2009 Volvo S80

MSRP:
$39,600 - 51,850

The 2009 Volvo S80 is a four-door luxury car that features a wealth of technological advancements and several drivetrain options. As a carryover from the prior model year, the S80 maintains the same elegant exterior and comfortable interior filled with modern conveniences. While the fuel economy is moderate, the Volvo S80 simply cannot compete with the less expensive Saturn Aura, flex-fuel or hybrid models. However, the five-passenger sedan’s power surpasses most of the comparables on the market. Though the S80 is priced high, it is well worth the money.

The 2009 Volvo S80 receives a couple of new option packages. This is Volvo’s flagship sedan. It comes in three trim levels: the front-wheel-drive 3.2; the all-wheel-drive T6; and the AWD V8. The 3.2 has a 235-hp 3.2-liter 6-cylinder engine. T6 has a turbocharged 281-hp 3.0-liter 6-cylinder. The V8 has a 311-hp 4.4-liter engine. All S80s have a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. Available is Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System. BLIS detects and warns of nearby objects that may go unseen by the driver. Other options include a navigation system and DVD entertainment. An Executive Package is optional on the T6, and most of its features are standard on the V8. Depending on the model, the Executive Package features luxury touches such as a massage function in the front seats and heated front and rear seats. The new Convenience Package offers front- and rear-obstacle detection, rear audio controls, and keyless access/engine start. A refrigerator in the rear-seat area is optional on the V8. The Sport Package has been discontinued.

Volvo C30 DRIVe 2009

At Paris Motor Show in early October 2008, Volvo Cars is presenting economical new diesel variants of the C30, S40 and V50 models with fuel consumption of just 4.4 litres/100 km (C30) or 4.5 litres/100 km (S40 and V50). The corresponding CO2 figures of 115 and 118 g/km mean that the C30 and V50 have best-in-class CO2 emissions in their segments. All three models - the C30, S40 and V50 - are equipped with a special set of efficiency-enhancing features and marked with the DRIVe emblem to signal their uprated environmental properties.

The DRIVe models are based on the Volvo C30 Efficiency concept car that was shown at the Frankfurt motor show in October 2007. The measures adopted to reduce CO2 emissions that were presented then will be in production before the end of the year in the C30, S40 and the V50.

"We wanted to demonstrate that low CO2 ratings are not solely the preserve of small diesel cars. By offering the Volvo V50 DRIVe with emission levels below 120 g CO2/km, we are also making it possible for families and other customers who require extra space to make an active pro-environmental choice," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Fredrik Arp.

Holistic approach to eco-performance

The reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions was brought about by meticulously analysing the cars' total potential for more efficient, more economical driving. The cars were then optimised within four distinct areas:

Reduced air resistance:

* Chassis height reduced by about 10 mm. Same comfort setting as the standard car.
* Spoiler at the front, the same as on the T5 (S40 and V50).
* Covered radiator grille. Behind the characteristic Volvo grille there is a wind-deflecting panel that provides better aerodynamics inside the engine compartment.
* Wind deflectors in front of the front wheels.
* Aerodynamically optimised wheels of special design. Available in 15 and 16 inch sizes.
* Underbody panels for more efficient airflow under the car as well (C30).
* Unique rear spoiler (C30). The Volvo S40 DRIVe has the same spoiler as the T5 and D5 models.
* New rear bumper (C30).

Lower rolling resistance:

* All the cars are equipped as standard with a new generation of Michelin tyres with low rolling resistance. Available for 15 and 16 inch wheels.

Higher ratios:

* Gearbox with altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears.
* More efficient driveline:
* Optimised engine cooling, engine management and power steering.
* New transmission oil with lower friction.
* Gearchange indicator in the information display.

"Changing the transmission oil gives us a 0.75 percent lower fuel consumption. Tyres with low rolling resistance save another two percent. Each of these measures may seem rather modest, but it is important to look at the whole picture. Taken together, all the small adjustments have helped us achieve our aim, with emissions below 120 g/km for all three cars. Without in any way compromising on either driving properties or comfort, which was an important requirement," says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

Volvo C30 DRIVe best in the ECO test

Volvo's DRIVe cars are all certified according to the mandatory European NEDC standard. In addition, the Volvo C30 has excelled in the ECO test, which carries out even more comprehensive measurements of CO2 and particulate emissions. This certification process relies on stars and points, in a similar way to the EuroNCAP programme for safety. The independent ECO test places the Volvo C30 at the top of its size category, with four stars and 76 points in the overall assessment of the car's total environmental performance.

Benefits for the environment and economy

Reducing fuel consumption and dropping below the 120 g/km CO2 emission level offers a range of benefits, both for the environment and the buyer's economy. With lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, these cars reduce the net contribution to global warming. All new diesel models from Volvo are also fitted with a maintenance-free particle filter that traps about 95 percent of all soot particles.

With the cars' good environmental performance, the driver can count on various financial incentives in the form of subsidies in the 13 European markets that have implemented a CO2-based vehicle taxation system, for instance with a "green grant" that is paid to the owner, lower road tax, registration tax exemption or other similar forms of financial encouragement.

Rising fuel prices also make our 1.6D DRIVe offer very attractive. The fuel consumption has been reduced by 0.5 l/100 km and is as low as 3.7 l/100 km at highway speeds.

Sold throughout Europe

"We will offer our diesel-powered DRIVe cars throughout Europe, even in countries that today do not offer any form of financial incentive. We are doing this to give everyone the opportunity to choose a pro-environmental alternative from Volvo. For us it is not simply a question of short-term sales - it also clearly shows how strongly Volvo prioritises environmental properties throughout the product range, both today and for the future," says Fredrik Arp.

Volvo Cars expects to sell over 20,000 1.6D DRIVe cars next year in Europe. Sales are expected to spread fairly uniformly throughout the region, with France, Sweden and Spain accounting for most sales. The reason for this is the particularly favourable terms offered to buyers in these countries.

The price supplement for the DRIVe package is estimated at between 150 and 450 euros depending on model and market. The DRIVe cars can be specified with most of the options and accessories that Volvo offers, apart from those that affect the cars' aerodynamic properties.

"The higher price must be regarded as particularly modest bearing in mind the advantages the customer gains in the form of environmental incentives and reduced fuel consumption. We also believe customers will appreciate the opportunity to tailor their DRIVe car by choosing from the wide range of options available," adds Fredrik Arp.

The most eco-friendly car range

Apart from these three diesel-powered DRIVe cars, Volvo also offers a comprehensive Flexifuel range encompassing five car models and three bioethanol engines. All told, this means that Volvo Cars today offers the market's widest range of premium cars with a low environmental imprint.

Volvo Cars is also conducting intensive research into hybrid technology and future alternative fuels. The attention-grabbing Volvo ReCharge Concept plug-in hybrid and Ford Motor Company's decision to establish its European hybrid centre in Volvo's home town, Göteborg, clearly highlight the environment-technology potential there is within the company.

The Volvo S60 Concept Breaks Cover Ahead of the Detroit Auto Show; Hot or Not?

It's the holiday season, and Volvo has gotten in the spirit of giving. Balancing out Ford's desire to give away the brand, Volvo is giving us all a look at the new S60 Concept ahead of its official debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show next month. Some details are still missing, but with plenty of pictures we can get a good idea about what direction Volvos are going in the near future (besides toward China). When Volvo first gave us a peek at a dimly lit shot of the car, we noticed an interesting resemblance to the Jaguar XF. Now that the whole car has been revealed, we can see that Volvo has clearly taken a unique approach to their new styling. While the grille is clearly that of a Volvo and the front end does still resemble the stylish XF, the front fascia is unique to the car and almost gives the impression that it's trying to hold the engine back from leaping out through the grille. We're not sure we see Viking Longboats in the headlight housings as Volvo suggests, but we do like the LED headlights they contain. A clear character line trails from the rearmost tip of the headlights along the side of the car and to the tail lights. Along the way, it passes across the B-pillar-less, center-opening doors under the smooth arc of the roofline. In the rear, the triangular, integrated exhaust pipes and trapezoidal license plate mounting area on the trunk give the tail strong lines without being ostentatious. The shape of the rear window is a bit awkward near the top, but that's due to a visible support beam running under the all-glass roof. Another, less visible beam crosses the roof where the top of the windshield would typically be. Entry to the vehicle and its soft leather seats will be quite easy thanks to front doors that open nearly 90 degrees, a lack of B-pillars and rear doors that open similar to the sliding doors on a minivan. While the door handles for both the front and rear doors are found in the center of the car, the rear doors are not hinged at the rear. Rather, an arm built into the door pops the door out from the car, then slides it back, covering the rear wheel. While an interesting design exercise, we doubt this particular feature will see production. Inside, all the occupants will be treated to the car's centerpiece, a three-piece Orrefors crystal center console running down the dash and through the middle of the car to the rear seat backrest. Volvo has admitted that production cars likely won't have real crystal in them, but could instead feature clear plastics that would look similar. Above the crystal center stack, we find an instrument panel quite similar to the one just unveiled in the new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. It features a backlit speedometer in the center, flanked on either side by small screens that can display various different bits of information. To the right of the instrument panel is a small nav screen set deep into the dash and integrated into the dark housing that brings all of the instruments together and sets them off from the creamy white dash. Down on the center stack, the audio and climate controls and a display have been integrated into the crystal. Past them, a handle-shaped gear selector can also be rotated to point up for use in manually changing cogs. The cogs you'll be changing will be found in a technology that Volvo calls Powershift. Volvo describes it succinctly as "two manual gearboxes working in parallel, each regulated by its own clutch." Powershift is a name Ford has tossed around for its coming dual-clutch gearbox, and by the looks of it, the transmission will make its debut in the S60 concept. However the transmission is configured, it will receive power from a 1.6L GTDi four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injected gasoline engine making 180 hp and emitting only 0.42 lbs of CO2 per mile. Helping the little engine achieve such efficiency are several technologies. First is Volvo's "stratified combustion," wherein the combustion chambers are designed to create a perfect mix of fuel and air right around the spark plugs, reducing the amount of fuel needed and cutting consumption. In addition to the "Powershift" gearbox and an electric power steering pump, the drivetrain also features a Start/Stop feature that shuts down the engine when the car is stopped and idling, such as at a traffic light. The driver can also use the "DRIVe-Mode" system to select an economy setting that limits several electrical and mechanical systems that sap power from the engine, further increasing efficiency. Other efficiency features include a flat underbody to improve aerodynamics, extensive use of lightweight materials and a special wind-deflector that moves into place over the cabin air intake to cut drag when the cabin cooling system isn't being used. We're not sure how the big, 20-in. seven-spoke wheels will affect all the fuel economy, though. Also cutting fuel consumption is an updated Adaptive Cruise Control system that works at any speed, including at a stop. The radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control will now maintain a set time gap between your car and the car ahead all the way down to a standstill. What this means is that you'll be able to turn on the cruise control in stop and go traffic and the car will all but drive itself (you'll still have to steer, of course). The system appears to be very similar to Mercedes-Benz' DISTRONIC adaptive cruise control as featured optionally in the S-Class. Volvo's longstanding reputation for safety is being enhanced yet again on the S60 Concept. Debuting on the concept and arriving in production cars later this year, Volvo's new Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake system will actively try to avoid collisions with other cars and pedestrians if the driver does not respond to audio and visual warnings. A radar unit behind the grille and a camera behind the rearview mirror work together to recognize the movement patterns of a pedestrian straying out in front of the vehicle and give audio warnings and display a red light on the heads-up display meant to look like a brake light. If the driver fails to react, the car will apply full brakes to minimize the collision, reducing the collision force by as much as 75%. If the car is traveling less than 12 mph, the system can avoid the collision entirely. In the event that the driver is about to rear-end another car rather than hit a pedestrian, the system can react in the same manner. If the speed difference between the cars is less than 15 mph, the system can avoid a collision altogether. "The sporty design gives visual promise of an enthusiastic drive and I can assure you here and now that the all-new S60 will live up to that promise," said Volvo CEO Stephen Odell. "The driving properties are better than in any previous Volvo. The car's technology will also help you to be a better and safer driver." The Volvo S60 Concept will debut in less than a month at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. Following that, a production model meant for the 2010 model year should debut some time later in 2009. Much of the technology found on the concept, though, should begin showing up on production cars well before the 2010 S60 hits the showroom floor. Source: Volvo