Test Drive Volvo 960 1994 - 1997 Sedan

Volvo 960 Royal

According to international standards, the total volume of Volvo Car Corporation is small. But in the category of relatively large cars (models 850 and 940/960), the corporation occupies quite worthy of 10% of the European market and 9% - American. Volvo 960, the top of the model range, appeared in the fall of 1990. In 1994, the car received a new chassis and amended front. Since the beginning of production and until the end of 1995, 102,613 cars of this model (sedans and universal) were sold.
A successful chassis and a fairly powerful 3-liter engine allow you to produce a large number of modifications based on the 960th-database - ambulance carriers, police and armored cars, orcaps, and even elongated almost per meter of limousines. They are familiar to Russians. But the modification of 960 Royal for our market is still new, although they produce it for more than a year and with a dozen of these cars in Moscow already runs.
On the eve of the start of official sales of 960 Royal in Russia, Volvo invited four journalists to Sweden - to get acquainted with the model closer. Time, in our opinion, not the most successful thing was chosen: in August, the whole country, including Volvo plants, is resting. But the company is visible.
At the airport, Magnus Hanson met us, a project manager, on a black Volvo 960 with an Executive inscription above the rear bumper. Why not royal? We decided not to ask questions yet. At first glance, the usual 960th, only a little longer, and the side of the car looks more elegant. They disastened the bags in the bulk trunk, sat on the back seat - a car business class, for the passenger, why not immediately check comfort.
Threesomes were quite comfortable, the tunnel in the middle passenger almost did not interfere, though the others slightly clone to the center, had to hold onto the handles above the windows. In the width of the place, everything was enough, there was enough in front of it with an excess even with completely militant front seats - the result of elongation of the cabin 150 mm. It seemed that the salon was higher than in the standard 960th, where the roof of Davilan tall passengers. By the way, the rear seat cushion is longer than a standard by 50 mm, it became more convenient to sit. The interior decoration is suitable: light brown leather, polished wooden inserts in the door, excellent air conditioning system. In general, beauty.
About 40 minutes spent in the backseat threesome, no negative emotions caused.
When the next day, the second car, cherry-red color appeared, it became clear why we came to Executive - from the back of Royal was not a common sofa on three, but two separate seats that turned the car in strictly 4-seater. Seese in it in the back can be really royal. Side support seats, the same footpring, excess space in width, in the middle wide armrest and wooden console with buttons, handles and cup holders.
And why is there no relevant emblem? We clarified that the name depends not only on the configuration, but also from the market for which the car is intended. Levels of configuration three. Even the most modest (Level 1) looks very solid - abs, front-seat electric drives, air conditioning, side airbags for the driver and front passenger, power windows, heated outer mirrors, a dozen speakers, an automatic antenna and much more. But the back seat is a common sofa on three.
At higher levels, the car becomes strictly 4-seater. Level 2 provides for heating the rear seats and electrical adjustment of the tilt of the back. At the highest level (Level 3) are installed small, 2 cans of beer, refrigerators between the rear seats, additional air conditioning, a powerful amplifier of the musical system and the rear central console with controls. Level 3 is a complete set of royal. There is, however, still Level 4 - with supplied electric tables in the backs of the front seats, but only for Thailand.
Interestingly, even if the car is equipped in the third level, it will not necessarily receive the emblem of Royal.
Swedish and German buyers, for example, behave modestly, preferring in general to do without an outdoor emblem, and are limited to the Executive inscription on the mats. In Thailand, the car will also receive an Emblem Executive, apparently not to offend the king. And for the Japanese market, the emblem ROYAL put on machines, equipped not only in the third, but also in the second level - good, in the country is not a king, but the emperor. By the way, the Japanese buy these cars more than others - 80% of Executive and Royal takes exactly there. Regardless of the presence or absence of the ROYAL emblem, the rear rack decorates a small crown.
We showed the department of Knocked Down & Special Vehicles Operations, where they collect 960 executive and royal. On the occasion of vacations and dinner break, the workshop was almost empty, there were only two laughing girly collectors. Seeing cameras (shooting at the plant is prohibited, but an exception was made to us), they complained that they did not wear openwork stockings and stiletto shoes.
The standard chassis of the 960th model enters the workshop from the conveyor located in a neighboring building, by the way, the longest in Europe is 1.5 km. In the bottom, we screw up 150 mm insert, and then paint it again. Elongated rear doors and roof stamps separately.
Collect the interior manually, carefully and leisurely. No wonder - per week, no more than 35 Executive and Royal classes are produced - as well as all Volvo products, only under specific orders.
The finished car is checked on the stand, then ride on the factory track. Quality control is hard - on average, each seventh machine is subjected to additional sample check. On the stand hung a pack of inspection protocols, we took the last one. 12 defects were found in the verified machine, of which are a dozen class 3, and a pair of class 4. We were surprised: it seems to be too much for such a car. But we were explained that serious defects (classes 1 and 2) practically do not occur if they discovered, all production will immediately stop - until they find and not eliminate the cause. On the class defect 3, the owners may complain to the next one - this is, for example, a tiny scratch, irregularities of polishing, etc.
Class 4 defect will not notice anyone except the most picky experts.
It is clear that 960 royal is a car for the passenger. But the elongation of 150 mm still does not turn it into classic limousine, and the owner can sit down without prejudice to his image and behind the wheel. And we, of course, wanted to see how an increase in the base would affect the behavior of the car, especially since this is the only difference between the ROYAL's chassis from the usual 960th. Alas. Test-Drive was assumed on the old airfield near Gothenburg. When they arrived, it turned out that he was busy - whether the firefighters train, whether horses circle. I had to confine ourselves to the ride on the roads of general use. Do you try to truly? Runs are smooth. Even at the speed limit of 110 km / h, on ordinary - 70, or even 50km / hour. Police although a little, but there is, and with radar. Participants of the movement rules are observed - for exceeding the speed of 30 km, you can lose rights. For them, we honestly, not too afraid - what are they a Swedish policeman? - But the owners were asked not to hooligan.
The impression of the car made pleasant. The driver's seat is convenient, with sufficient side support.
Adjustments (length, the angle of inclination of the back and the entire chair as a whole) grabs a person of any growth.
There is a memory for three sets of adjustments. The skin of the chair is soft and smooth, but not slippery, the pillow is long and keeps her legs well. The steering wheel is convenient, covered with skin and fixed with a small eccentricity. By the way, on one of two, it seems to be the same machines, the distance to the submissive levers was Velisting. Some seams on the Baranca (make the steers in Germany) seemed rude for the machine of this class, and even the threads in some way sticking (interesting, is it defect what class?). However, a wooden steering wheel is offered as an option, there are no threads here. The amplifier is powerful and some maturity even at high speed, however, it is not worth considering the disadvantage, it is not sharply driving on such cars.
The dashboard is read well, some bewilder caused only the presence of a tachometer (unlike the standard 960th Royal is equipped with only a 3-liter engine for which the manual box is unpired), and such large hours are installed, apparently, for symmetry with it.
Increased base on the behavior of the car almost does not affect, but long coating waves it passes more smoothly than the usual 960th. Automatic box 3 modes - economical, sports and winter. Overclocking from a place even with three passengers confident, until hundreds we had about 11V12 seconds (according to the passport of 9.1ps., But with one passenger). Transfer The box is very smooth and virtually unnoticed. In sports mode, the engine is spinning up to 5500 rpm., In economical - about a thousand less. The pickup in motion is good, even with a complete set of passengers, although on Kick Down the box will respond slightly slower than I would like.
The old engine is a row 3-liter 24-valve gear with a capacity of 204 liters. from. (6000 rpm / min. And torque 267 nm (4300 rpm). Maximum speed by passport 210 km / h. A couple of times we acted up to 170 - no longer started, the owners began to be nervous. The car was also easily and Smoothly, as at 70km / hour.
By the way, the car grows speed, and it falls from time to time to look at the speedometer. True, Cruise Control, which is carried out on the left handicraft lever, but it can bring real benefits, perhaps only on American roads. There is no complaints to brakes, but with a sharp braking on the steering wheel, an incomprehensible vibration was felt. Perhaps it was in wheels - 140 km / hour the steering wheel began to tremble slightly - or balancing, or different tire pressure.
Total driving managed to drive about 80 kilometers, half on Executive, half on Royal. The first car seemed a bit no more. In ROYAL at a speed of 120 km / h, it was possible to talk almost with a whisper - neither the engine nor the wind was interfered. In Executive, the motor sounded a little coarser and louder. When they appealed for clarification, Mr. Hansson said that there should be no difference, machines are identical - with the exception of the finish.
But added that this executive refers to 1995 release, and Royal - by the 1996, perhaps there are some individual differences. In addition, the rear suspension is modified on this instance of Royal: Softy springs and BOGE NIVOMATIC shock absorbers are installed to increase comfort, automatically supporting the height of the body regardless of the load. From December (1997 model year) This suspension will go to the series.
Here, in fact, all. The Volvo turned out to be a good car, which is quite suitable for the owner, regardless of whether it will fall apart in the back seat or sit behind the wheel. We returned to the airport on the Volvo long limousine on the basis of the 960th model. Honestly, on the comfort of the back of 960 Royal liked more.
 

A source: Magazine Motor [№9 / 1996]