All New Volvo S80 & XC90 Executive Models

Safety features are abundant in the car - after all, it comes from Volvo which is known the world over in their effort to provide safety for their car's users. It employs the Whiplash Protection System of the company which allows the seat to move back with the occupant to absorb much of the energy in cases of rear collisions.

Aside from the standard airbags, which are the most advanced being employed by any car in the market, there are a lot more of the safety features that Volvo is known for. Take for instance, the blindspot warning device which is a set of cameras that alerts the driver if any vehicle has entered his blindspot. The car also has swiveling headlights which can enable the driver to see better when turning.

The car itself is designed to react during a collision so as to protect the passengers and the driver inside - it is made up of four different grades of strength of steel used in different zones that have different reactions during crashes. To protect the vehicle, it has a personal safety system that allows the owner to check from afar if the doors are locked or unlocked and can even detect the presence of a person inside the car by sensing the person's heartbeat

For the 2009 model year, Volvo is enhancing its most exclusive line-up, the S80 and XC90 Executive models with the addition of massage and ventilation functions in the front seats along with a range of improved materials and trim details.

Though it would have been nice if Volvo offered a nice tall Swedish blonde gal to do the massage, the front seats are actually equipped with five built-in inflatable pockets built that pump and drain sequentially to create a wave-like motion (adjustable at two hardness levels) that massages the lower back. -Continued

Other upgrades on the S80 and XC90 Exclusive models include new upholstery in perforated soft hide; new lumbar support setting that uses the same inflatable cushions for adjusting the massage function; centre console cover in soft leather; 8" wide VGA LCD screens integrated into the rear of the front seat headrests instead of the previous 7" units and a new analogue clock set into the wood inlay in the instrument panel.

Furthermore, S80 Executive gets additional ambient lighting in the door panels and storage compartments, and in the front cup holders and along the floor by the front seat, aluminium sliding cover in the front console and updated crystal glasses with an engraved Executive emblem. Finally the XC90 Executive features new hand-sewn leather in the door handles.

New Volvo S80 and V70

February of this year will signal the introduction to the market of the newest luxury sedan from the world's leader in automotive safety - Volvo. The luxury vehicle is the 2007 version of the company's best selling Volvo S80. The car, just like its predecessor, promises to give the best safety features available in any vehicle out there. Along with that, the vehicle also is expected to come bearing the high quality of performance that can be expected from a Volvo. The Volvo S80 will be up against some tough competition like the Audi S6, the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz' E-Class. The competition may be tough but the car packs a really great performance and an even luxurious interior so as to be a serious competitor in their class.

The interior design of the car shows off the "Scandinavian luxury" design concept which shows the company's loyalty to its roots. The entire concept is based on the simplicity and functionality of the interior which in reality gives the interior a very luxurious feel that only Volvo can offer. The wood grain strip paneling looks immaculate and very much in tune with the rest of the interior. Controls and handles inside the vehicle are designed to be attractive yet also very functional. One such design is the functional graphic which can be found at the center of the climate controls that allows the occupant to choose the direction of airflow through its stylized head, torso and legs.

Buyers can opt for the trim package which includes a V8 engine for the Volvo S80. Such an option allows the company to be capable to drive the car against the best in its class. The quad-cam, 32-valve, 4.4-liter V8 engine can churn out 311 units of horsepower. The powerplant transfers the power of those 311 horses to all the four wheels of the car for this car has an all-wheel drive configuration. The configuration gives the car a better traction especially during nasty bouts of weather. The power finds their way to the wheels via a six speed automatic transmission that provides a smooth transfer of gear ratios and can thus give the car a decent acceleration. The precise engineering of the gearbox allows the car to go from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds. The car's engine is also equipped with a Volvo oxygen sensor to increase its fuel efficiency by keeping the air and fuel mixture at the standard combination

Thanks to a few minor tweaks, Volvo has managed to further reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency on its S80 and V70 DRIVe models from the 2009MYs 129 g/km and 4.9 lt/100 km (48mpg US) to 119 g/km and 4.5 lt/100 km (52.3mpg US) on the 2010MYs respectively.

Both cars continue to use a 1.6-liter diesel with 109HP and 240Nm of peak torque that's hooked up to a five-speed manual gearbox.

However, Volvo's engineers employed a smart battery recharging system that 'forces' the alternator to charge the battery only when the engine is operating at low load (e.g. when driving downhill), while they also redesigned the tensioner and alternator pulleys.

"Smart battery recharging is the most important measure," says Ulf Nordström, Technical Project manager at Volvo Cars.

"It is primarily thanks to this that we have dipped below the 120-gram level that gives car owners tax breaks and other benefits in a number of European countries. What is more, one might say that we offer the normal driver one free tank of fuel a year," Nordström added.

The Swedish automaker said that the reduction in fuel consumption from a combined 4.9 lt/100 km to 4.5 l/100 km means that someone driving 15,000 km a year will save 60 liters of diesel or as Nordström put it, one fuel tank.

Volvo did not disclose any performance figures for the updated 2010MY S80 and V70 DRIVe, but just to get an idea, the 2009MY S80 DRIVe accelerates from standstill to 100km/h in a claimed 12.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 118mph or 189 km/h.

We say that, while any efforts to improve CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are more than welcome, fitting a puny 1.6-liter diesel engine in cars of the size and weight of the S80 and V70, isn't exactly pioneering anything new...

All New Volvo S80 2007 Exclusive Cars!

While the handling of the S80 is great, thanks to precision engineered steering system components such as Volvo steering rack, it is of no use when a car suddenly brakes in front of the S80. Volvo though has solved this problem with the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system. This feature uses a sensor to judge the distance between the car and the vehicle in front of it. When the distance between the two vehicles reaches a preset critical level, the system will prime the brakes and move the brake pads near the disc brakes for faster stopping power. If the distance between the two vehicles reaches a certain preset distance which means that the car will hit the vehicle in front, the system applies the brakes even without driver input.

The S80 also comes equipped with the BLIS or Blind Spot Information System. This uses cameras to detect the presence of a vehicle on the blind spot of the driver. The system warns the driver if a vehicle entered his or her blind spot. This reduces the risk of traffic accidents especially those involving motorcycles. Since motorcycles are smaller than cars, they are harder to spot on the side mirrors. But with the cameras covering the blind spot of the driver, the risk is greatly reduced.

These safety features complements the S80's comfort and convenience and its overall performance. With this car, Volvo is going to set another mark for its competition.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field. You can visit Volvo steering rack for more information.

EXCLUSIVE: VOLVO REVEALS FIRST DETAILS OF ITS ALL NEW S80 SALOON

· All new Volvo S80 saloon will make its world debut at the Geneva motor show.

· 2^nd generation of Volvo’s flagship executive saloon.

· Safety: Collision Warning and Brake Support with Active Cruise Control.

· World first: Personal Car Communicator (PCC).

· Excellent driving dynamics – benchmarked against class leading premium rivals.

· New Volvo 315bhp V8 with AWD and 3.2 six-cylinder petrol engines, plus latest D5 (185bhp) turbo diesel.

· Scandinavian luxury broadens choice in executive car segment with class-leading interior, 'floating' centre stack, premium materials and colour schemes.

· Prices and specifications to be announced in the spring.

The S80 is the largest of Volvo’s S-range of saloons and this second generation S80 offers a competitive alternative to the dominant, German luxury saloon rivals thanks to its own distinctive Scandinavian style, combined with excellent ride and handling characteristics benchmarked against the class leaders.

“We are convinced that the all new Volvo S80 will be a very strong contender in its class and win over many new customers considering the other popular premium brand rivals. We expect to sell 50,000 new S80s a year around the world, of which 70 per cent will be new Volvo customers,” says Frederik Arp, Volvo Cars CEO. “The main markets for the all new S80 will be the USA, Germany, Spain, Sweden, UK and China,” he continued.

Evolutionary Exterior Design

At its launch in 1998 the first generation S80 heralded a bold new design direction for Volvo, which still looks modern today, but now Volvo’s designers have carefully and cleverly evolved Volvo design language to be more youthful and dynamic as well as introducing new Volvo safety technology and powerful new engines – including Volvo’s V8 (315bhp), available with AWD (All Wheel Drive).

“The all new S80 is about evolutionary design,” says Steve Mattin, Volvo Cars design director. “All the shapes and materials it uses represent a continuous development of the Volvo design language. We have given the all new S80 a more youthful and dynamic stance, and created an even more inviting atmosphere by using refined materials and colours that blend smoothly with smart, user-friendly technology,” he continued.

World Class Safety – new technology

New safety technology for the all new S80 includes a unique Personal Car Communicator (PCC) and new active safety systems – Collision Warning and Brake Support – with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), active Bi-Xenon headlights and a patented body structure developed at the award winning Volvo Safety Centre.

Personal Car Communicator (PCC): The new S80 includes an optional key fob offering 'keyless drive' and incorporating a world first innovation – the Personal Car Communicator (PCC) which features intelligent technology to remotely check if the car is locked or not, alert you if the alarm has been activated, and a heartbeat sensor which warns if there is anyone in the car.

Collision Warning and Brake Support: The Collision Warning system alerts the driver, via a 'heads-up' warning display on the windscreen plus audible buzzer, if the gap to the car in front closes so fast that a collision is likely, while the Brake Support system boosts the braking force to ensure braking is as effective as possible.

The new active Bi-Xenon headlights improve the driver’s visibility at night by turning the beam of the headlights in the direction the steering wheel is being turned.

Scandinavian Luxury

The all new Volvo S80’s ‘Scandinavian Luxury’ differs from the traditional, or Teutonic, luxury offered by the majority of the other premium brands. Instead, Volvo’s ‘Scandinavian Luxury’ radiates a simpler, more stylish and modern feel by combining aesthetics and technology in a more inviting and intelligent way.

The interior design offers a distinctive blend of intelligent, elegant and unpretentious Scandinavian style with a slim 'floating' centre stack, luxury materials for upholsteries and a choice of inlays and colour schemes that blend smoothly together.

Premium Sound audio system

Volvo’s Premium Sound audio system for the all new S80 will include 5x130W D-class digital ICE power amplifiers from Alpine, Dolby^® Pro Logic II Surround Sound^™ and Dynaudio speakers to create the finest, high quality audio system.

Powerful Engines – D5, 2.5T plus new V8 AWD and 3.2-litre in line 6-cylinder

The two new engines available for the all new S80 will be Volvo’s V8 petrol engine, offering 315bhp and 440Nm of torque, which will be combined with AWD (All Wheel Drive) with Instant Traction^™ for maximum traction and driving pleasure. Four catalytic converters and advanced electronics also make it one of the cleanest V8 engines available.

The second engine will be a completely new, naturally aspirated 3.2-litre six-cylinder unit delivering 235bhp with 300Nm of torque and like all Volvos will be fitted transversely to provide maximum space and improved crash performance with more space to absorb any impact.

The new engine was designed by Volvo and will be built at the Ford group engine plant in Bridgend, Wales alongside six and eight-cylinder units for other PAG brands, such as Jaguar and Land Rover. Despite being a six-cylinder unit, it has been designed to be more compact than Volvo’s five-cylinder engines thanks to the camshaft drive mechanism and ancillaries being relocated and integrated into the engine block itself.

In addition, two of Volvo’s five-cylinder engines will be carried over from the current S80 – the 200bhp 2.5T petrol unit with 320Nm of torque and the latest D5 (185bhp) turbo diesel with 400Nm of torque.

Driving Dynamics

Extensive testing and development of the all new S80’s driving dynamics has been undertaken in demanding and extreme conditions around the world. Excellent handling characteristics and driving pleasure have been achieved by benchmarking it against the highest standards of the well known leaders in the premium large saloon class.

Advanced technology in the new S80 includes the options of Volvo’s active ‘Four-C’ chassis with three settings which constantly adjusts chassis settings to suit driving conditions and preferred driving styles, plus servotronic steering offering variable steering torque. In addition, there will be All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction^™ (initially with the V8 engine) and all models will have DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control).