Volvo: It's elegant and highly intelligent

[webfact]

It's elegant and highly intelligent
By Kingsley Wijayasinha
The Nation

 

 

INFLUENCED BY THE CONCEPT COUPE AND INSPIRED BY ROGER MOORE’S P1800, VOLVO’S S90 CHALLENGES THE ‘BIG THREE’ GERMAN CARMAKERS

 

ROGER MOORE, the man who played James Bond and Simon Templar, passed away late last month.

 

While many will remember the Lotus Esprit that doubled as a submarine in “The Spy Who Loved Me”, the Bond film released in 1977, from 1962-1969 it was the Volvo P1800 Coupe that Templar drove in the hit TV series “The Saint” which caught the imagination of car lovers around the world with its sensuous styling.

 

Moore actually fancied the P1800 and even bought one for himself, and over the years, the Swedish-made coupe turned into a

little icon in the Grand Touring scenario.

 

Now more than 50 years later, the P1800 makes a comeback in the guise of a 4-door saloon – the S90.

 

Volvo says that the S90 was influenced by the Concept Coupe, which was inspired by the P1800. Detailing such as the concave grille and sleek profile of the P1800 were re-applied to the S90.

 

The S90 is built on Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which underpins all new 90-series Volvos, including the

XC90 crossover I drove last year. 

 

What I like about the S90’s design is its elegance and clean lines, and despite looking a bit lanky with its generous ground

clearance with the standard suspension, the whole package turns out pretty good-looking. The front end reflects the new Volvo face with the “Thor’s Hammer” headlights, although as you move towards the back, particularly from the C-pillar, you start noticing things that aren’t very Volvo. Go all the way to the rear end and you can’t really tell if it’s a Volvo.

 

Step inside and there’s a wonderful interior, and this one is really Scandinavian, with rather firm seats and lots of features, the highlight being the 12.3-inch touchscreen and high-detail Sensus user interface. When I drove the XC90, I mentioned that it would take two days to programme everything and the same principle applies here.

 

Detailed it might be, but it gives you the ability to personalise almost everything. It is easy to start feeling that these new Volvo

models are highly intelligent and service-minded, trying to give you the most comprehensive settings possible.

 

The front seats come with all sorts of adjustments and provide good driving position – after a 500-km drive my lower back wasn’t complaining (usually it starts to ache after 3 hours). There’s also lots of space for everyone, including the rear passengers, making this another potentially good executive car.

 

Volvo loves to provide good entertainment systems, and the S90 gets an audiophile-level B&W system with subwoofer that draws

additional air in from outside the car in order generate more oomph.

 

But don’t dial in too much bass – maintaining a good tonal balance will deliver a much more musical performance from the 19-speaker system powered by a 1,400-watt Class-D multi-channel amplifier, with great clarity and detail. 

 

A new feature is the “Room Mode” which allows you to recreate the acoustics of specific rooms, such as studio, individual stage and even the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

 

The S90 is powered by a DriveE sequential twin turbo commonrail diesel engine with i-Art (Intelligent Accuracy Refinement

Technology), which is a high-pressure fuel injection technology. It is capable of producing 190hp and 400Nm and is mated to a silky 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power and torque to the front wheels. The diesel is smooth and quiet, but don’t expect to sink into the seats though – the S90 accelerates from rest to 100km/h in a polite 8.2 seconds and has a top speed of 230km/h, while fuel economy is claimed at 19.6km/litre and CO2 is 133g/km.

 

In order to maintain swift response, the two turbochargers are made of different sizes. The smaller one starts working first,

and as engine speed increases, the larger one takes over as the smaller one is bypassed.

 

The front double wishbone and rear integral link suspension (with a lot of aluminium parts) provide good comfort and easy handling.

 

But the S90 doesn’t seem to like being pushed in corners like, say a BMW 5 Series, which it competes against along with the MercedesBenz E-Class and Audi A6. It’s stable on the straights though, and highway driving is highly comfortable.

 

Apart from the usual gadgetry, the S90 comes with several new safety features worthy of mentioning.

 

Pilot Assist now operates up to 130km/h on marked roads and no longer needs to follow another car. It helps adjust steering to assist keeping the car in the lane. The latest City Safety feature now has large animal detection (no need for moose test here), night-time detection, intersection braking, run-off-road mitigation and protection. The Park Assist system also works for both parallel and perpendicular spaces while the boot has hands-free opening and closing function (kick the bumper to open and wave your foot under it to close).

 

The Volvo S90 D4 Inscription is assembled in Malaysia but is imported duty-free and priced at Bt3.99 million, putting it in the

same price neighbourhood as locally-assembled rivals.

 

While the previous S90 may not really live up to expectations when compared to the German “Big Three”, this new model may be the greatest challenger ever from the Swedish automaker.

 

Video: 

exterior:

 

interior:

 

Volvo S90 D4 Inscription Specs

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve common-rail diesel with twin turbocharger

Displacement: 1,969cc

Bore and stroke: 82.0x93.2mm

Compression ratio: 15.8:1

Max power: 190hp/4,250rpm

Max torque: 400Nm/1,750-2,500rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Ratios: n/a

Final drive ratio: n/a

Average fuel economy: 19.6km/litre

CO2: 133g/km

Suspension (f/r): double wishbone/integral link

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 11.8 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/discs with ABS< EBD, EBA

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,963

Width: 1,879

Height: 1,443

Wheelbase: 2,941

Track (f/r): 1,628/1,629

Weight: n/a

Wheels: 19-in alloy

Tires: 255/40R19

Fuel tank capacity: 55 litres

Price: Bt3.99 million

Distributor: Volvo Car Thailand

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/automobiles/30318344

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-19

[ChrisY1]

Tb 4 million!.......double the price in most countries......$160K AUD is crazy ....for what is often used as a taxi in Europe

[transam]

23 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

Tb 4 million!.......double the price in most countries......$160K AUD is crazy ....for what is often used as a taxi in Europe

Mercs are used as taxis too, that means nothing except a choice of reliability and comfort....

[canthai55]

Well at least this one is cheaper than the last 'Lipstick on a Pig' described here. Only 4M for 0-100 in 8 seconds. 555

[thurien]

" this new model may be the greatest challenger ever from the Swedish automaker"

 

???

 

isn't that rather a Chinese- made car (by the Chinese Co. Geely with one of their depts. being Volvo)? Geely bought the name, all processes, all distribution channels and the like, didn't they? In 2010, FORD sold all of her Volvo stakes to the Chinese - at that time Volvo financially was a deep-red figure operation...

Edited June 19, 2017 by thurien

[tandor]

6 hours ago, transam said:

Mercs are used as taxis too, that means nothing except a choice of reliability and comfort....

...we used to ride in Mum's Taxi..regardless of the make.

[transam]

1 hour ago, thurien said:

" this new model may be the greatest challenger ever from the Swedish automaker"

 

???

 

isn't that rather a Chinese- made car (by the Chinese Co. Geely with one of their depts. being Volvo)? Geely bought the name, all processes, all distribution channels and the like, didn't they? In 2010, FORD sold all of her Volvo stakes to the Chinese - at that time Volvo financially was a deep-red figure operation...

Swedish Saab has been sold too, Jaguar/Rover is owned by Indians, MG Chinese....Just the way it is....

[little mary sunshine]

Use to be Swedish built....Now Chinese, of course!!

[tifino]

 

but, will it pass the water buffalo test?

 

 

and, who would want to be seen in a Geely, really!!

[impulse]

9 hours ago, transam said:

Mercs are used as taxis too, that means nothing except a choice of reliability and comfort....

 

When a taxi shield can cost over $$$ half a million, the choice of cars is pretty inconsequential to the economics.

 

Edit:  Getting back to the Volvo, take the round badge out of the grille, and I'd probably mistake it for a Buick...  (That's not a compliment, BTW).

 

Edited June 19, 2017 by impulse

[gandalf12]

21 hours ago, transam said:

Mercs are used as taxis too, that means nothing except a choice of reliability and comfort....

Also over recent years suffered from sub-standard components

[sjoegge]

14 hours ago, little mary sunshine said:

Use to be Swedish built....Now Chinese, of course!!

Actually they are built in Malaysia.My own Volvo V60 T4F was imported from Malaysia

[sjoegge]

3 minutes ago, sjoegge said:

Actually they are built in Malaysia.My own Volvo V60 T4F was imported from Malaysia

Sorry to quick on the draw.The S90 is built in China.

[Ace of Pop]

The Volvo Polestars the one id buy back in the World. its on On You Tube.

[VocalNeal]

 

On 6/19/2017 at 9:08 AM, webfact said:

The latest City Safety feature now has large animal detection (no need for moose test here), night-time detection, intersection braking, run-off-road mitigation and protection.

 

Even cheap tiny cars are getting smart. 

 

 

[little mary sunshine]

4 hours ago, sjoegge said:

Actually they are built in Malaysia.My own Volvo V60 T4F was imported from Malaysia

No, the 90's are built in China with less quality than 

when they were built in Sweeden..

[transam]

4 minutes ago, little mary sunshine said:

No, the 90's are built in China with less quality than 

when they were built in Sweeden..

How come....?

[little mary sunshine]

 Volvo was purchased by the Chinese 2 years ago!

[transam]

Just now, little mary sunshine said:

 Volvo was purchased by the Chinese 2 years ago!

I know, but Jag and Land Rover are now Indian owned, does that mean these products are now crap...?

[little mary sunshine]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

I know, but Jag and Land Rover are now Indian owned, does that mean these products are now crap...?

Land Rover has been crap for years, Jag has improved the last,few years.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, little mary sunshine said:

Land Rover has been crap for years, Jag has improved the last,few years.

I find that assumption a little dated...........BUT, both names are producing nice rides owned by Indians, so to me who ever owns the purse strings doesn't really mean much..

[little mary sunshine]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

I find that assumption a little dated...........BUT, both names are producing nice rides owned by Indians, so to me who ever owns the purse strings doesn't really mean much..

Believe what you want, friends have dumped shoddy  LR and Jags for

better quality, better resale value, Lexus cars and SUV's.

[transam]

9 minutes ago, little mary sunshine said:

Believe what you want, friends have dumped shoddy  LR and Jags for

better quality, better resale value, Lexus cars and SUV's.

That means nothing to me...For sure Jap stuff is great, but I can assure you that Jag and Land Rover had problems decades back when they were UK owned, but folk still wanted them. If you want near faultless rides you buy Jap...Especially in LOS where getting many foreign rides fixed may be a problem..

Tell me about your chums "shoddy" stuff with Jag and Land Rover, could be interesting......

[fredob43]

The BKK taxis I use are all Volvos. With one minor addition they all have Toyota engines gear box's in them. Must tell you something.

Edited June 21, 2017 by fredob43

[transam]

20 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

The BKK taxis I use are all Volvos. With one minor addition they all have Toyota engines gear box's in them. Must tell you something.

Yes, lack of servicing and the cost of Volvo stuff....

 

I had 200,000 miles on a V6 Volvo with Aisien auto box. Just changed the timing chains....