14 DAY TRIAL // Volvo presented to the Romanian public the latest generation of its luxury sedan simply named S80. The S80 second generation comes with a complete pack of new features compared to the previous one, as the Scandinavian manufacturer offers for its latest version a permanent all wheel drive system, meaning that the young S80 will be easier to handle than its predecessor, which had only a front wheel drive system included.
Whereas it is maneuverable all right, it is also able to offer a great level of comfort, due to the interior design and enhanced features.
If you take same time to look back and analyze the previous S80 - as it was ten years ago - you can see that there actually were several problems needed to be solved in order for Volvo to face the German competitors. The front wheel drive was not enough to deliver optimum power to the road, even if the top of the line model, the T6 was capable of high performance and this was one problem. The second problem was that a saloon like Volvo with that technical impediment could never really compete with, lets say, a BMW 5 series or with a Mercedes E class.
The new S80 comes to solve the above mentioned problems, as it is carefully improved in order to compete with the German bolides. The car has a new sporty - yet comfortable - suspension, a better traction capability with four wheels drive and, of course, a powerful and elegant V8 power plant.
The smallest engine in the range is a 5 cylinder turbocharged one that offers from its 2.5 liters a maximum power of 200 HP at 4,800 rpm. The top torque level of 300 Nm is offered at 4,500 rpm. The next level is also a turbocharged engine, but with a capacity of 3.2 liters and 238 HP. This engine is offered standard with an automatic gearbox called Geartronic that has 6 speeds and is capable of making every journey very comfortable.
Volvo has mounted on the S80 the big V8 engine found on the XC 90 SUV. This unit was developed by Yamaha and delivers a maximum power of 315 HP and a torque of 440 Nm. The most appealing version for this car will probably be the diesel unit called D5 that has a maximum power of 185 HP and plenty of torque. Inside the cabin, the level of manufacturing is, if not excellent, then very satisfying, with exclusive materials and high tech gadgets.
The center console has been carefully crafted, as its design was borrowed from the S40 model. Every aspect of the dashboard was well thought to make your driving a pleasant experience. There is a high level of class and refinement in the interior, as everything was attentively placed in order to be easy to reach, with a whole range of compartments to deposit your belongings and with comfortable seats.
However, there is only one problem left, the S80 has an all wheel drive system offered only for the top of the line engine.
Photo: Lucian Dumitrescu
