Road Test
First Drive: 2007 Volvo S80
A sportier, more muscular sedan from Sweden
Sexiness, safety and evolution are the axis of the 2007 Volvo S80 sedan.
At first glance the all-new Volvo S80 looks identical to the model it replaces. The overall length stays the same, but the wheelbase is a bit longer, the track a bit wider, and it is a little more than 1 inch taller. The subtle changes in dimensions and in sheet metal give Volvo's 2007 S80 a much more aggressive stance. Coupled with new and more potent engines, Volvo continues to roll sex appeal into its models.
The huge safety gap that Volvo enjoyed in the market no longer exists. Still, the Swedish automaker has managed to give the all-new S80 some safety features only found on luxury sedans that cost twice as much, like a crash-avoidance system with brake assist.
The 2007 S80 also gets an industry-first blind-spot information system. And its key fob will tell you what condition you left the car in — locked or unlocked. It will also tell you whether there has been an unauthorized entry, and whether that person is still in the car through a sensor that can detect heartbeats.
Change comes slowly at Volvo. The S80's design is evolutionary, not revolutionary. The new look started with the 1999 S80 and rippled its way through the product line. Volvo is not about to change its brand design cues any time soon. The new C30, as well as the upcoming XC50, which debuts at Detroit's North American International Auto Show, get their styling cues from Volvo's flagship.
Sassy chassis
Stronger steel, relocation of the oil pan and structural changes all contribute to a new S80 chassis that is 5 percent more rigid. Volvo switched from A-link front suspension arms to L-link arms to improve ride and handling. The new chassis is also better suited to accommodate both front-drive- and all-wheel-drive versions of the S80.
Like the old S80, the new model can be equipped with an adaptive chassis that automatically softens or stiffens damping based on road conditions. But unlike the old version, which had two settings, the 2007 Volvo S80 has three modes: Comfort, Sport and Advanced.
However, Volvo went too far in its effort not to alienate current S80 owners. On a run from Gothenburg, Sweden, north of the small resort fishing village of Smögen, we found the Comfort setting too soft. And the Sport setting wasn't much better. Neither could support the sporty, spirited driving experience that the 2007 Volvo S80 has been designed to deliver.
It wasn't until we dialed up the advance ride setting that we got the firmness and the confidence that went with it to push the S80 up the two-lane — and sometimes no-lane — rural roads leading to Smögen. Some keystrokes to reprogram the computer control chip could give the S80 much needed stiffer damping, at least on the Sport setting.
Piston power
The 2007 S80 offers two engines that are both transversely mounted.
A 4.4-liter V8 is the same engine, with little modification, that powers the Volvo XC90. It produces 311 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. With 1000 pounds less mass to move, we found it tight, tough and smooth. This compact V8 really powered the S80 masterfully along Sweden's West Coast. Volvo said the V8-equipped S80 has a 0-62-mph time of 6.6 seconds.
Volvo's all-new inline-6 wasn't bad either. It's only a few millimeters longer than the automaker's inline-5-cylinder engine. Volvo switched from belt drives for the generator, power steering, air conditioner and flywheel to a gear drive to shorten the engine. The 3.2-liter I6 makes 235 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.
Both the V8 and I6 were mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox also donated by the XC90. Under aggressive acceleration in the V8, this transmission was almost as smooth as a CVT without the noise. But at parking lot speeds, less than 10 mph, there was slippage in the I6's transmission before the gear actually caught and powered the S80 forward. Again, this is something that can be fixed by reprogramming the low-end gear ratios.
All-wheel drive comes standard with the V8 for the U.S. market, and front-wheel drive will be standard on the I6 when the S80 goes on sale February 1.
The S80 was not brutishly fast, but it was agile and quick. So were its brakes. The pedal was firm, response was instant, almost intuitive, and the 12.9-inch discs in front and 11.9-inch discs in back brought the car to on-the-spot slowdowns and stops. It was the brakes that generated our confidence to push the S80 hard up to blind curves and to the crests of steep hills.
Nasty competition
Both engines are nice but they're really not nasty enough to compete with the S80's stated competition. That's the Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Infiniti M, Lexus GS and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Volvo has entered a competitive vice. The Asians have V6s that approach the power output of Volvo's V8. And the Europeans have normally aspirated V8s that outdistance Volvo's in terms of power. Go to their sport divisions and comparisons are laughable.
Still, Volvo is moving methodically ahead with its plans to sex up its cars with sporty driving attributes and more power. The S80 will have an available sport package. This includes the adaptive chassis, adaptive bi-xenon headlamps, speed-sensitive steering and high-performance 18-inch tires wrapped around alloy wheels.
Volvo has also managed to transfer the essence of Scandinavian luxury into the S80's interior. The wood trim was understated and it had the look of paneling versus shiny veneer. The interior was peaceful, almost serene. Surfaces were beveled and lines were clean. The car's perforated leather-covered seats were soft but lean and lithe. The interior of the new S80 has really been bumped up a couple of notches.
A 2007 Volvo S80 equipped with the inline-6 will start at less than $40,000, with the V8 version beginning at less than $50,000. That will put Volvo's S80 in the same price range as its competitors. So there's no price advantage over its more powerful rivals.
But what Volvo does have is an enviable and venerable brand heritage of quality, endurance and longevity. The S80 should have no trouble reaching its modest target of 40,000 annual sales, half to come from the U.S.
The bottom line is that the 2007 Volvo S80 holds on to what makes Volvo great — safety and sturdiness — while moving the carmaker closer to its aspiration of delivering a sexy and spirited driving experience.
The manufacturer loaned Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
At first glance the all-new Volvo S80 looks identical to the model it replaces. The overall length stays the same, but the wheelbase is a bit longer, the track a bit wider, and it is a little more than 1 inch taller. The subtle changes in dimensions and in sheet metal give Volvo's 2007 S80 a much more aggressive stance. Coupled with new and more potent engines, Volvo continues to roll sex appeal into its models.
The huge safety gap that Volvo enjoyed in the market no longer exists. Still, the Swedish automaker has managed to give the all-new S80 some safety features only found on luxury sedans that cost twice as much, like a crash-avoidance system with brake assist.
The 2007 S80 also gets an industry-first blind-spot information system. And its key fob will tell you what condition you left the car in — locked or unlocked. It will also tell you whether there has been an unauthorized entry, and whether that person is still in the car through a sensor that can detect heartbeats.
Change comes slowly at Volvo. The S80's design is evolutionary, not revolutionary. The new look started with the 1999 S80 and rippled its way through the product line. Volvo is not about to change its brand design cues any time soon. The new C30, as well as the upcoming XC50, which debuts at Detroit's North American International Auto Show, get their styling cues from Volvo's flagship.
Sassy chassis
Stronger steel, relocation of the oil pan and structural changes all contribute to a new S80 chassis that is 5 percent more rigid. Volvo switched from A-link front suspension arms to L-link arms to improve ride and handling. The new chassis is also better suited to accommodate both front-drive- and all-wheel-drive versions of the S80.
Like the old S80, the new model can be equipped with an adaptive chassis that automatically softens or stiffens damping based on road conditions. But unlike the old version, which had two settings, the 2007 Volvo S80 has three modes: Comfort, Sport and Advanced.
However, Volvo went too far in its effort not to alienate current S80 owners. On a run from Gothenburg, Sweden, north of the small resort fishing village of Smögen, we found the Comfort setting too soft. And the Sport setting wasn't much better. Neither could support the sporty, spirited driving experience that the 2007 Volvo S80 has been designed to deliver.
It wasn't until we dialed up the advance ride setting that we got the firmness and the confidence that went with it to push the S80 up the two-lane — and sometimes no-lane — rural roads leading to Smögen. Some keystrokes to reprogram the computer control chip could give the S80 much needed stiffer damping, at least on the Sport setting.
Piston power
The 2007 S80 offers two engines that are both transversely mounted.
A 4.4-liter V8 is the same engine, with little modification, that powers the Volvo XC90. It produces 311 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. With 1000 pounds less mass to move, we found it tight, tough and smooth. This compact V8 really powered the S80 masterfully along Sweden's West Coast. Volvo said the V8-equipped S80 has a 0-62-mph time of 6.6 seconds.
Volvo's all-new inline-6 wasn't bad either. It's only a few millimeters longer than the automaker's inline-5-cylinder engine. Volvo switched from belt drives for the generator, power steering, air conditioner and flywheel to a gear drive to shorten the engine. The 3.2-liter I6 makes 235 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.
Both the V8 and I6 were mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox also donated by the XC90. Under aggressive acceleration in the V8, this transmission was almost as smooth as a CVT without the noise. But at parking lot speeds, less than 10 mph, there was slippage in the I6's transmission before the gear actually caught and powered the S80 forward. Again, this is something that can be fixed by reprogramming the low-end gear ratios.
All-wheel drive comes standard with the V8 for the U.S. market, and front-wheel drive will be standard on the I6 when the S80 goes on sale February 1.
The S80 was not brutishly fast, but it was agile and quick. So were its brakes. The pedal was firm, response was instant, almost intuitive, and the 12.9-inch discs in front and 11.9-inch discs in back brought the car to on-the-spot slowdowns and stops. It was the brakes that generated our confidence to push the S80 hard up to blind curves and to the crests of steep hills.
Nasty competition
Both engines are nice but they're really not nasty enough to compete with the S80's stated competition. That's the Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Infiniti M, Lexus GS and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Volvo has entered a competitive vice. The Asians have V6s that approach the power output of Volvo's V8. And the Europeans have normally aspirated V8s that outdistance Volvo's in terms of power. Go to their sport divisions and comparisons are laughable.
Still, Volvo is moving methodically ahead with its plans to sex up its cars with sporty driving attributes and more power. The S80 will have an available sport package. This includes the adaptive chassis, adaptive bi-xenon headlamps, speed-sensitive steering and high-performance 18-inch tires wrapped around alloy wheels.
Volvo has also managed to transfer the essence of Scandinavian luxury into the S80's interior. The wood trim was understated and it had the look of paneling versus shiny veneer. The interior was peaceful, almost serene. Surfaces were beveled and lines were clean. The car's perforated leather-covered seats were soft but lean and lithe. The interior of the new S80 has really been bumped up a couple of notches.
A 2007 Volvo S80 equipped with the inline-6 will start at less than $40,000, with the V8 version beginning at less than $50,000. That will put Volvo's S80 in the same price range as its competitors. So there's no price advantage over its more powerful rivals.
But what Volvo does have is an enviable and venerable brand heritage of quality, endurance and longevity. The S80 should have no trouble reaching its modest target of 40,000 annual sales, half to come from the U.S.
The bottom line is that the 2007 Volvo S80 holds on to what makes Volvo great — safety and sturdiness — while moving the carmaker closer to its aspiration of delivering a sexy and spirited driving experience.
The manufacturer loaned Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
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