Subic, Zambales, Philippines – Sailing perfectly encapsulates the Swedish idea of luxury. It’s an expensive hobby, more expensive than golf, yet it emphasizes modesty, humility, and teamwork to win. Beginning with the all-new XC90, Volvo is finally embracing its Swedish roots and as a result, put a unique twist on luxury.
Making sure a regatta moves in the right direction takes a team of seven people. Individually, they made be accomplished people: CEOs, doctors, lawyers; but on a boat, they must work as one. They all have assigned tasks which must be done with precision. And in this small space, there’s no space for egos.
The same can be said about the 2016 XC90. It’s not boisterous or brash. It’s designed first and foremost for the people riding it rather than the people seeing it. It’s all about quiet luxury, highlighting space, light, and wellbeing. The front is highlighted by the T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” headlights that give a distinct and confident face. The rest from the sculpted hood, high beltline, and sharpened shoulders all lend a bold and elegant stance.
Operating a sailboat relies on a complex series of ropes and pulley. It sounds easy, but every movement is done with accuracy and precision to catch maximum wind. Everything must work as one and easy understanding is important for quick decision making.
The same attention to detail is found in the XC90’s interior. Soft plastics, supple leather, and well-damped controls form the fundamentals. On top of this is Sensus, Volvo’s new infotainment system. It’s by far the best touchscreen system in the business because of the familiarity with the controls. It works like an Apple iPad: pinching or double-tapping to zoom, swiping to access screens, and even having a physical home button located below the screen.
The XC90 also offers lots of head, leg, and shoulder room in all rows. And thanks to its boxy styling, it has the best and widest luggage space in its class. With all seats up, there’s still room for a couple of bags; with the last row down, a couple of golf clubs or large suitcases will fit easily.
For professional sailors, they understand that wind is a precious commodity. Extracting the most power without compromising efficiency is important to winning. Performance is measured on the flexibility of the sail’s configurations which must be deployed for maximum speed or maneuverability.
With fossil fuels fast becoming limited as well, Volvo is answering the call for efficiency without compromise with their new Drive-E engine family. The XC90 D5 for example tops out at just two liters of displacement. It doesn’t sound a lot given it has to motivate 2,171 kilograms. Yet, thanks to two turbochargers, it beefs up the power to 225 horses and 450 Nm of torque. Married to a polished 8-speed automatic, it delivers a no-drama and easy-going performance.
Underpinned by the new Scalable Product Architecture or SPA, which will ultimately form the basis of a very large Volvo, it produces a smooth and compliant ride. And though it’s highly unlikely it’ll be used as a canyon carver, it offers impressive body control belittling its size.
Safety is one aspect where the XC90 clearly trumps a mega-million peso yacht. Sailors often rely on just a life vest and a prayer to keep them safe while Volvo’s flagship comes with a whole gamut of driver’s assistance features. Adaptive cruise control, LED headlights with Active Bending Lights (ABL), and Lane Keeping Assist are all standard. Even the vaulted City Safety system has been improved as well. It can now mitigate accidents due to jaywalking pedestrians, wayward cyclists, or even incoming cars at an intersection. It’s the clearest indicator yet that Volvo’s promise that no one will die or get seriously injured in their vehicles by 2020 is possible.
This unique lifestyle experience highlights Volvo and the XC90’s unique take on luxury. It shuns brashness and overt displays of wealth to instead deliver top-notch craftsmanship and minute attention to detail. Like seven accomplished individuals that work as one team on a regatta, it doesn’t shout out newfound wealth or status. It comes out as the best and most sensible way to reward oneself.