The 2007 Volvo S80 is the culmination of everything that the Swedish company has put into motion since the original S80 arrived in 1998. With the introduction of every new model since then, the brand shed its boxy look in favour of dynamism and sleek and elegant lines. The new S80 adds the girth and road presence, enough to properly crown it as the flagship that it is.

Boxy design is a thing of the distant past; sleek and sexy new lines are the norm.

The "point de resistance" is the car's 311-hp 4.4L Yamaha V8. Every morning in the garage, the engine would burst to life and sound more like a Viper than a mild-mannered luxury sedan. Power delivery is smooth and velvety with just enough kick for those that love the feeling of torque.

Oddly, the ride does not measure up. Other Volvos have always impressed me with their level of comfort and poise, but the S80's Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept (Four-C) left me perplexed and disappointed. In Comfort mode, most road conditions were easily controlled. With the Sport button depressed, only a highway would do; mild road irritations would upset the car's composure. And lastly, the Advanced position or the most aggressive setting, turned out to be useless in the greater Montreal area. Essentially, the suspension in Sport or Advanced felt out of sorts and wrong for this type of vehicle.

Volvo's inspired dash design merges ergonomics and functionality.

All Volvos, any Volvo, have great seats. Somehow Volvo has managed to design perches that can accommodate 90% of body types in absolute luxury and comfort. Every passenger I had onboard adored the support and cozyness that they provided. Right up there also is the S80's ergonomic and inspired dash design.

The S80 is the perfect car for Arizona or Nevada, almost perfect for Canada.


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux