What's the news?
The new S90 is now available to order in Ireland, and with that Volvo has revealed information on specification and pricing.
Two 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engines form the initial offering, in a choice of D4 (190hp) or D5 PowerPulse (235hp) guises, which produce a decent 400Nm and 480Nm of torque respectively. The latter engine uses compressed air to help eliminate turbo lag via a system that keeps the turbo spinning at low engine speeds. The D5 also comes equipped with an all-wheel drive transmission to help transfer that extra power to the road, while both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Two trim levels are currently available, with the Inscription spec gaining Nappa leather, electric front seats, a larger TFT information display, 18-inch alloys, chrome exterior details and some extra cabin illumination over the entry-level Momentum model, which itself features dual-zone climate control and LED headlights among other goodies.
Both models come with Volvo's Sensus infotainment setup with integrated navigation, along with Pilot Assist, an advanced semi-autonomous cruise control system. The Xenium package - which adds features including automatic parallel and 90-degree parking capability - and Apple's CarPlay are optional extras. To round off the in-car gadgets, a 1,400-watt Bowers and Wilkins sound system playing through 18 speakers can be specified.
Anything else?
The base-level D4 Momentum starts at €48,400, and the D5 Inscription rounds out the range at €60,400. This is before you plunder the options list of course, and a brief glance reveals some lovely 20-inch wheels that would fill the arches nicely... You can justify it to yourself with the fact that the D4 returns 64.2mpg, while the quicker D5 does 58.9mpg.