Test drive Volvo S80 2006 - 2008 sedan
... And on Volvo - better!
The process of preparing for a trip to the city of Kirun, in the very north of Sweden, promised something interesting: the size of shoes, clothes and even heads needed to be reported in advance. Well, I understand, January in the Arctic is very cold. Sometimes, such frosts are worth it that the combs of their teeth are knocking, and the words freeze in the air and, without reaching the interlocutor, fall and smash to smithereens. Hearing this joke, the Japanese colleague for some reason turned pale (in vain, as it turned out later). Well, and we, Russian people, were ready at least at minus 35 to participate in a small adventure called Iron & Ice. It was arranged by Volvo, at the same time proposing to test the two new products of the S80 T6 and XC70 3.2. But the adventures began earlier than planned ... Airy anxiety
A small CRJ200 aircraft famously broke away from the canvas of the Copenhagen airfield. A couple of minutes pass, but the cold fjord of the North Sea near the airport is still clearly visible in the porthole. Therefore, for some reason we do not gain a height, although the motors roar in the mode of lasting, like a couple of white bears in the spring. The brain was still engaged in analyzing meager facts, and did not have time to come to any conclusions, and ants had already run through the body. My French neighbor could not restrain himself: Devil, what's going on?!? Only he said this from the speakers came the voice of the captain (female voice!): Unfortunately, due to a small technical malfunction, we are forced to return to Copenhagen Airport. Is it impossible for more details?
The stewardess is fastened with stewardess belts on the phone with the cockpit. In the window, the same fjord again the plane seems to cut circles. The most faint of heart closed their eyes, the Japanese turned pale for the second time in the last hour, the impatient at once pressed on the buttons of calling the flight attendant, that is, the flight attendant. But she could not respond, because with a confused look she fought off the questions of those who sat in the forefront. Finally, very on time, the soothing voice of the captain of the ship rushed through the cabin: there are no reasons for excitement. The anti -icing system failed. Of course, we can fly to the final point of the route, but it is better to return to the airport, where they are already preparing a spare side. True, we will have to burn fuel to land calmly, and for this we will make several circles above the bay.
Many inhaled with relief, but this short psychotherapeutic session of Madame Pilot did not convince this short psychotherapeutic session: of course! They will never call the true reason who needs a panic on board? In addition, the aircraft has an emergency fuel discharge button, we are above the water, and it is not at all necessary to circle to no avail. He was not even too lazy to report this stewardess. After a couple of minutes, the captain answered him: we cannot carry out the emergency discharge of fuel this function on this type of aircraft is absent. Crossing and discarding the thought of reassuring the Frenchman with an anecdot about the poor fellow, who did not have time to go on a brand new car to the cottage, as the plane fell on him, I closed my eyes. And I thought that the delay could deprive us of some of the events of the first day of the program, most likely driving along the ice lake. And it’s a pity, because the lesson is very pleasant and useful.
An hour later, thank God, we landed safely at Copenhagen Airport. Where they spent another 45 minutes, mainly in line at the boots for smoking. It was a line resembled a conveyor: the sniffer immediately became at the end of the tail. It impressed me. Imagine a plastic cube in size 3.5x3x3 meters, with sliding doors and a pillar in the middle with ashtrays and hood, howling and ineffective. Four can fit in a cube, a maximum of six, but then they all feel dried sardines in a bank. Fortunately, the spare side was in order, and after another two and a half hours we landed safely at the small airport. The plane was incurred directly to the hangar, where ten new Volvo S80 T6 were waiting for us. It was necessary to drive 150 km north to the hotel for skiers (at the end of January for some reason it was not a season), which, by the way, costs five hundred meters from the border with Norway.
Ice into joy
The bright time of the day in this region in the winter is very short, therefore, without hesitation, we take with a colleague-maker on a large bag with a set of a polar explorer, we throw them into a 480-liter trunk, and simultaneously we find out that there is only minus 17 overboard. joyful organizers The test is said to be incredibly lucky in the next few days of real frosts.
I get behind the wheel, and first I put the climate control at +22. Numerous seats and steering column electroregulations allow you to quickly find the right landing. The chair is pleasantly soft, in the cabin I will not get tired of repeating this comfortable, especially when the windows are snow. The Swedes are able to organize the interior at home! Unless there could be a larger place behind, but now it seems to us to do not need. And with all the ergonomicity of the interior, we are far from right away, and after a considerable tension of two mental devices, we realized how to get the monitor in the upper part of the dashboard to leave it. It is there that navigation is hidden, controlled for some reason by a small joystick who was perched on the back of the steering wheel. A pair of buttons and a manipulator like finger-grip, like some laptops. You will not find it right away from the rim, he is noticeably shifted closer to the hub. However, getting used to it, you operate with the middle and index fingers with two fingers. But the user interface of the navigation system itself is not very convenient. However, now we do not need it, because, as was said in one famous film, here one road is in the city. However, we will still have time to tell about the ergonomics of the S80 on a long-term test drive in the editorial office now this model. In the meantime, I turn on the local radio, which turned out to be extremely inexpressive euro-pop and conversations.
Roads in these latitudes what you need! In winter, this is a rather flat coating of ice and snow, the roadside is indicated by high plastic sticks with reflective risks. Because it makes no sense to use in these latitudes, and with very low intensity of movement, anti -head drugs do not make sense. Only at the entrances to the interchanges, and even then not to everyone, the canvas is sometimes sprinkled with sand. As a result, even speed restrictions here are perceived as rather optimistic 90 km/h on the sign, and you won’t pass the turn faster, be you at least Schumacher. This is where you understand the advantages of all -wheel drive of another option for the S80 T6 is no longer provided. AWD is based on an electron -controlled coupling type Haldex, redistributing the torque between the axes in almost any proportion. So, when moving in a straight line, almost all power is directed to the front wheels. But it is worth the electronics to suspect something was wrong, for example, having received a signal from one of the many DSTC system sensors, how the coupling will become closed, and part of the moment will immediately go back. Moreover, this system, called Instant Traction, is trying to act ahead of the lead. Often she succeeds, although not always about this below. However, there are no problems with the most effective implementation of the potential of the in-line 3.0-liter six with a turbocharged. This motor was created on the basis of a new 3.2-liter, but its volume is reduced due to the shorter passing the piston, which, in turn, is compensated by turbocharged. As a result, the engine develops 285 hp. And a great moment of 400 nm.
In addition, the engine with a new, rather quick 6-speed automatic transmission is aggregated, which is able to adapt to the driving manner. I would like to go smoothly and calmly please, the tachometer arrow rarely enters the mark of 3000 rpm, and complete calm reigns in the cabin. Like in the sleeping tundra around. At this pace, only studded tires barely noticeably make themselves felt when pieces of frozen asphalt come across. But the wheeled arches are well isolated, and even the sand at the intersections is not heard. Will we go faster? It is not a question of a couple of frisky accelerations, and the salon fills the pleasant rumbling of a turbo-sheep. As you understand, the reader, with the dynamics of T6 everything is in perfect order. Of course, this is now not the most powerful modification in the S80 range, but 6.9 seconds to hundreds and the maximum speed of 250 km/h is very good.
In addition, it is possible to choose the rigidity of suspensions. Personally on me, the Comfort mode acts as a sleeping pill too soft. The rolls are tangible, there is no hole, you feel the car how the body is boring through the gloves. The optimal Sport mode. Shock absorbers are noticeably tougher, does not pump, and mutual understanding with the car is complete. Eh, there would have been steering with a more clear feedback on the but the steering wheel with speed of speed is heavy, although the effort seems a little artificial. But, either nervous tension affected, or the unique clear night sky of these latitudes was fascinated, but the craving for fast driving quickly disappeared. I was not even upset because of the inability to drive a frozen lake to the hotel and sleep! There will be food day.
People
and deer A fine morning came. Having reinforced, I go out to the parking lot at the Lepot Hotel! There is only minus three on the street, and any of these multi-colored Volvo XC70 3.2 3.2 at our disposal built in a series of multi-colored and shiny bodies. Today it is necessary to experience this particular model on the winding roads of Norway.
From the inside, the XC70 is almost a copy of the S80. True, the seats are located slightly higher and stolen deliberately rude threads. Universality, however, is also evident, the possibilities for transforming the salon are wide. The luggage compartment will delight practical people with a capacity of 575 liters, and if you fold the backs of the seats, then all 1600 liters. There is a special strong mesh separating the passenger compartment. To fix the luggles, guides are provided in the floor and small sliding separators. In general, I don't want to be loaded
All the same slippery and rather deserted road. XC70 with a row 6-cylinder engine and the same AWD allows you to gain speed quite quickly, without sacrificing at the same time comfort. A good traction characteristic of the engine and again, a very quick automatic transmission provide quite decent dynamics and the necessary traction supply for quick overtaking. True, there were almost no overtaking, but one day I had to check the power of the brake system. Therefore, I urge everyone at the sight of the sign of animals on the road to be extremely careful.
It turned out that under the wheels (more precisely, before the car), the deer, who had fought off the herd, peacefully grazing next to the road, almost turned out to be under the wheels. Incidentally, I did not know every deer to someone before, as evidenced by the collar. And each at any moment is under supervision of it, you can monitor the GPS system. Deer without special sensors implanted under the skin in the local edges are not found! You just imagine the reindeer herder in the plague sitting in front of the computer and watching the satellite behind how its herd grazes, and if one of the animals one -story local resident happened to me how a certain driver was not able to avoid a clash too suddenly The horned handsome man jumped out onto the road. The blow, however, was not strong, and the participants in the clash ran peacefully. Nevertheless, the owner of the deer soon called the driver to find out if everything was in order with him and his car. After all, the car owner could sue the farmer for the damage caused. Although this rarely happens, the Norwegian added. Usually everything is resolved in love with us. Hmm
So, when I met a deer, there were no casualties. I noticed it in time and stopped the car a few meters from the animal. LITHING, I caught in his big eyes even arrogance of the deer slowly looked around the car and riders, made some careless and clearly offensive movement of the head, and only then slowly left. No, enough! It’s better to say that I fully appreciated the tenaciousness of the XC70 calipers and the clear work of the ABS, which did not annoy the nervous vibration on the pedal, and at the same time did not allow the wheels to block, preserving the possibility of control over the machine. In truth, on this day I had to see the effectiveness of brake and other Volvo XC70 systems more than once. So, in one protracted turn I have carried me. More precisely, the feed of a car moving on even gas began to go smoothly. I reacted faster than DSTC and straightened the steering wheel, catching the skid in time. The colleague did not even have time to scream, and only then the phrase popular now uttered: I’m a point, Slavik. Let's slower. Yes, I did not rode quickly. It was just under the wheels that there was clean ice, and the center of gravity of the XC70 is not so low that the clearance of 209 mm affects. Although the station wagon is not much different from the control and habits from the S80 sedan, on which it is built on the platform. Only now, this machine does not have for purely sports driving.
This was proved on the very frozen lake where we arrived after lunch. The organizers offered three track options: a narrow path with gates and turns, a dynamic snake with cones spaced to the sides, and a kind of quick ice track with several turns. Having passed the first and second sections, I went to the third, having previously disconnected the stabilization system. The corresponding icon caught fire on the dashboard, and the sharp start from the place immediately led to the skidding of the stern. I catch, or rather, redirect the skid, since the first arc is ahead. The body began to slide with all the wheels out of the turn is the time to tackle the accelerator to pull the car. There is no gas to the floor of the reaction! What's the matter? A yellow light bulb flashed on the panel, reporting the work of the stabilization system, although the inscription on the screen still says DSTC OFF. It is clear completely to turn off the electronics. It turns out that even in this mode, she will allow slipping and sliding sideways, but she will not constantly allow to go in a controlled skid. It will reduce the fuel supply and begin to selectively brake the wheels to extinguish the speed. Only in this case, this is not required for me. You have to align the car with a steering wheel, and just come to terms with the fact that you will not be able to fuck. On the other hand, the maximum safety. And even at the most critical moment, the electronics will suffer, remaining a peculiar last hope of the driver. By the way, the same algorithm works DSTC in the S80 algorithm.
On North?
After a couple of days, I again ended up in Copenhagen a transshipment point on the way to Moscow. Waking up three in the night from the loud music coming from the night club under the windows, I suddenly remembered what I saw and experienced. Cold, peculiar and unusually beautiful tundra. Intoxicating and at the same time cleansing silence. Firing clean air during marching on snowmobiles. A deer with big eyes and with a GPS sensor is in all this something damn attractive. As there is a highlight in the Swedish Volvo machines.
Kiruna Moscow
Andrey Osipov
Photo Volvo
