Manufacturer Volvo Cars | Body style 4-door saloon | |
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Production 1998–2016
P2: 1998–2006 (1st generation)
P3: 2006–2016 (2nd generation) Class Mid-size luxury / Executive car (E)
Full-size car (S80L) Layout Front engine, front-wheel drive
Front engine, four-wheel drive Predecessor Volvo 960 / Volvo 940 / Volvo S90 | ||
The Volvo S80 is an executive car produced by the Swedish manufacturer Volvo Cars from 1998 to 2016 across two generations. It took the place of the rear-wheel-drive S90 saloon as Volvo's flagship saloon. The model was replaced by the second generation S90 in the later half of 2016.
Contents
- First generation 19982006
- Engines
- Safety
- Second generation 20062016
- S80L
- 2010 update
- 2012
- 2014 update
- 2015
- 20155
- 2016
- Special versions
- References
The first generation (1998–2006) was made available for the 1999 model year. It has since been built at the Torslanda Works in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a few 1999 model year cars for the North American market built at Volvo's Halifax Assembly plant. Unlike most Volvo models, it did not have an estate version for its first generation.
The second generation (2006–2016) was released in 2006 as a model year 2007 car. It has an estate version, the third generation of the Volvo V70. In June 2007, the S80 scored the highest "good" rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test performance for frontal, side, and rear impacts, earning it the IIHS Top Safety Pick.
First generation (1998–2006)
The design takes styling cues from the Volvo ECC concept. The first-generation S80 is based on the Volvo P2 platform. Over 368,000 first-generation S80s were built. This S80 was equipped with numerous safety systems, including Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) and Whiplash Protection System WHIPS. The S80 featured a straight-six engine in a transverse engine mounting. No existing manual gearbox would fit in the engine bay with the six-cylinder engine, so Volvo had to develop their own, the M65. It featured also an environmental specification, covering aspects such as allergens from textiles, fuel economy and the life cycle of the car from production to dismantling.
The S80 used CAN bus multiplexing wiring.
The S80 was initially available with four different engines. Starting the range was a detuned 2.4-litre 104 kilowatts (141 PS; 139 bhp) five-cylinder. This was also available as a compressed natural gas (CNG) and as an liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) version. The fully tuned version produced 125 kilowatts (170 PS; 168 bhp). Next up was a 2.9-litre 144 kilowatts (196 PS; 193 bhp) six-cylinder, then 200 kilowatts (272 PS; 268 bhp) T6, and finally, the 103 kilowatts (140 PS; 138 bhp) 2.5-litre Volkswagen-sourced Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine. The 2.9 has a straight-six engine, while the T6 was powered by a destroked twin-turbocharged version.
In 2000, there was the addition of the 149 kilowatts (203 PS; 200 bhp) 2.5T, available with standard all-wheel drive. The 2.5T model featured a light-pressure turbocharger.
Late 2001 introduced the 120 kilowatts (163 PS; 161 bhp) five-cylinder common rail diesel D5, detuned to 96 kilowatts (131 PS; 129 bhp) and sold as 2.4D in some markets.
In some European countries, the entry level S80 came with a 2.0-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 182 metric horsepower (134 kW; 180 bhp). These were sold in countries where larger capacity engines were penalized by heavy taxes.
Minor exterior design changes occurred between 2003 and 2004 versions, notably front grille styling.
Engines
Safety
EuroNCAP tested the first generation Volvo S80, running from 1998 to 2003. They tested a left-hand drive, 4-door saloon, registered in 2000, with front seatbelt pretensioners, seatbelt load limiters, as well as front, side, body, and head airbags:
Scores given for the car showed pedestrians' legs facing a very aggressive front end, resulting in only 2 stars of 4 for pedestrian safety. Despite this EuroNCAP did state "This large Volvo is very safe and gave a good all round performance" due to the good adult protection inside the car in the event of a collision.
Second generation (2006–2016)
The second generation S80 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 28 February, with sales beginning in June 2006. The new S80 features a new 3.2-litre straight-six engine or 4.4-litre V8 engine, in combination with available four-wheel drive. The second-generation S80 is the first Volvo saloon model to become available with Volvo's compact, transversely fitted B8444S V8 with a power output of 315 PS (232 kW; 311 hp) and 440 newton metres (325 lbf·ft) of torque developed jointly by Volvo Cars engine unit Skövde and Yamaha, but built by Yamaha of Japan. The engine features four catalytic converters and advanced electronics. The structure featured high strength boron steel for safety.
The second generation S80 received the IIHS 2007 Top Safety Pick Award in overall safety protection. Also again in November the IIHS awarded the 2008 Volvo S80 with Top Safety Award.
The new S80 is based on the Ford EUCD platform, also used for vehicles including the Ford S-MAX, Ford Mondeo, and Ford Galaxy large MPVs. Volvo's Personal Car Communicator (PCC) remote control will also be an optional feature with the new S80.
The S80 is available with optional Adaptive cruise control (ACC) with Collision Warning with full Brake Support (CWBS). Brake Support offers additional assistance by preparing the braking system so that the car can begin stopping faster and preparing for panic brake application. S80 is also equipped with an adaptive brake light as standard which is active at speeds above 30 mph (48 km/h), and can sense the difference between normal and panic braking. Ready Alert Brakes (RAB) are also available to anticipate severe braking. It prepares for this by moving the brake pads closer to the discs.
The S80 is available with a Blind Spot Information System as well as Lane Departure Warning, it can be turned on from 40 mph (64 km/h).
The T4 variant features the 1.6L turbocharged EcoBoost engine and is exclusively available in Asia only.
S80L
The S80L is a long-wheelbase version designed and sold only in China. It is manufactured by the joint venture Changan-Volvo in Chongqing, China. Wheelbase and overall length have been increased by 14 cm. The 2011 version has a wheelbase of 2976 mm and is powered by a turbo 2.0 or 3.0 engine.
2010 update
New features include a choice of five-cylinder 2.4-litre D5 twin-turbo diesel, 2.4-litre diesel, or 1.6-litre diesel engine. Also the 2.5T and 2.5FT were modified to produce more power and have a lower fuel consumption. The update also came with the discontinuation of the Yamaha-based V8 engine. The car's exterior was modified to give the S80 a lower, longer and wider stance. More chrome trim was added to the front, the rear end, and the doors to look like the S80 Executive. The 2010 Volvo S80 facelift also comes with a choice between a comfort-enhancing standard chassis, or a sport one that offers better handling dynamics. The 2010 S80 will be available with a S80 R-design interior package to give the inside a sportier look. The interior package contains a new sports steering wheel, sports pedals, Dynamic leather seats, sports gearshift knob, and a new instrument with blue background. With the rest of the Volvo range, a factory stereo option, Dynaudio Premium Sound was downgraded to 'Premium Sound'.
The car was unveiled in 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show.
2012
The 2012 Volvo S80 now features turn signals on the outside mirrors, a new 7-inch Sensus infotainment system in the center of the dash, genuine wood interior trim and Bluetooth audio streaming. Volvo's City Safety technology is also now standard.
2014 update
The 2nd half of year 2014 introduced a new facelift with new front and rear bumpers, new lower front fascia, new grille style, the 7 inch infotainment system becomes standard, new optional digital gauge cluster, and additional interior ambient lighting.
2015
The base 2015 Volvo S80 is powered by a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower, which is the same output as the 3.2-liter six-cylinder in the 2014 model. A new eight-speed automatic transmission comes standard, and the base S80 also gets a new auto start/stop feature, which turns the engine off when the car is stopped to conserve fuel. The 2015 S80 achieves an EPA-estimated 25/37 mpg city/highway, which is a notable improvement over the 2014 model’s 20/29 mpg rating. T6 AWD models come with a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 300 horsepower. A six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are also standard on T6 models. The T6 gets slightly better fuel economy than the 2014 model T6.
An optional climate package includes heated front and rear seats, a heated windshield and a heated steering wheel. The 2015 Volvo S80 went on sale in early 2014 and starts at $40,500 in the US.
2015.5
Introduced in late 2014, midyear changes introduced for the 2015.5 model include new standard Sensus Connect and Volvo On-Call with 6-month complimentary subscriptions, new Sensus Navigation with Map Care, and a new optional Harmon Kardon Premium Sound System. Most notably, the new 2015.5 model has significantly better fuel economy due to the more efficient "Drive-E" engine, new 8-speed “Geartronic” automatic transmission, and new ECO+ functionality with modified Start/Stop technology, ECO-coast and ECO-climate. The 2015.5 Volvo S80 starts at $41,450 in the US.
2016
The Volvo S80 offers an expanded array of standard features for 2016 which includes heated front seats, Interior Air Quality System (IAQS), power glass sunroof, and 18-inch “Magni” alloy wheels. The S80 T5 Drive-E Platinum trim gains Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) as standard. New S80 options include a wood steering wheel and 19-inch “Bor” alloy wheels with a lowered Sport Chassis. The T6 six-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive model have been discontinued for the 2016 model year. The 2016 Volvo S80 T5 FWD Drive-E starts at $43,450 in the US. 2016 is expected to be the last model year for the S80. The S80's successor, the S90, was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2016.
Safety
1 vehicle structure rated "Good" 2 strength-to-weight ratio: 4.26Special versions
The S80 is also used as a base for specialised cars such as lengthened limousines, hearses, and ambulances. One company producing such models is Nilsson Special Vehicles, based in Laholm, Sweden. Ambulance models receive a completely new body from behind the b-pillar as well as a raised roof. A sliding side door is installed on the right hand side (sometimes on both sides) and the tailgate is enlarged to allow easier access. Nilsson only manufactured ambulances based on the first generation S80. Nilsson has built limousines and hearses based on both generations of the S80. They also manufacture the official state car for a few heads of state, including for the King of Sweden and the King of the Netherlands.
Armored versions are also available. The first generation could be ordered from the factory with the actual armoring done by an outside company. The current model armoured version is available from Czech specialists SVOS. No factory armoring is offered.