V is for Victory. V is for Volvo. V is for V8. V is for… a whole lot of other things. There are three Vs in the name of the Volvo S80 V8, but it’s easy to find a few more Vs for this car. (V also seems to be for Vampire, if the appearance of the characters from the Twilight books/movies on the Volvo Australia homepage are anything to go by, but this may be going one V too far…or maybe not, as the Volvo S60R (coming soon) and the Volvo C30 are the cars driven by the good-looking hero in the movies.)

First of all, V is for V8. This is the main reason that people choose the Volvo S80 V8 over the other models of S-80. And this 4.4 litre petrol unit (a V8, of course) has a few more Vs, such as Vim, Vigour, Verve and Velocity – or, to give the technical specifications instead, 232 kW of power and 440 Nm of torque, allowing the Volvo S80 V8 to get from 0 to 100 kmh in 6.5 seconds (OK, science buffs, that’s acceleration rather than velocity, but it will help you Vanish out of sight beyond the horizon when you take the Volvo S80 V8 out into the open road). This raw power is put under your control (you could say it’s made your Vassal) into the AWD drivetrain via the 6-speed Geartronic automatic transmission.

If you like a bit of Variety in your driving, the Volvo S80 V8 is set up with the Four-C system, also known as the Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept, which allows the driver to select one of three driving modes, either Comfort, Sports or Advanced, which alters the suspension tuning so you can get it firm and crisp for superior feedback, or soft and comfortable to eliminate body roll when you’ve got nervous Aunt Vera in the back ready to pipe up with “Slow down, dear; you’re throwing me around every time you corner!”

The next V is for Valiant, a word often used to describe a knight in armour who is charge with protecting something Vulnerable. Safety has always been Very important to Volvo, and this tradition has been continued in the Volvo S80 V8. The list of safety features, both active and passive, is impressive. ABS brakes with Volvo’s special HBA (hydraulic brake assist) and RAB (ready alert brakes); the Intelligent Driver Information System; the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control anti-skid system, the pretensioned seatbelts; the front, side and curtain airbags; the anti-submarining seats; the WHIPS (whiplash protection system) and the head restraints for all five seats; the side impact protection system and the impact-absorbing zones. And if that wasn’t enough, the Volvo S80 V8 can also be fitted with some safety options, ranging from a first aid kit through to two warning systems, one of which combines Driver Alert Control and the Lane Departure Warning, and the other combining Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning and Auto Brake. And the speed-dependent steering makes sure that you won’t Veer off where you don’t want to go.

V is for Visibility and Vision, and the Volvo S80 V8 knows how to do this. The windows are wide, and the front pillar does not intrude greatly into the driver’s field of vision: the View is unimpaired. And no matter the weather – and no matter the time of day – you will remain able to see out these windows and see what’s on the road ahead with the water-repellent side windows and the dual Xenon headlights with automatic bending (cornering), while the electrically adjustable exterior mirrors are heated to ensure they stay free from Vapour.

The next V is for Voluptuous, which refers to the interior. The Volvo S80 V8 is a leather-clad Vixen with all five ergonomically designed seats lavishly upholstered with black or beige leather (matched by the leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift lever), and this interior trim is complemented by wood Veneer. The electronic climate control system and the interior air quality system ensure that the cabin is well Ventilated and remains at a pleasant temperature (another nice touch is how Volvo have tested all the materials to ensure that they are not likely to be contact allergens). Add in a 6-CD MPS compatible audio system with steering wheel mounted controls, auxiliary input and the Premium sound system that incorporates 12 Dynaudio speakers and Dolby surround sound – perfect whether you like listening to Vivaldi, Vera Lynn, Van Morrison or Vanilla Ice or whatever you fancy.

The final V for the Volvo S80 V8 is Visage, meaning the face or the exterior styling, or maybe Vista. Starting with the 18” alloy wheels (or should you start with the Volvo logo up the front) and ending with the two chrome-trimmed rear exhausts, there’s plenty to admire in the Volvo S80 V8. This is a smooth sedan that looks small and trim from the outside (it may be a four-door sedan, but at first glance, you might think the Volvo S-80 V8 is a coupe, thanks to its graceful lines), but offers plenty of space inside, including a vault-like luggage space.

Enough Verbiage. The Volvo S80 V8 is a very enjoyable, very safe and very luxurious drive.

The current model series includes the:

• Volvo S80 V8

For any more information on the Volvo S80 V8, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Volvo dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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