litre turbo, 140 and 170bhp versions of a normally aspirated 2.4-litre unit and a 2.
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5-litre turbo that produces 210bhp. The solitary oil-burner is Volvos D5, its the only 5-cylinder available in ultra-luxurious Executive trim with a whopping £34,943 price on its head. For the entry-level money, you get the 140bhp 2.4-litre, a car that makes sixty in 11.
0s on the way to 127mph. For £25,148 meanwhile, the 2.4 170bhp version manages 9.0s seconds and 136mph.
If you prefer your engines turbocharged, the 2.0-litre model costs £25,543 and the 2.5-litre turbo is priced at £26,743. This five-cylinder powerhouse will reach 60mph in 7.
3 seconds. You pays your money and takes your choice. In truth however, you probably won't be buying an S80 on account of its shattering performance any more than you'll favour it for unrivalled on-the-limit handling. In both respects, as I've been finding out, the car more than holds its own but these are not the areas in which it really shines. Instead, the big
Volvo attempts to charm you with a more sensible package or virtues which now include extra equipment: namely satellite navigation, 16" alloy wheels, a CD player, cruise control, wood-effect trim and an upholstery upgrade. ''If you never thought of yourself as ending up behind the wheel of a Volvo, you could be in for a shock'' As for safety, well, this is being billed as the world's safest car - and it's hard to argue. There are airbags everywhere: two at the front and two at the side, all of which have been programmed to activate less aggressively. Plus there's an inflatable curtain which covers the side windows and protects the occupant's head in a lateral impact. On top of all that and class leading side, front and rear impact protection, there's also WHIPS (Volvo's new 'whiplash protection system'). In the event of an impact, the whole
seat moves backwards to absorb the initial impact and prevent the body being catapulted forwards. Simultaneously, the upper part of the seat moves up and forward to protect the neck and spine. The result should reduce the likelihood of whiplash injuries by as much as 50%.
Then there's accommodation. Ex-Volvo Design Chief Peter Horbury famously said that in this car, ''everyone travels Club Class, not just the driver'' and he has a point. A particularly long wheelbase has allowed for a huge passenger compartment. Indeed, take a long trip in an S80 after spending time in one of its German rivals and it isn't long before you appreciate the fact. Wherever you're sitting, there's more room for arms, legs and shoulders. You could almost be in a car from the next class up. The boot's huge too - as it needs to be given that Volvo dealers can't offer you an estate version at least not with an S80 badge. The latest V70 however, is effectively an S80 Estate in all but name and comes with the same engines, priced from £22,683. Inside the cabin, the detailing is superb. It isn't only that the car comes with plenty of equipment - you'd probably expect that. No, it's the detail touches you remember. The front console-mounted buttons for the optional telephone, the loudspeaker in the driver's headrest, the remotely operable lights that enable you to approach or leave the car in greater safety. Features like these are mighty impressive but the Swedes are well aware that more active virtues will be needed to persuade owners of prestige German marques to part with their enamelled keyfobs. Since the S80 is front, rather than rear wheel driven, you shouldn't expect it to handle like a
BMW - nor does it. There's little to choose however, between the Volvo and its rivals at
Audi and Mercedes when it comes to hurling the car round the twisty stuff. Refinement and ride quality are equally outstanding. Volvo's Stability Traction Control System (STC) is standard on all models and, during my test on a frozen Finnish lake, acquitted itself extremely well. Rivals all offer traction control systems that use the anti-lock braking system to counteract wheelspin under acceleration - but STC goes a step further. Should you hit a slippery patch in normal driving conditions, the system will automatically transfer power from the drive wheel with the least grip to the one with the best. All of which leaves only that styling - which incidentally looks better in the metal than in the photographs.
You certainly won't mistake it for anything else. In summary, all you need to know is that this is the most credible luxury saloon Volvo has yet made - by some margin. If you never thought of yourself as ending up behind the wheel of a Volvo, you could be in for a shock.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volvo S80 five-cylinder range
PRICES: £23,728-£26,743 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14-16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 212-219g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.4 170bhp] 0-60mph 9.0s / Max Speed 127mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.4 170bhp] (combined) 31.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, side airbags, side impact curtains WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4820/1830/1450
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