4.4 V8 AWD SE Sport

Super comfortable and quiet saloon - and bonkers when you need it to be!

Bought my S80 4.4 V8 AWD SE Sport in 2022 from a dealership in Reigate when it became worryingly apparent that the eco-activists, government taxation and frankly unachievable 'Net Zero' goals were going to make cars like this either unaffordable or extinct by the middle of the next decade.

The Yamaha 60° V8 is totally refined and inaudible at low crank speeds, but delightfully raucous when encouraged, together with one of the best factory-fit exhausts for audio excitement. Real MPG slowly getting better (now 24.2) with Esso Supreme 99 and a half-shot of Redex at each fill-up.

Four-C active chassis has three settings that cover most driving styles, but 'Comfort' mode really is a little bouncy. 'Advanced' mode best for smooth roads without potholes - if you can find one of them in the UK, you're doing well.

Enormous boot and folding rear seats are capable of swallowing large amounts of luggage. Optional Dynaudio soundsystem one of the best, but not really necessary, as driving a V8 makes it somewhat superfluous. If you've experienced the premium audio system in a first-generation C70, the audio is a little light on bass frequencies.

Easy DIY maintenance for the more mechanically competent - some spares are becoming obsolete though, making sourcing through the secondhand and salvage market increasingly necessary.

Comfy seats offer little in the way of bolster support, but as always with Volvos, they're exceptionally well designed. You do tend to sit up a little higher in the cabin than in the newer cars, such as the latest S90.

Getting to that age where gremlins can crop up in the electronics; servicing and repair at Volvo franchises isn't cheap, but well worth it to keep a 'proper' car in great condition, ready to face the onslaught of the green stripe numberplate brigade with pride and dignity.

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