We were very impressed with the overall behavior of the V8 engine, which sounds quite a lot like a Corvette V8 when first fired up in the morning, then settles down to a nice, smooth idle. This engine is a Yamaha-designed 60-degree V8 with balance shafts, so it doesn't sound like a conventional 90-degree V-8. It's smooth and creamy all the way up the rev range to 6500 rpm, and for its relatively small displacement, it pulls very well and can easily sustain speeds of 135 mph on the open road. At high cruising speeds, the cabin is quiet, with a bit of wind noise off the tires and a bit of tire noise coming in.

The Volvo chassis system underneath the new S80 is an evolution of the 4C chassis, with adaptive shock absorbers changing second by second according to inputs from the road and the car itself. The system has been upgraded with three different settings instead of just two on the previous S80, Comfort, Sport, and Advanced.

Speaking of settings, we tried the new dashboard-adjustable steering effort control, and found the firmest setting to be ideal for our tastes. Hefty and solid, the way we like our steering. With the steering set this way and the Advanced settings plugged into the chassis system, the Volvo was a paragon of driving for the sheer fun of it, taut, quick to react, and flat in the corners, with the V8 engine always ready to play.

We experienced the adaptive cruise control system, which worked as advertised to maintain our preset distance to the car ahead in the fast lane, and we heard and saw the collision warning system mounted directly in front of the driver on the dashtop, a system which we quickly silenced on the crowded two-lane roads.

We also had the opportunity to test the ABS brakes a number of times from very high speeds, over 100 mph, and they were as powerful and quick and positive as you could want.