2007 Volvo S80 V8 Review

Could you think of a better place to test drive the second generation S80, Volvo’s flagship sedan, than in its birthplace on Sweden’s west coast? We were lucky enough to cross a continent and an ocean to discover Gothenburg and visit the facility where this intelligent and safety-loaded luxury sedan comes from… complete with a live crash test.

Do not judge this book by its cover. From the outside you might not pick out anything revolutionary. The design is quite more flowing than that of yesteryear’s Volvos. But before you even approach it, clear from the interior of your home, a shop, or your office you can communicate with the S80 to find out if you locked it, if you locked someone in it, or if the alarm is on or off---this thanks to the pocket-sized Personal Car Communicator. Get in and enjoy the supple leather and wood-trimmed super slim center console from where you trigger charming elements of the high-performance Dynaudio sound system with the mandatory auxiliary input and MP3 capability.

Start up your able V8 (also available in a V6 with 235 HP) and you’ll get this luxurious piece of Swedish engineering moving in a jiffy. Thanks to a pre-emptive technology called Collision Warning With Brake Assist coupled with adaptive cruise control, the safety department at Volvo hopes to avoid accidents. Brakes will automatically be applied if a dangerous situation presents itself and a light system projected on the windshield with audible tone will alert the driver. Another notable feature is the Blind Spot Information System. We confess we are all too lazy and hardly ever turn our heads back to check for clear passage during lane changes. Well, you won’t need to twist your neck. The system blinks should a car find itself in your blind spot. You do have to look at your mirror and will inevitably catch the orange light reminding you that you don’t own the road. The system is powered by rear-facing digital cameras.

Driving the car was equally easy on highways and on tight European country roads, and passing powers were ever present with good throttle response; all this in understated Scandinavian luxury. We urge you to look into the Volvo Overseas Delivery program so that you may pick up your new Volvo at a discount, airfare and hotel included, and be treated like the Swedish royalty that you may actually meet should you decide to drive across country to Stockholm before shipping it back stateside.

An all-new car, a new life experience, Volvo is decidedly for life!

Learn more about Volvo Overseas Delivery