Volvo XC90 V8 SUV stuffs a high-powered V8 below stubby hood
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 8/2/2005
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APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. -- Dusty Arizona 88, a ribbon of red sand and gravel called the Apache Trail, traces the course of the Salt River in red-rock canyons through the cactus-covered Superstition Mountains.
This dicey road, with twisty cutbacks pitched against sheer cliffs and no protective guard rails present, is our unfortunate choice of a route to test the firepower on a souped-up version of the XC90 sport-utility wagon from Volvo of Sweden.
We say the route's an unfortunate pick because it's treacherous to navigate, even at a tepid pace, and we never find a stretch straight enough or long enough to put the pedal down and extract the full potential of XC90's new V8 engine option.
But we can feel so much juice underfoot.
The engine -- first V8 in a Volvo since Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson founded this company back in 1924 -- displaces 4.4 liters and delivers huge power numbers.
It makes 315 hp at 5850 rpm plus 325 lb-ft of torque at 3900 rpm.
The big V8 shows up in a new trim for 2005 that bears a predictable name: XC90 V8.
Volvo's SUV, built off the P2 platform which underpins mid-size Volvo cars like the flagship S80 sedan, is svelte in design, expansive in cabin size (a third-row bench option raises the seat capacity to seven) and equipped with sophisticated safety systems plus optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction.
XC90 V8 carries a load of standard equipment including the AWD traction device and third-row bench seat to forge a deluxe top tier for Volvo's SUV.
Other trims in the XC90 series trace to original issues from 2003 with a turbo 2.5T edition in front-wheel-drive (FWD) mode and the twin-turbo T6 with AWD.
To fit a big V8 sideways in XC90's stub-nose prow, Volvo engineers devised a space-saving V8 and invited Yamaha of Japan to build it.
The plant conforms to a narrow-angle vee with only 60 degrees between cylinder banks. To conserve space, the left bank offsets half a cylinder ahead of the right bank and accessories like the alternator mount directly to the block.
In addition to generating big power ratings, the engine scores as cleanest gas-burning V8 on the market, thanks to the addition of four catalytic converters and a lean-mix cold-start circuit which retards emissions at start-up.
It earns the rank of ULEV II -- Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, stage II.
To control the engine's high output, Volvo adds an electronic automatic transmission with six forward gears and Geartronic sequential shifter.
Shift-it-yourself maneuvers are made by throwing the console-mounted shift lever to the left through a gate, then pushing it forward to bump up a gear or pulling it back to drop down one gear at a time.
The active-on-demand AWD system on XC90 V8 -- with engine power split between front and rear wheels through a wet multi-plate clutch -- comes from Haldex, a Swedish pioneer in AWD mechanisms.
An electronic device on the rear differential governs the system while also communicating with the car's engine control module and brake controller. When spin sensors at wheels detect rotational differences between front and rear tires, this mechanism reacts by sending more power to non-slip wheels and less to spinning ones. Ultimately, the unit brings both front and rear wheels back into equilibrium -- and the SUV proceeds in a straight-line path.
XC90 V6 also carries the entire complement of electronic safety controls that characterize Volvo vehicles.
Among the alphabetical soup of acronyms for safety gear is an anti-lock brake system (ABS) and traction control (TRACS) plus Volvo's Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), which employs a computer and various lateral plus linear motion sensors tied to ABS, TRACS and the throttle.
DSTC monitors the SUV's forward progress and -- if dangerous oversteer or understeer skidding is detected -- it acts automatically to correct the unstable maneuver by braking wheels or cutting the throttle.
In addition to DSTC yaw control, Volvo overlays the unit with a Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS) which adds Roll Stability Control (RSC) with gyroscopic sensors measuring the risk of rolling over.
If these gyro sensors detect that XC90 is about to roll, the RSC automatically counteracts that body movement by activating the DSTC, which then may brake an individual wheel and force an understeer maneuver to block the roll.
These vehicle controls are put to work as we steer Volvo's SUV though so much slippery gravel on the Apache Trail.
We note that XC90 V8 stocks significant passive safety measures too, beginning with a stiff core superstructure of high-strength steel ringing the passenger compartment and crush zones front and rear to absorb impact forces of a collision and deflect them from the cabin.
Further, reinforced braces for the roof and side doors plus thick supportive side pillars lessen cabin intrusions.
Riders are shielded in the cabin by frontal air bags and side-impact air bags in front seats plus Volvo's side curtain-style air bags reaching clear back to the third row.
And to damp the whiplash effect during a rear impact, front seatbacks instantly move rearward to pare acceleration forces on the passenger's back and neck.
The design of the cabin is good -- there are comfortable seats for passengers and ample cargo room.
Standard is a five-seat arrangement with twin front buckets and a center bench for three.
The third-row bench for two (optional for T6 but stock on the V8) folds flat into the floor when more cargo space is needed.
Second-row seatbacks also fold flat, as does the front passenger seat, so the compartment ends up with numerous combinations for hauling people and gear.
Leather upholstery and premium equipment are standard for XC90 V8, along with a stereo audio package with eight speakers and a six-disc CD deck in the dash.
Optional gear ranges from bi-xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and a DVD-based navigation system to a backseat video entertainment system with dual video display screens mounted behind front headrests and a Logic II 350-watt surround sound audio kit with 12 speakers.
The MSRP for XC90 V8 stands at $45,395.
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| 2005 VOLVO XC90 V8 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size luxury SUV |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size luxury SUV |
| Wheelbase: |
112.6 inches |
| Overall Length: |
188.9 inches |
| Engine Size: |
DOHC 4.4-L V8 |
| Transmission: |
Auto/6/Geartronic |
| Drive: |
AWD |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc, ABS/BA/EBD/DSTC/ROPS |
| Airbags: |
2 (front), 2 (side), 6 (side curtain) |
| Towing Capacity: |
5000 pounds |
| Gas Mileage: |
14/20 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 45,395 |
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