by David Finlay (20 Aug 07)

I stood gazing at the S80 and I discovered something about one of its details which I later realised also applies more generally to the rest of the car. This model, launched for the 2007 model year, is quite different in many respects from the first-generation S80 introduced in 1998, but despite a number of changes to the design it looks very similar. And frankly I had a bit of a problem with that, because I was never too keen on the appearance of the old car.

It left me cold the first time I saw it, and it never improved no matter how much I stared at it. The new S80 is different. It's still not an exciting design - nobody who isn't directly or indirectly employed by Volvo will ever stop in their tracks and say, "wow, an S80!" - but if you take your time you'll gradually start to appreciate the way one part of the shape feeds elegantly into another. This isn't something you can force; you have to let the design come to you rather than expect it to grab your attention right from the start.

The same applies to the way the car drives. Volvo says that the S80's set-up was developed on UK roads, and that the premium German makes - Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz - acted as the benchmark for handling. That's not apparent from behind the wheel. The S80 doesn't feel anything like any of its German rivals, and to begin with it can feel quite disappointing in comparison.

That's what I thought, at least. In my first few miles with the S80 I drove it the way I normally do (and the way I would have driven - and have driven - Audis and BMWs and Mercs in similar circumstances). It seemed dull and lifeless and unwilling to deviate from a constant speed or direction without considerable persuasion.

Disappointed by this, I started driving more slowly, and suddenly the S80 came alive. It refused to hurry, but when I stopped being concerned about journey times the whole driving experience became much more fluid. If you like to press on, you won't be deviated from a preference for the German opposition, but if you take it easy the Volvo starts to make a lot of sense as a car with a true luxury feel.

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