110 December 2016 www.bahrainthismonth.com motoring DICK POTTER The newest addition to this marque’s line-up was put through its paces during a test drive in Oman. Sporty with elegant, clean lines that flow smoothly from nose to tail and with a coupé-like roofline, the Volvo S90 looks classy without resorting to ungainly visual histrionics. The stellar exterior detail, in my opinion, lies also in its headlights. The stripe down the centre reminiscent of Thor’s, (Norse god of thunder and lightening) hammer, is the illuminated element of the headlight, the split beam ensuing from advanced fibre-optic engineering. The Swedish love for all natural materials is strikingly evident in the S90’s luxurious interior. A sensation of lightness is experienced from the beautifully doublestitched leather to the walnut trim edged with matt silver on the doorframes and dashboard. The centrepiece of the interior is its large, vertically oriented touch screen. This can apparently be used even if you’re wearing gloves; however, it was Oman, and I understandably wasn’t! I really liked its large size, sharp graphics, and most of all its ease of operation. The air-conditioning, for example, is always visually displayed, a neat combination of safety and time-saving practicality. Against the stunning backdrop of Oman’s Al Hajar mountain range, our S90 T6 was put through its paces. It comes out of the blocks, accelerating from 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds. This is due to the turbo, supercharged four-cylinder pushing out 316bhp. The ride is quiet and well controlled with light and responsive steering. Brakes are excellent and were put to the test on numerous occasions on the winding mountain roads. That’s because Volvo is debuting its newest version of its Pilot Assist (key word being ‘assist’) in the S90. This uses a gamut of sensors to locate the edge of the road; even when there are no clear markings and no other traffic around. This is in contrast to other manufacturers, which require not only clearly marked lanes but also a car ahead to follow. Volvo stresses it doesn’t want you depending solely on this system, it is provided as a backup to alleviate physical and mental driving stressors and works exceptionally well on the roads of Oman. Sensationally, a goal of the company’s Vision 2020 is to have no fatalities going to Valhalla in a new Volvo. Whilst the marque doesn’t promise immortality with this goal, a safety feature of the S90s, which includes large animal detection, can only help reduce fatalities. Sensors in this always-on system recognise and react to animals large enough to pose a threat. It warns you and applies brakes to avoid that potential accident with a camel or comparable creature that may be encountered. Pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles in your path are similarly identified by the sensors. Volvo is currently the only car manufacturer to boast this feature. A further impressive safety item is the small crumple zone in the orthopaedically designed seats, which protects the spine in case of major accident. I was extremely impressed with the S90. Ten years ago, pitting a Volvo against a leading German marque would have been unthinkable; now, the S90 puts Volvo right up there as a genuine premium contender offering first-class luxury with a Scandinavian twist. Call 17 736-222. Luxury, Scandinavian Style! VOLVO
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