Volvo S80 T6 AWD. Ice Age

 

Volvo has been testing its cars in the Lapland snow for almost five decades. This winter, a correspondent from "5 Koleso" took part in the polar tests of the all-wheel-drive S80 with the new T6 turbo engine for the Russian market

Volvo S80 T6 AWD Price: from 1,696,000 RUB. On sale: since November 2007

 

For many centuries, the harsh northern Scandinavia was inhabited only by the Sami, who roamed with their reindeer herds between Swedish Lapland and the Norwegian fjords. Everything changed in the 17th century when ore was found near Kiruna. At the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, a railway was extended here to the Baltic coast, and in the 60s of the last century, Volvo chose these lands for winter testing. Since then, cars have become as familiar a part of the local landscape as the reindeer herds were in former times.

The winter test season in Kiruna lasts from December to April, and we arrived here at its peak to test the Volvo S80 T6 AWD in conditions that can only be called an "ice age" — the thermometer here often drops below –40°C.

The first serious test for our S80 came on the way from the airport. During the day, graders cleared the narrow road, but by evening fresh snow had fallen, hiding treacherous black ice here and there. In addition, we constantly had to overtake long trucks, squeezing between the trailer and the marker posts on the roadside in a cloud of snow dust. And on top of that, the plane was delayed — to stay on schedule and make it to the hotel, we had to press the gas pedal to the floor. The speedometer needle had to be kept at no less than 140 km/h. On any other executive car, such a night race on an icy Arctic road would hardly seem like an easy drive. But not on the S80! On the snowy expanses of Lapland, the Volvo feels like a fish in water.

On the icy highway, the S80 holds the road as if on rails. The active chassis with Four-C technology gives the driver a choice of three suspension settings — Comfort, Sport, and Advanced, in which the shock absorber travel is successively reduced (and at speeds up to 15 km/h, the steering response also changes). For the long drive to the Norwegian border, we choose "comfort." We'll save the other two modes for the ice track.

The AWD all-wheel drive redistributes torque between the axles via an electronically controlled hydraulic clutch. The Instant TractionTM technology allows lightning-fast transfer of traction on slippery surfaces. The Dynamic Stability and Traction Control system (DSTC) together with Four-C maximally stabilize the car on snowy roads, minimizing the risk of skidding if you suddenly hit ice. True, the S80's steering responds with some sluggishness and effort, which is typical for the executive class. But on such a surface, this is rather a plus: at speed, too sharp a reaction can play a cruel trick on the driver. Especially when you remember that under the hood is a 285-horsepower 3-liter turbo engine. It is built on the basis of the naturally aspirated Volvo 3.2 unit and boasts excellent dynamics. The peak torque of 400 Nm is achieved already at 1500 rpm and, thanks to the twin-scroll turbine, is maintained up to 4800 rpm.

After the road tests, it was time to evaluate the all-wheel drive and DSTC operation on ice — fortunately, there are plenty of lakes in Lapland. We switch to Advanced mode, turn off DSTC — and into battle! The first thing that catches the eye is the perfectly matched tires. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 provides very precise and sharp steering responses, and the "bear claw" grips the ice tenaciously, holding the stud perpendicular to the surface for a long time. The disabled stability system doesn't interfere much: you can take high-speed corners in a long controlled drift. True, sometimes it still interferes with the control process. At first, this is a bit annoying, but after a couple of laps on the ice ring, you get used to DSTC's character, and its interventions cease to be a surprise. You get into the rhythm and begin to truly enjoy piloting the S80. But as soon as you turn DSTC back on, everything turns upside down. The system, which on a regular road is one of the S80's main trump cards, on ice literally ties the driver hand and foot, not allowing you to work the throttle in a corner until the car is fully stabilized (and on ice, that's almost like stopping). The result: the first attempt to take a long arc at the same speed as before ends with flying off the trajectory.

DSTC does not accept controlled drifts! But this, perhaps, should be credited to Volvo. It's unlikely that an S80 owner would think of entering it in an ice rally. But in normal road conditions, the AWD all-wheel drive and the stability system make the Volvo S80 one of the most stable and safe cars in its class.

Swedish hardening

In the second half of the last century, Volvo was the first among automakers to systematically test its cars in Arctic latitudes. Currently, the temperature range for testing pre-production and production Volvo models reaches 100°C: from –40°C in Kiruna to +60°C in the Arizona desert. For testing in icy Lapland, Volvo built its own proving ground near Kiruna. And if the Arctic winter turns out to be too mild, engineers can artificially make conditions harsher. The proving ground has special freezing chambers where Scandinavian "steeds" are hardened. After a night in the freezer at –30°C, the car must start without problems in the cold and undergo a detailed check of all systems. Winter tests help not only to improve reliability but also to refine the design. It is thanks to this program that Volvo introduced automatic rear window heating and other little things that make winter operation easier.

Driving
Three active chassis modes allow the car to be adapted to road conditions and driving style.

Interior
Modern minimalist design, but the quality of finishing is slightly inferior to German competitors.

Comfort
The seats are beyond reproach, but sound insulation could be better.

Safety
The latest-generation S80 body features increased torsional rigidity and provides controlled deformation upon impact.

Price
Lower than that of main competitors.

 

Advantages and disadvantages

+ Adjustable suspension, wide range of maximum torque.
- Rear passengers are a bit cramped, sound insulation falls short of business class.

Specifications

Make and model - Volvo S80 T6 AWD
Dimensions - 4851x1861x1493 mm
Engine - turbocharged petrol, 2953 cc, 285 hp/5600 rpm
Transmission - automatic, 6-speed
Performance - 250 km/h; 6.9 s to 100 km/h
Competitors - Audi A6, BMW 5 series, Mercedes-Benz E-class

Our opinion

The all-wheel-drive S80 with the new powerful turbo engine is almost an ideal executive-class car for the Russian winter. The traditionally high level of safety for Volvo and the relatively low price significantly expand the circle of potential S80 buyers.