| Premium large car; Built in Sweden |
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| Good condition price range: $2,400 – $11,500* |
2000 Volvo S80 T6
2000 Volvo S80 T6
2000 Volvo S80 interior
2001 Volvo S80
2001 Volvo S80
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A serious contender among luxury-class sedans, the well-built S80 earns high marks for refinement, ergonomics, and trunk space. Volvo managed to pack a lot of safety and convenience features into its stylish, functional sedan. Fun to drive, the S80 is roomier than the rival BMW 5-Series, but handling and performance in the base 2.9 model are underwhelming. That tends to make the T6 a better value, despite its higher price.
Overview
Volvo’s “flagship” luxury sedan traded its rear-drive layout for front-wheel drive in 1999, as the old S90 gave way to a new S80. Two distinct, transverse-mounted 6-cylinder engines were used. In the base sedan, a 2.9-liter engine produced 201 horsepower. A twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter, making 268 horsepower, went into the sporty T6 model. Both cars used 4-speed automatic transmission, but a Geartronic feature with a separate shift in the T6 permitted manually selected gear changes.
Safety equipment included Volvo’s inflatable curtain airbags, which dropped down from above the side windows in a side impact. Volvo’s WHIPS system was designed to move the front seatbacks and headrests rearward to minimize whiplash during a rear-end collision.
Standard equipment included dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, eight-way power front bucket seats (with driver memory), and a split folding rear seat. Heated power mirrors, power locks and windows, remote keyless entry, a cassette/CD player, and 16-inch alloy wheels also were standard. The T6 sedan added heated front seats and mirrors, along with wood interior trim.
Rivals included the Acura RL, BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS 300/400, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Saab 9-5.
Yearly Updates
| 2000 S80 A new option group included sun-blocking rear curtains. Called the Warm Weather package, it also featured a windshield with infrared treatment to reflect the sun’s heat. An antiskid system was optional, as were 17-inch wheels and a navigation system. Output from the base engine dipped to 197 horsepower. |
| 2001 S80 A better-equipped base model became available in 2001. So did a new T6 Executive sedan aimed at CEOs, offering 2 extra inches of rear leg room, via a repositioned (and heated) back seat. Divided by a center console, the back seat only held two passengers. Occupants of an Executive also benefited from wider rear doors, a powered rear-window sunshade, wireless fax/copier, and a rear-seat DVD-based audio/video system. The DVD unit and a rear-compartment beverage cooler also were standard in the regular T6, and optional for the S80 2.9 model. A new front-seat sensor system could trigger dashboard airbags with reduced force, depending on crash severity and whether the occupant was belted. The base model added standard leather upholstery and a memory for the outside mirrors. |
| 2002 S80 Both engines were slightly retuned this year to deliver greater power at lower rpm, and the base 2.9-liter engine dropped to a 194-hp rating. The posh T6 Executive sedan remained on sale, now riding 17-inch wheels. All models gained an in-trunk emergency release and newly designed alloy wheels. A new Elite sedan had the extra rear leg room and wider-opening doors of an Executive, but with a three-passenger rear bench and fewer amenities. |
| 2003 S80 Volvo’s On-Call Plus assistance system became available. It was optional on the 2.9 and standard on other models. Rain-sensing wipers are a new option. |
| 2004 S80 Volvo adds an all-wheel drive version of the S80 in 2004, the AWD S80 2.5T with a 208-hp 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission. Also new this year is optional adjustable suspension, a revised steering system, and new front and rear fascias. |
| 2005 S80 Available run-flat tires and real-wood interior trim are among 2005 additions to Volvo’s flagship sedan. The 2.5Ts come with 16-inch wheels and are newly available with a Sport option package that includes 17s and sport seats. T6s come with 17s and are newly available with optional 18s. Run-flat tires on 17-inch wheels are new options for front-drive S80s. Optional for T6s, and now for the front-drive 2.5T, is Volvo’s Four-C adjustable suspension with driver-selectable Comfort or Sport settings. For ’05, real wood replaces synthetic as standard cabin trim on T6s and as part of the 2.5T’s Premium Package. And T6 Premier’s rear seat is no longer angled for 2 inches more leg room, though it does include DVD and TV-tuner video. No longer available for any S80 is Volvo’s On-Call Plus assistance system. |
| 2006 S80 All 2006 versions of Volvo’s largest sedan have a 208-hp turbocharged 5-cyl engine. Discontinued are T6 and Premier models, which had a 268-hp turbocharged 6-cyl. The ’06 is available as the 2.5T model with front-wheel drive or as the AWD 2.5T with all-wheel drive. |
