2014 Volvo S80 Launch In India; Price Starts At Rs 41.35L

The 2014 Volvo S80 has been launched in India without much fanfare. The new S80 is a minor update over last year's model, but still remains the same simple looking, yet elegant sedan that the Volvo has always been.

Available for a starting price of INR 41.35 lakhs for the D4 variant and INR 44.80 lakhs for the D5, the 2014 Volvo S80 offers good value for money, rivaling the best cars in this segment that includes the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series. (Prices are ex-showroom, Delhi).

Also Read: The Stunning Volvo Estate Concept In Images

Now, lets talk about the changes that have appeared in the 2014 S80. To start with, the front grille is now looks less boring, getting a smaller, yet wider design. Also changed are the fog lamp housing, bumpers and headlights.

Getting in sync with the times, the headlights now come with daytime running lights.

Similarly, the rear lights and the rear bumper have also been changed. In fact, the rear looks significantly more different and better than the changes made to the front of the car, thanks to the well sculpted rear end.

Last, but not the least, the alloy wheel design is now different and that completes changes to the exterior.

The interior is largely dominated by the floating design center console with plenty of buttons and a 7 inch display at the top. Behind the steering wheel is a colour digital instrument panel that can switch between regular and performance mode.

The panels are all black, while the center console, the door trims and even the steering wheel get wooden inserts, which does look a bit old school.

The 2014 Volvo S80 is powered by two diesel engines. A 2.0 liter five cylinder engine that generates 165PS power and 400Nm of torque for the D4 variant and a 2.4 liter five cylinder engine producing 215PS power and 440Nm of torque for the D5 variant.

Both engines are mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. The S80 can do a sporty 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.8 seconds and can reach a restricted top speed of 225 km/h.

Now lets talk about the safety part. Volvo has always manufactured some of the safest cars in the world and the S80 is no exception. Besides the regular array of safety features such as airbags and ABS, the 2014 Volvo S80 offers features such as advanced ESP (electronic stability program) that combines traction control, optimal braking and power delivery; headlamps that turn with the steering; Volvo IntelliSafe, that automatically applies brakes if the sensors pick up an imminent collision; and more.

While the Volvo S80 might sound like a very capable machine (which it is), looking at the images you might have felt the car looks boring and from some angles, even outdated. And that's the bane of the S80 which lets the rest of the (excellent) car down.