Thinking outside the Box - How the S80 reshaped Volvo design

Volvo saved themselves from bankruptcy with the 700 series and the 850, but these cars propagated a boxy look that became the sort of thing stand-up comedians ridiculed. What Volvo needed was a new direction and the first car to use it was the S80. We’re very lucky to have the person behind this new design - Volvo’s lead designer, Peter Horbury to take us through it all. So, where did this new look come from, what management shenanigans drove the decisions over how the S80 was designed and how successful was it?
Link to the full interview with Peter Horbury: • Full Volvo S80 intervi...
A very special thanks to the people at Benaroya Hall, Seattle for letting me film: www.seattlesymphony.org
Intro music: Dan Lebowitz - Tiptoe out the Back (from the KZbin audio library)
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Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_ECC
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_H...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...
www.media.volvocars.com/globa...
web.archive.org/web/2016030408...
web.archive.org/web/2005042608...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_D3...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pd...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_7...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_M...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/tech/Tec...
web.archive.org/web/201112191...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/s80.shtml
www.economist.com/business/19...
www.economist.com/business/20...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pd...
web.archive.org/web/200605281...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_B...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_S...
www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...
web.archive.org/web/201512221...
www.economist.com/business/20...
www.economist.com/business/20...
www.autoblog.com/2009/02/26/g...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/s8...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_P...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/re...
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/re...
mashable.com/article/volvo-po...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polestar
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geely
#bigcar

[@EldisUnwraps]

Nowadays boxy Volvos are kinda holy grail among Volvo fans. But yeah, the new Volvos are some of the best looking cars out there. A giant leap compared to 70s and 80s.

[@Low760]

Unfortunately the reliability went the opposite way from the 850 on.

[@edwinreid8355]

I miss the old boxy Volvo's that my parents had when I was growing up. The newer ones just look, meh.

[@BlueMonk25]

I have a 940 and an XC40. I love them both.

[@dailytherapy7597]

@@edwinreid8355 as much as i like the boxy Volvos, one would argue that a box looks meh lol. The newer Volvos are a return to a more boxy look though

[@benjaminsmith2287]

I really didn't like the boxy Volvos until we got to the 850 because it rounded out the look. The s80 was needed. Volvo needed style. I now have a 2002 s80. Still a decent looking car but clearly dated. I have a straight 6, dual turbo. Really, fine car.

[@rickyard11]

Back in 1993 Peter sat at my drawing board at Bournemouth Art college and sketched a side profile of this car in my sketchbook. Obviously he said it wasn’t a Volvo but it clearly was. Very talented and a true gentleman. I wonder if he still remembers this moment? I went on to design everything and anything including cars. Thanks Peter.

[@fritsmolenaar05]

Sadly on june 30th he passed away

[@koobert]

I got a used 07 V70 while working at a Volvo dealer and that S80 derived interior was incredible. The comfiest seats, and gorgeous design.

[@gplustree]

My friend just got a fairly high miles 2007 V70 and it's amazing how well the interior has held up - also, not a squeak or rattle to be heard even driving assertively on windy roads, at over 15 years old and 200,000 miles. I'm super jealous tbh, I currently have a car that was $800 when I got it 2 years ago and is destined soon for the scrapyard.

[@mrgurulittle7000]

Who else is here after the post saying he past away? May he rest in peace.🌹

[@africa_explained_tv]

I hate how current Volvo designers look down on Peter's work. His designs are what got me personally to start liking Volvo as a brand, and Polestar tuning didn't hurt either.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

100% agree 👍👍👍

[@Christopher_Giustolisi]

So you like the generic econobox design? Swap out the grill and it could aswell be a Skoda or a Fiat.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

@@Christopher_Giustolisi Is it OK that we have our own opinion - and say so in a polite manner?

[@Christopher_Giustolisi]

@@flemmingsorensen5470 I was polite. What was not polite in your opinion?

[@motioncompensation1544]

@@Christopher_Giustolisi The impolite part is “so you like”. People tend to see that as an attack. The polite way would be to say “I hate the generic econobox design”. This way you don’t attack anyone’s opinion, yet you’re free to express your own.

[@CaptainHoratioPugwash]

RIP Peter. He passed away today (01/07/23) at 73.

[@BigCar2]

I'm so sorry to hear. Such a shame - he was a great guy to talk to.

[@BigCar2]

So sorry to hear of the untimely death of Peter on June 29th 2023. He was very kind to do the interview, and a wonderful guy to chat with. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. Erratum: I implied Polestar was merely producing versions of Volvo cars. They are branching out to make their own unique vehicles, and are a separate entity from Volvo (but Volvo owns 49.5%). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polestar

[@MartijnterHaar]

I have to say I don't understand Geely's strategy with all the brands. Volvo and Polestar seem to completely overlap and then there's Lynk & Co, which for now is just a Volvo with different branding and an app. The Eletre seems to suggest that they want Lotus to be a general luxury brand positioned above Volvo & Polestar, but Zeekr and the newly announced Galaxy also seem to fulfill that purpose. At least Smart for now is sort of positioned as a clear Cupra competitor.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

I appreciate your level of commitment, the concert hall was an unexpected treat and worthy of the chuckle it gave me. 😁 Great Vid btw...I learned more than a couple things about the Swedish Sensation Stay Safe ✌ Be well

[@mrgurulittle7000]

@@MartijnterHaarI don’t understand it either. Geely is Maki all the brands luxury. Too much overlap.

[@masahiroekawa6642]

我是Volvo的忠實擁護者 自從1988年我開著Volvo 740 我就小心翼翼的呵護她 照顧他 修復他 。希望把她當成傳家寶 傳給我兒子延續下去 。 無奈 在2016年的夏天 我被15噸的貨車側撞 導致四個輪軸側偏 無法修復 。我才換了2000年的S80 至今 S80的車型 讓我深深著迷 尤其有如史坦威鋼琴的曲線 讓我愛不釋手 甚至贏過XJ6 我想我會跟S80呵護她一路走下去 我甚至為了台灣的Volvo s80 俱樂部設計了專屬社團貼紙

[@ben10nnery]

I miss my s80 and the super comfy seats. Also, the button that you could press to make the rear headrests attack the rear passengers.

[@LlyleHunter]

I loved that button

[@vincentrobinet2713]

Something I found interesting about the S 80 was that due to the six cylinder engine being transverse mounted , they needed a short automatic gear box. It was sourced from GM. They used it in the Oldsmobile Aurora.

[@brianfearn4246]

Thats interesting imfo about the GM auto box. I don't know how true it is but going back a number of years ago I believe GM supplied Rolls Royce with Automatic transmissions .

[@Browningate]

If only they had! The Aurora's 4T80E is generally regarded as far superior to the compact 4T65E used in GM's FWD sedans and minivans of the era (along with those early S80s).

[@felixalvinreyes9846]

WISH THEY FIDNOT DEMISED THE REARWHEELDRIVE VOLVO IN 1998 THEY DEMISED THE S90 RWD REPLACED BY THE S80 THE ENGINE DRIVETEAIN BASED ON S70 FWD DECADE A NEW BODY DESIGN THEN DEMISED RETURNS THE S90.

[@felixalvinreyes9846]

Wish its TRUCK DIVISION ACQUIRE IT BACK

[@bren.nan_]

the transmission for the S60R was sourced from GM too

[@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760]

As someone born in 2008, this Volvo feels a world apart from the captivating and elegant Volvo designs of today that I have grown up with, but it still has that Swedish minimalistic feel. When I think of the S80 and compare it to the E39/E60 5 Series or A6 of that time, it's not really a car that I think sets the design goalposts or is head of the pack, and I think looks quite a bit boring, but this video has made me realise just how significant a design this was for Volvo and the car industry. So thank you, Mr and Mrs Big Car.

[@bren.nan_]

i was born in 02 and grew up in an xc70, i always thought it was a really unique car compared to all the cars my friends parents had growing up. friends i grew up with agreed, they loved the wagon shape

[@andrejmichal4676]

I was a teenager when these came out in 1998. At that time my dad still had a 760 saloon and despite liking the 760 design, I couldn't believe Volvo made such a beautiful vehicle as the S80 P2! Whenever I saw one I always turned my head. Now I own a 2003 S80 2.5T manual and use it as my DD :)

[@AndrewCDiprose]

you are blessed to own one

[@jaskajokunen3716]

I wanted to buy a s80 but it didn't come with a 2.3 t5 engine option so i ended up with s60 😔

[@laurelbancroft8739]

I love my 2005 2.5T so much that I went on to collect 2 more S80. The T6 and V8 ! None of them are manual, sadly. I really miss driving stick. Geartronic, what's the point without a clutch ?

[@RichieRouge206]

Being a massive fan of Volvos, having owned 11 and curren😢have a 2005 V70, this video was just brilliant. I have always loved the P2 styling and it still looks fresh and contemporary. People often think it is something from mid-2010s rather than the late 90s (often fooled by the private reg). The strong shoulders and the V-shaped bonnet are it’s best assets and as well as being a brilliant car to own and live with, the styling has always been my favourite thing. Even the smaller P1 (C30/S40/V50) look good today thanks to the same styling. Thanks so much for this video

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Having owned a 245, a 740 and a 760 all estates - I love the old boxy Volvos, they were good practical and solid cars, they were comfortable, sporty yet safe. A VW Golf ran into the back of my 760 which suffered not a mark but the Golf was a write off. Take me back to the days of the box on wheels .

[@Jeffrey_M]

Crumple zones my friend... The front of the Golf was designed to look worse than the rear of the Volvo after a crash.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

To me the 700s were too boxy. They looked like GM cars of the same era. Even the 240 weren't as slab-sided. I did like the interior of the 760, however.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

@@benjaminsmith2287 I liked the boxiness. There was no unnecessary curving of parts that didn't need to be curved and the boxiness added strength.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

@@Jeffrey_M but crumpled to the point of being written off??

[@Jeffrey_M]

@@alejandrayalanbowman367 Very much depends. Cars can be written off for small things relative to their value.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I’m a big fan of Peter Horbury’s work - I think he managed to distill the historic design language of Volvos great cars, the Amazon, 100 and 200 series and P1800 into a unique style for Volvo, making them at once modern, but unmistakably Volvo. Clever.

[@ryanjonathanmartin3933]

May he rest in peace.

[@splittin2atoms]

A car stereo with a mini disc player? I can already hear the techmoan intro.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I had one in my Volvo - sadly though only one MiniDisc - David Bowie!

[@Jeffrey_M]

Thanks very much, Andy, for this wonderful video on the S80. I was looking forward to it since you announced it and it certainly did not disappoint. I was only 7/8 years old when the first generation S80 was launched, but it stood out to me as a car obsessed young boy whose father owned an 850. Peter Horbury is one of my favourite car designers and I am grateful to him also for his contribution to the video.

[@Spoolingturbski]

Thanks for this video. My dad was a field technical specialist for Volvo Cars and we brought the first S80 into California from Arizona proving grounds. He often said it could of been one of the best luxury sedans ever made if it wasn’t for the limited choices of transmission and lack of time for testing other systems.

[@michelstockhem5124]

I owned a S80 from end 2016, in the Summum executive finish, with the D5 185 engine. It is maybe the best, and certainly the most comfortable car I ever had. Thank you for this excellent survey.

[@FPVsean]

Bought a 2008 xc70 in January this year. I remember when they came out new in 2007 they were gorgeous! And still are!!

[@craigsakowitz7695]

Peter you are my hero. I stare at these cars every time I pass them. One of my favorite car designs ever especially for a “normal” sedan.

[@Roddy_Zeh]

The 1st gen was epic, I still remember reading about them right when they were released. Too bad they never sold manual versions here. The twin turbo I6 was pretty cool, loved it. Too bad the automatic gearbox was a bit troublesome, from what I've researched. The next generation is great too, specially the V8's. They're my favorite Volvo cars.

[@DavidBello]

Thank you so much for making these. As a Volvo enthusiast I learned a lot about the biggest change period of this company, from boxy to now-classic European styling 😎🇸🇪

[@jeremylittle1581]

I remember when these came out, my best friend and I, both in our early 20’s, went to look at them at the dealer and were blown away by the design of them! They really were like nothing else on the road.

[@Speck1119]

We owned a P2 S60, P3 S80 and now SPA S90. Gorgeous cars, but as mentioned, the second gen S80 had long front over hang. I do miss the roar of the 5 cylinder engines!

[@bombardier6033]

I've always liked that era of Volvo design. The "hips" and wide front fascia made it look very modern and imposing. I rode in an S60 once and it felt much comfier and roomier than my Saab 9-3, but that's like comparing apples to oranges. Is there any way you could do a video on the Saab 9-5? It almost shared a platform with the Alfa Romeo 159, before GM did what GM loves to do best, which is change its mind at the last minute.

[@baronvonjo1929]

You didn't miss much. The S60 that looked like this had awful back seats and also left me and my dad stranded one month into ownership. Then proceeded to have all kinda of issues. After several thousands in repairs it was chucked and repapced with a Lexus.

[@KareemFloat]

the c30 is by far one of my favorite volvo designs, the rear end looks like a rice cooker you would have in your kitchen, but man it was unique at the time and i loved it.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

My dad owned one - a really, really nice car, with very distinctive styling. Good to drive too!

[@davidsherrick898]

I had a 2007 S80 V8, my friend drove it into a wall very fast, no one was hurt. I miss it as it had all features, navigation cooled seats.

[@maxvader6]

Sadly, Peter Horbury passed away.. thanks a lot for this video!

[@--Lam]

Thanks for providing subtitles! The interview bits were hurting my ears! Uncharacteristically, I won't be clicking the full interview link. But I clicked on the subtitles and there was what he said, wow. Those are not only for people with bad/no hearing, those are also crucial for people with normal hearing who can't bear deciphering what the idiotically placed/configured/whatever microphones picked (didn't pick) up. Thanks again, wonderful job!

[@BigCar2]

I was a little downhearted when he came on the Zoom call and I heard it was a room with an echo. As I didn't know him I didn't feel I could ask him to move somewhere else.

[@Mark__A]

Still LOVE my S80 V8 after 8 years together. Longest I kept a car by far. Nothing else stayed more than 2 years.

[@O-cDxA]

I love the look of Vulvas ! Such graceful lines.

[@JimmyDots]

The S80 is a gem, and it's munching miles like no other. The seats are so comfy you can still feel fresh after having driven for 10 hours straight. The interior is high quality, even after 10 years and once you roll up the windows, the outside world disappears from your hearing. It's so brilliant!

[@Robert-nz2qw]

This is maybe your best episode ever due to the fact that you have a very good interview in it and that you’re dining really deeply into the details. Great job.

[@delusionnnnn]

I have a XC70 (wagon), purchased used, which came out of a lot of the S80 work. There's a lot of small, considerate design issues which really make the car feel like a well thought-out package. I love mine.

[@TDCflyer]

The S80 is one of the few cars that I'd like to own even if it were purely on the design aspect alone. It's one of the last of the elegant low slung sedans where nowadays everything from moms tiny grocery-getter to the executives limousine looks like a tall SUV. Instead of being loud and gaudy the S80s design invokes a feeling of a gentle yet powerful understatement. Luckily the design transferred pretty well to the second gen V70 which I managed to get my hands on and figuratively I'll sink my claws into that car as deeply as I possibly can and never let go. It is the best amalgamation of design, practicality, comfort, and cost of ownership I've encountered to date. ~300k miles and counting

[@mikaelsimble382]

Props for mentioning Chrysler as the original "cab forward" car maker, with Chrysler LHS/New Yorker (10:49) perhaps being the most beautiful example of them all.

[@Bwwlan]

Thank you for the fluent narrative and the exceptionally well documented storyline. This was by far the best episode yet, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in the market for a young SH V80. Keep up the good work!

[@mattg8369]

Great video! I had an S80 as a loaner when my S40 was in the shop and loved it. I didn't want to give it back...and I loved my S40!

[@teamhandsome1974]

I had a 940 2.3 Turbo Estate for a year or so. It was fab and I still miss it. It was a neat facelift of the 700 series saloons and estates, which went on to be facelifted yet again into the V90 and S80, prior to the new look S80 that has led to the current Scandinavian chic that is Volvo today! I’d happily have another big Volvo again at some point. There is a lot of love for the boxy years, but as this video clearly explains, there is more to Volvo than the set square design language!

[@daviddesert3132]

I love my little C30! I have lived in Gothenberg, Sweden since 1994. I remember Peter coming in the Dubliners pub on sundays with alot of the younger British designers. He wasnt tight getting rounds in for them😅 as far as l can remember the swedes were very pleased with the s80..a sort of proudness..it was very good quality and l know this becsuse I'm a panelbeater and when you take cars apart its easy to see.

[@Buschaga]

My first Volvo was a C30 in 2010. The turbocharged 5 cylinder engine makes such wonderful sounds. Truly a distinctive vehicle and joy to drive. Thanks for sharing your memory of Peter’s generosity with his people.

[@daviddesert3132]

@@Buschaga No worries. My daughter seems to want the C30 so l'm now looking at an xc70 for me👍

[@grahamlamond3179]

Really enjoyed this video. It was great to hear from someone heavily involved with the design and what they wanted from it, as well as how all that fitted with the changing needs of the company and the market at the time. I have had two Mk1 S80s and a second generation S80 which I kept for 13 years, they all just did everything I needed and with complete reliability. I'm now running a P3 XC70 which gives that extra practicality and I love it. It's just such a good all rounder without necessarily excelling in any particular area., but perhaps that all round ability is where it excels!

[@philippelupien7109]

I enjoyed that personnification of what confusing a concert hall and a volvo might look like

[@taster321]

I still drive my ( from May - October ) Volvo 2005 S80 2.5T Summum Gen1 Dark Blue Metallic , Light Grey Leather Seats , ’Wood’ Trim , 17” Rim. 5 cylinder Petrol. Wonderful to drive Motorway Countryside etc..a bit heavy on parking lots hehe. I upgraded motor with BSR stage 1 last year…from 210Hp to 252Hp , Torque 333 to 410 😊 It made huge impression. Thanks For Great Video

[@Lizzard-t]

I remember when I worked for ANCA garage in Findon ( Volvo Franchise dealer) We went to the launch of the S80 .it was hailed as the most technologically advanced car volvo.they used The Jesus Jones song "Right Here Right Now" as the theme song.with loads of white smoke and there before us stood the S80 , it was like nothing before. The Mini disc player was on the pre production models, and in certain markets it was available. But due to it being a not so well received form of media player and the fact that the kind of buyers were were already using CD or cassette tapes, it never got buyers attention. The S80 was a car that looked better when the update came out. Thank you for a wonderful video.

[@KarimErrytouny]

Excelent as always. New exclusive content that cant be found anywhere else. Big fan since forever.

[@EngineerLewis]

I have a 2004 3.0l S80 with that 6 cylinder engine! It also runs on LPG and Petrol so that helps with lower cost running. The engine is sweet and a very comfy drive for my 170 mile trips to South Wales. The forward folding front passenger seat is a very useful option too. But sadly the Ford updated chassis rusts badly! Thanks Henry! 🥵

[@joaomatias]

Did you know about the bi-fuel with CNG? I've never heard of that before, always thought it was petrol/LPG

[@EngineerLewis]

@@joaomatias Volvo sold from the factory the 140 bhp engine with dual fuel - LPG and CNG options. I ran a 170 bhp one with an aftermarket LPG system (Stag) and then my second S80 is a 3.0litre one with a Stag conversion to runon LPG.

[@joaomatias]

@@EngineerLewis never saw one here in Portugal with cng, probably because there aren't many places to fill up. But the LPG community here has (me included) a love for those early 2000 petrol engines

[@justincork3838]

I have a 2007 v70 d5 p2 chassis. Now on 207,000 miles and runs perfectly. Can’t even think of anything I’d replace it with.

[@kristiankumanov5732]

I had the S80, 2.4 Petrol 170 hp. Engine was great, the Aisin gearbox was fast. Seats and ride comfort, audio system, AC everything was superb for its Price. There were some pros: Handling was very sloppy and indirect, the wind noise isolation was a level below E39 5 series, Mercedes W210...

[@masterphoenixpraha]

2007 I got my Volvo S70 2.5 R5 petrol without turbo charging built in 1997... it was the first kind of rounder Volvo. We loved it. Bought it with 250.000 km and it was still running as new. Now driving Volvo S80 D4 from 2015 - model year 2016 - Inscription - brown leather (baseball glove style) with brushed aluminium... it was sort of transition model - it features the 2.0 diesel with 8 gear automatic that was than used in first S90... and again i love the car a lot :-)

[@tomlobos2871]

switched from 2007 S70 10v (wich was awsome as well) to the S80 from 2010. bought it used, almost got one with red seats but deal wasnt that good. im ok with black though that brown is something special for sure.

[@fontheking5]

Polestar strated out as the company which ran Volvos racing cars in the Swedish touring car championship from 2005 and onwards, when former owner Jan Flash Nilsson changed from Volvo to Bmw, and scaled back on his operation, his company Flash Engineering had ran the STCC Volvos from 1996 to 2004, then he sold that operation and became a private driver in a Bmw 320I instead, his team was still running under the name Flash Engineering, after the swap to BMW, and Polestar became the new name for Volvos STCC team, so that`s how Polestar started out. Polestar also ran the C30 in the World Touring Car Championship, as well as the V8 Supercars S60:s together with Garry Rogers Motorsport :)

[@nakoma5]

The second gen S80 especially is beautiful inside and out, elegant waterfall dash and a smooth straight 6.

[@2kcars507]

RIP 🙏 Peter Horbury, terrible to find out about his sad passing shortly after I watched this video last night. Thanks for the P2 V70, Pete.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Unfortunately I could only afford a second hand S60, but it was the best car i’ve ever had. A non-turbo 2,4 which sadly got written off when I met a Red Deer an early morning, doing about 95 km/h. At that point it had 508.000 km on the dial. Vent like a new car.

[@baronvonjo1929]

My dad got the turbo model. You should be happy you avoided it. Left us stranded. And always had failures. But seriously, good for you for having a good experience. Unreliable POS are not very enjoyable to deal with.

[@djejnyc]

Wow, what a great video! I think it's your best so far. Thanks for the detailed (recent) history of Volvo, I've always be interested in them.

[@elilevine2410]

Appreciating the level of information, and that you could get a design team member aboard for your documentary, keep up the work!❤❤❤

[@jukkaaho7962]

Love your videos, so well made, informative and interesting. Keep up the good work!

[@ThisIsMyRodrick]

The S80 changed the game, what a brilliant, dependable iconic car.

[@Pandamasque]

At the time I remember my dad seeing the S80 for the first time went, 'Oh, they filed the edges off a Volvo?' It does look like someone took a file to the entire side of the car. The styling was very striking, but also attractive. And it aged very well. I saw the original S60 on the street just yesterday and couldn't look away. Such a handsome design. The change they made to the tail lights over the ECC concept was a very good move too.

[@wings9925]

Nostalgia. What great cars they were. My dad had a 740, then V70R and a number of R variants in later generations. I had an 850 which was so practical and well-built. I followed this years later with 2.4T XC70. Loaded with kit it was so luxurious and incredibly well built. Only its dire fuel economy let it down in the winter months. Such happy memories. In later years my brother had a 2019 XC90 which was a stunning vehicle. If fitted with a 6 cylinder I'm convinced it would have stolen lots of Q7 sales.

[@beyondu77]

Great video. Thanks for all the hard work you put into them.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

I have a 2012 V70 sat on my driveway right now. Best car ive ever owned.

[@lynskyrd]

I remember back in 2003; my wife went car shopping, called me and said she bought a Volvo. I figured, well okay- thats a good car 'for her' thinking she bought the typical boxy Volvo. She pulled up in the driveway in a new S60 and I said "What's that!" I could not believe the styling - the next day I was at the Volvo dealer- bought my own S60 also. STILL my daily with over 348,000 miles on it- BEST car I ever owned.

[@toineleuverink9905]

Again...what a great documentary you made. Big respect for you, sir!

[@Jeffrey_M]

R.I.P. Peter. I am shocked to learn of his passing so soon after this video.

[@martin-1965]

I have learned more about cars I have loved and hated from my childhood to the present day from the Big Car channel, than from all the books and other videos I've explored. Many thanks for the gentle, amusing and entertaining way you present each car story - extremely engaging and greatly appreciated by an old 57 year old struggling with his current Seat Leon iPad on wheels that literally sometimes you have to switch off and switch back on again to fix tech problems. May car makers in the future learn from their mistakes (we can dream) and focus on making cars as clunky and as reliable as the ones we love and remember from the past. From watching this about Volvo I must admit to being tempted to seek out an old S80 - they look like a great car overwhelmed by the competition. Anyway, great videos and many thanks :)

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for the kind words. After making these videos I sometimes hanker for a car. I even test drove an MX-5. But I still want a Twingo!

[@martin-1965]

@@BigCar2 I could definitely see the Twingo being a perfect car for around town 😎while the MX5 is perfect for when you want to pretend to by 20 again and feel the wind through your hair (yes same... metaphorical hair at my age but the point remains).

[@ScrotusXL]

Thank you again for more exceptional content. The detail and research into it is top notch 😊

[@beerpad]

Fantastic interview and insights. I love inside baseball like this that goes into the history and details.

[@randomtux1234]

each vid is a gem, especially about all the 80's cars, and the insane hidden stories behind their existence. best period of automotive design ever, in my opinion

[@nissim9081]

There's no other KZbin channel like yours, great content

[@mohammadsattar5488]

28.14 that test dummy face paint on the airbag actually looks like art. Kind of like shadow painting

[@FoxRS]

Great video, as always! Laughed really hard when you went to the concert hall. It was worth the visit! 😂

[@BigCar2]

That took a lot of work to arrange! It was a bit surreal to film.

[@omostim2385]

The main thing I remember about the first gen S80 were the seats. Less like sitting and more like being suspended

[@kampar82]

Yes, it's really nice to drive 8 hours and not feel fatigue. I have an individual that has 175 000 km on it, most likely there's some more left to drive.

[@6toportal]

Lol I own a 09 S80 T6 AWD woth 220k miles, bought it from car auction for 2k dollars, I had to put work, momey and time bit I love my car! big stromg amd comfortable. A lot of people thinks is newer than it is, I love the design, is timeless and beautiful

[@paultemple5610]

Now this makes total sense. A lot of people in the USA look right past this car or call it bland. I see a real work of art. The angles are all very intentional, exemplifying the power of restraint in design. It’s not a quad shot vanilla frappucino guys. It’s a cup of earl grey with just enough sugar and milk. I’ve heard it called “old man chic.” Well, better than “young man grotesque.” Maybe he never wanted to make a box. But it’s a damn beautiful box.

[@ipostaze2]

Thanks a lot for the video and Mr Horbury's input. It would be nice for me, and sure for other viewers, to see a history and explanation of existence for the C70 and why it did not make any other generation of coupes. And maybe for the S40 history, maybe the most surprising Volvo design of all times, and the only one I've had :)

[@VinDieselS70]

Did you have the Mitsubishi based S40 or the Ford Focus based S40?

[@ipostaze2]

@@VinDieselS70 B4184S which was, if I'm not mistaken, Volvo modular engine. The Mitsubishi was coded SM, or GDI in some regions (I live in EU). Don't know of any Ford Engine.

[@VinDieselS70]

@@ipostaze2 I get you. The S40/V40 was produced between 1995-2004 and had Volvo and Mitsubishi GDI engines and a Renault Diesel engine. The replacement was the S40/ V50 based in the Ford Focus C-Max platform so used Ford/ Mazda 4 cylinder and Volvo 5 cylinder engines while the diesel were either Ford/Peugeot or Volvo Diesel engines. The new V40 from 2012 is still a Ford based car . But looks like a Mercedes A-Class as the designer came from Mercedes

[@ipostaze2]

@@VinDieselS70 I understand. I was refering to the first generation.

[@jayartz8562]

Love the look of the 1st gen C70, just the right amount of square to curve.

[@mndlessdrwer]

I did always like the aesthetics of the S80. They look quite timeless yet modern. Unfortunately the interiors tend to be aged heavily by their electronics, so there's not much to be done about that. The current generation of Volvo vehicles really are beautiful and I love their designs, particularly their interior design. I think the only thing they could stand to upgrade at this point is to opt for an even larger screen for ease of UI recognition at a glance. I think their partnership with Bowers & Wilkins might be one of the best ideas they've had to date regarding their interior features. It's expensive, but then you'd never really need to consider upgrading it in the future.

[@stupid0nut]

Yes! I have a 2012 S80 and I still get compliments on the interior but then they joke about the number keypad. It's classy, not flashy. I still think it looks great today. Engine sips oil though and I've been tempted to get a replacement.

[@arodbas]

Really nice video, with plenty of information and little details!

[@doug6191]

I credit the C70 as the end of the boxy era

[@damilolaakanni]

And the S40 as well. Can't mention the C70 without the S40 on which it was based.

[@doug6191]

​@@damilolaakanni The S40 that was developed with Mitsubishi's Carisma? That had nothing to do with the C70 .

[@pokest225]

​@@damilolaakanni C70 mk1 was based on the s70, basically a 850. C70 mk2 was based on the S40 mk2, basically a Ford Focus mk2.

[@Dark_Viking]

Long awaited video ))) Thanks a lot for this!

[@1994ToyotaCamryEnjoyer]

That V8 is one of the best sounding engines under the sun when you put a nice exhaust on it

[@cseland]

Please do the XC90 as well, love your videos!

[@aaaaplay]

In Australia, I have seen a few first gen S80's for sale. But almost every time they had transmission issues. The automatic gearbox seems to be the Achilles heal of that generation.

[@AndrewCDiprose]

yes, thank the Lord that the V70 (2003) has a different type of automatic gear box.

[@andycapo9you]

​@@AndrewCDiprose No, it doesn't. All 5cil. P2 platform cars had the same Aisin Warner AW/50-** 5 speed auto gearbox. The only GM gearbox (4gears) was in the 6cil versions. AW gearboxes suffer from solenoid malfunctions mostly (sluggish gears, delay from 2* to 3* gear, abrupt engaging, etc) and it is almost always the result of neglecting the gearbox oil intervals... The later Aisin Warner TF-80sc (2004 onwards) had no issues and 6 gears, it was at the end of the P2 platform

[@NLBassist]

I love your artist impressions! Volvo should hire you as a designer! :D And on a serious note: what a great vid again! You are unique in the world. diving deep into such cars.

[@BigCar2]

Some of my finest artistry!

[@ivarmarkusson382]

the v8 p3 s80 was never intended to compete with the m5. its competitipn was the 545, the E500 and the 4.2 A6

[@jezzsareen7]

Sir you deserve more subs! Amazing. Getting such insights.

[@jamiebray8532]

Yeah, but the 760 & 850 are just iconic. They have known now as a swedish muscle look. Because they had the muscle inside. They are the best known sleepers, & have upset a whole lot of people. And I love it. Just like the XC 90 is. That is an SUV you might want to reconsider challenging it.

[@Westcork-ul1ww]

Love the drawings and Music Hall shot.

[@caseycrosby9535]

Great video, an amazing bit of research!

[@thehammer4625]

I so much wanted to buy a used S80 when I gave my S60 to my kid. I took a few for a test drive,including the V8, but didn’t care for the interior size, especially the back seats. Thought it was not much of a step up from the S60. Ended up finding the perfect car at a local Volvo dealer……a used 2012 Hyundai Genesis with the 3.8 engine.

[@somdusazerate]

Ah, exactly what I needed for a friday evening. I have a 04 2.5T S80. 346k km and going strong!

[@jandeusvult2920]

Cool. I got a 2000 one with about the same milage. Yes, still going strong

[@martbeth5490]

Great video! I so much prefer watching stuff like this to the offerings on the idiot box - keep it going!

[@sputumtube]

YAY!!! You finally reviewed my car (DK55 YNR), an S80 D5 SE Lux (manual) in black with a beige interior, and which I love. Great video, thanks for posting.

[@vengadeshkannavathy7225]

The ECC concept (side view) seems like influenced the 2004 S40 design.

[@julianward2768]

Great Video! My father-in-law owned a 2002 S80 T6 Executive with all the options you showed in the video! Felt like a king when sitting in the back with a TV and DVD player, fringe, heated seats and the rest! It's the most comfortable i have ever been on a long road trip. By the way, his car also had Dolby Pro-Logic surround (so not just for the second generation!). Only thing i didn't like was the colour he had. I believe it was called moondust metallic but i thing it was really shiny beige!

[@manofthehour6856]

Fascinating! The S80 definitely took the baton from the exceptional 700 models, and was a worthy successor at least in terms of style and performance. Its interesting how Ford owned both Jaguar and Volvo (among others), yet each took different design paths with their biggest selling cars once the Detroit money (and input) began impacting product. Jaguar design went backwards once Ford took over, and it didn't pull out of this until Ford was nearly about to sell it off. Volvo, however, was producing some fantastic bonafide luxury models with very clean designs inside and out in the Scandanavian tradition. I don't remember most cars that I see for the first time in the metal, but I do remember seeing one of these in a shopping mall display. Absolutely stunning and the design is timeless. Peter Horbury definitely understands car design!

[@joeseeking3572]

I once seriously considered an S80 T6 (twin turbo US). It wasn't 'quite' sporty enough, but I had a primary car which was, so that alone didn't kill it for the mission. Reliability and predicted repair costs kept me away - this was in the early 2000's and they just weren't getting good ratings at the time. Pretty car I thought, especially in dark blue with a tan interior. Though TBH, the S60 dash was so much neater, so 'Swedish moderne'. Several years later I did what was supposed to be an extended test drive in an S80 V8 ( I think I was replacing an A6 at that point). Cut it short - very much not the car for me. Whatever I'd seen in the earlier model was just gone, and I felt it was big, clumsy and just not distinctive. Yeah for the dash design now, but materials felt cheap. So cost less than the than the BMW, but - no, not tempting. Now, the all electric Volvo just doesn't interest me, but maybe I'll come around - eventually.

[@sidlazzar1002]

RIP Peter. Proud Volvo owner. I just bought an 03 s80 last month and I absolutely love him. Named him Sven. I want to possibly lift it and turn it into a rally car I seen someone here on KZbin did and it looks fantastic.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

I remember the ECC concept and thinking thats a great looking concept, especially the colour of the interior. A great and informative video as always. RIP to Peter Horbury.

[@volvo30]

I remember doing my high-school senior engineering project based on that prim air radiator tech re-purposed for the home

[@thewiseguy3529]

It was 17 when these cars came out, they were like little space shuttles. Very fancy automobiles.