New Volvo S80 driven

NEW Volvo S80 Driven

Volvo has long been known for making safe and reliable automobiles and this hasn't changed with this latest S80. What has changed, however, is the styling. Gone are the boxy, uninspiring models of the past, replaced by more modern, elegant designs. This 2007 Volvo S80 sedan is the same length (4850mm) as the outgoing model, but it is 27mm broader and 34mm taller, with a longer wheelbase and a track that is wider. Two of the most useful new safety features are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS).

ACC is designed primarily for highway use where in Malaysia it will be useful on long distance drives along our fast and wide highways. It is a radar system with a sensor attached to the front right hand side of the grille to monitor the time interval between you and the vehicle in front as you drive at speeds. Simply set the cruising speed on your cruise control and the time interval of your preferred choice (there are three time settings) and the system does the rest to maintain a constant distance between the two vehicles. When you approach a car to closely a warning beep to alert you to slow down and maintain a safe distance preventing a collision. This feature not only safes you and your passengers but also the passengers in the vehicle in front.

BLIS system, which uses digital cameras, mounted underneath on each of the door mirrors that monitor when a vehicle is approaching on either side. As a vehicle approaches your blind spot, the system alerts you with an orange light built into both front door posts. The system is activated once the car's speed exceeds 10 km/h and works both day and night. This keeps you alert as vehicles come alongside you at excessive speeds of when they decide to cut to your side at the last minute.The next new feature on the new S80 is the Personal Car Communicator (PCC) that combines the ease of keyless drive and an interactive communications device. This little key fob makes locking, unlocking and starting the car effortless. It will also tell you if the alarm has been triggered or with the optional heartbeat sensor, it will even tell if someone is in the car thus alerting you to contact the police before nearing your vehicle.

Get inside this new Volvo and the element of increased space in evident and there has been an increased use of quality materials with a great finish on the instrumental panel. All the curves are smoothly done with soft touch panels abound. The center ‘floating; stack which was first see in the S40 contains the controls for the audio and climate with a menu-system screen on top of the pile. You could also locate the screen for the navigation system in line of the driver sight and it could be hidden when you’re not using it. The front seats had been made to provide maximum comfort to both the driver and passenger. The back seat area was design to give more than enough space for the passengers sitting at the back.Even with the new safety features mentioned above the engineers at Volvo were just not satisfied and so to take passenger protection to the next level you will find dual-stage airbags for front-seat passengers, stability control, traction control, collapsible steering wheel and pedals, side impact beams, inflatable side curtains, tire pressure monitors, whiplash protection – they are all standard equipment on every new S80. And, there’s more. There is also a new power plant to cater for performance hungry owners with a top of the range all-new 3.2-liter, 235-horsepower, in-line six-cylinder power plant to complement the 2.5-liter turbocharged version. Prices for both versions have been confirmed at RM398,000 for the fully imported 3.2 S80 and the locally assembled 2.5T will be priced at RM268,000. The 3.2 S80 gets ACC, BLIS system and CZIP (clean zone interior package which keeps the air quality inside the cabin at its best and is approved by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association). The 2.5T and the 3.2 share standard features like PCC, IDIS, active bi-xenon headlights and DSTC and a quality cabin.