Everyone that either knows me or has followed this blog for awhile knows that I have been very unhappy with what Ford has done with the Volvo line since they bought it. Perhaps times are changing because the new Volvo S80 looks awesome. Why?
- Ford did not mess up the design, I actually like it. (Think BMW 700 meets Audi with a touch of Volvo…not Ford Tempo meets Mercury Sable). The backend is still not as sharp (in my opinion) as my S80 (2000…see picture in the header above), but it is still very Volvo.
- You can now get a V8 (311 HP).
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) – you select the desired speed as well as desired time gap to the vehicle in front of you. Amy and I will greatly benefit from this as I always think she drives too close to the car in front of us.
- Collision Warning – if you get too close to the car in front of you, a warning alert appears on the windshield along with audio alert.
- Blindspot Information System (BLIS) – a camera in the outer mirror detects vehicles in your blind spot and then uses a warning signal near the mirror to alert you of the vehicle.
- The Personal Car Communicator (PCC) – you can use this from anywhere to check if the car is locked or unlocked. There is also a heartbeat sensor that can tell you if anyone is in the car. Not to mention, the PCC also allows you enter and drive without a key.
I have been waiting for this day for a long time…to be excited about Volvo again. Great work Volvo! Now I just need to wait for a few years until I *need* a new car.
[tags]Volvo, S80[/tags]
Fred
Laughing again at “not Ford Tempo meets Mercury Sable.” And how much does all this cost????
jenz
Well…I am sure over $40k, but worth every penny, as you know 😉
Doug Blatti
I was reading the other day that there is some new communications standard for cell phones that can do things like:
– Pay for something using credit card info stored on your phone, where a reciept is also automaticaly stored
– unlock and start your car
The PCC sounds very cool, but make it an application instead of more hardware. Down with hardware!
jenz
I love the application idea. Perhaps that is what they will have when I actually get around to buying an S80. 😉