Volvo’s new S80 – luxury, V8 Power, AWD Poise

Volvo's all-new S80 will be revealed to the public at the international motor show in Geneva on 28 February and is scheduled to arrive in European dealerships during June. Performance and power are entrenched priorities in the ultra-competitive luxury sedan segment, and Volvo Car's commitment to delivery these qualities yields an enthusiastic and refined combination of 235kW V8 power and all-wheel-drive performance.

“The all-new S80 is entering an immensely tough sector where the competition is razor-sharp and the customers have very high expectations. We are now challenging the best in the segment with a very special car. It radiates what we call ‘Scandinavian Luxury’, clean and elegant lines and intelligent function where every single detail has been designed with the user’s well-being in mind,” says Fredik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

By Volvo definition, Scandinavian Luxury radiates a different, more human prestige by combining aesthetics and technology in an inviting and intelligent way. Scandinavian Luxury is expressed in the S80 through precise and elegant design, technology that gives the user practical benefit or sheer enjoyment in every single detail – and a sense of responsibility in the form of world-class safety and environmental care.

“The new S80 is about evolutionary design. All the shapes and materials represent a continuous development of our design language. On the outside we have given the S80 a more compact and dynamic stance. Inside we have created an even more inviting atmosphere with refined materials and colours that blend smoothly with smart, user-friendly technology,” explains Volvo Cars’ design director Steve Mattin.

Power by V8 or by I6

The second-generation S80 receives Volvo’s compact, transversely fitted 60-degree V8 and six-speed automatic transmission, offering 235kW and 440Nm of torque. With four catalytic converters and advanced electronics, this engine, which was first introduced in the Volvo XC90, is one of the cleanest V8s on the market and the first V8 to meet ULEV II emission requirements.

DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) is fitted as standard to S80 V8 with all-wheel drive.

The all-new S80 also introduces an entirely new naturally-aspirated 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine, a unit so compact in length that it is approximately the same size as Volvo’s five-cylinder engines. The new I6 engine produces 175kW and maximum torque of 320Nm and mates to a six-speed automatic transmission. The camshaft drive mechanism and the ancillaries have been relocated and partially integrated into the engine block itself. The S80's engine range also includes in Europe the latest generation of Volvo’s in-house developed five-cylinder turbodiesel with 138kW and 400Nm of torque.

The all new S80 will be the first Volvo model to feature Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning and Brake Support. Adaptive Cruise Control automatically maintains a selected distance from the vehicle in front and although it can be disarmed, it doesn't lay dormant. The system continues to monitor distance to the vehicle in front. If that distance reduces rapidly, the system senses a potential collision. The system alerts the driver by activating a buzzer and warning lights. At the same time, the braking system is alerted and prepared to brake with maximum effectiveness.

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