ELEVATE S80 (1999 to 2006)

The Volvo S80 is an executive sedan from Swedish automaker Volvo and was introduced in 1998 as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Volvo 960/S90 sedan. The Volvo S80 was built at the Torslanda Plant (Torslandaverken) in Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike most Volvo models, it did not have a station wagon version for its first generation. Now, the third generation V70 wagon is marketed as the estate version for the second generation S80 sedan. This is a part of a major product overhaul at Volvo, including a most luxurious large estate and sedan. The first generation was notable for being one of the first Volvos to depart from the company's traditionally boxy, conservative styling. The S80's styling, with its pronounced beltlines and tail lights that narrow and go from curves to points as they go up, was later adopted throughout the Volvo line, especially on the S60 and S40 sedans. The first generation Volvo S80 had one of the highest crash test ratings in the world for five years.[citation needed] The second generation Volvo S80 in June 2007 scored the highest "good" rating in the IIHS crash test performance for frontal, side, and rear impacts [1], continuing in the success of the first S80 sedan. The second generation S80 is better engineered than the previous model, in part due to a stiffer more rigid chassis.