This week I'm testing a vast sitting room on wheels with a tiny 1.6 litre engine - surely that's a misprint?!
The S80 is a large, five-seat executive cruiser that has its own clear style and look. The S80 does stand out, as it is quite different looking when compared to the usual 'suspects' from BMW, Audi and other premium manufacturers. But what is this DRIVe badge on the rear of my test car all about? Pronounced 'drive -e', it is Volvo's catch-all name for greener, more efficient motoring and features throughout the range.
I remember Volvos that were so huge they needed their own coal burning power stations to move them along. The iconic flagship Volvo saloon has always been a massive barge that could only be steered by captains of industry... or at the very least accountants. Fitting an engine of less than 2-litre capacity was simply unimaginable. Historically in Ireland, size matters, as the cc (cubic capacity) of your car reflected your standing in society. A 2-litre car was always the reserve of senior management and the professional class, while a 1600cc car was a well-to-do sales rep's office. Lower down the ranks you had 1.3 and 1.1-litre drivers who were on the lower rungs of the career ladder. Happily, that social order changed in Ireland when we shifted in mid-2008 to our CO2-based VRT and road tax system.
The Volvo S80 DRIVe comes fitted with a very economical 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine that is the biggest motoring surprise I've enjoyed this year. The car actually works fine with its four-cylinder, PSA-sourced engine. We know diesel engines are strong pullers compared to petrol units and it is the torque from this 110bhp/240nm engine that allows my S80 to travel along at a respectable pace while delivering very impressive fuel economy. Volvo tells me that I could travel from Dublin to Sweden on one tank of fuel. S80 DRIVe will average 4.5l/100km or about 63mpg. CO2 is now just 129g/km, which means the DRIVe is in tax band 'B', so road tax is just €156.
In addition to the smaller engine, clever battery recharging and a reduced friction alternator/air conditioning belt help to reduce the S80's CO2 figure. It takes less than 12 seconds to go from 0-100km and on the open road the S80 is a pleasant drive. With the proper use of cruise control you need never press hard on the accelerator pedal in your 1.6d Volvo. The S80 is simply a comfortable big car that does the job without fuss.
My test car weighs in at €42,092 and is in SE Lux spec, so it gets metallic paint, leather seats, wood trim and 17-inch alloys. Optional extras fitted include Bluetooth, passenger airbag cut-off, front and rear ashtray and temporary spare wheel. DRIVe versions are available throughout the Volvo range.
Thankfully, there was no 1.6 badge on my S80 DRIVe... even I'm not quite ready for that! But Irish motorists are ready for an S80 that starts at €34,500!
Michael Sheridan
