Volvo Auto India will introduce their luxury flagship, the XC90 T8 Excellence, in India on 14 September.
The Excellence is essentially a 2+2 seater super-luxury version of the XC90. That it packs their T8 Twin Engine hybrid driveline is another new headline for India. The cabin features no third row, with a laid-back second-row consisting of two captain’s seats. Overseas, there is also the provision to incorporate the Volvo Lounge Console, where the front passenger seat is replaced with the innovative leg-rest cum storage unit which adds to leg-room and provides business-class seating at the rear.
Driving the XC90 Excellence is the T8 ‘Twin Engine’ driveline comprising the T6-spec 2.0-litre turbo-supercharged in-line four-cylinder petrol engine making 320 PS and 400 Nm with an eight-speed automatic driving the front wheels and a 65-kW (88-PS) electric motor on the rear axle which also adds 240 Nm of torque. The net peak output of the electric 4×4 hybrid driveline is 408 PS and 640 Nm, allowing for quick acceleration as well as incredible fuel efficiency, making for a credible, and needless to add, extremely safe long distance touring machine. We’ve driven the standard XC90 T8 last year, click here to know more about the driveline.
All of Volvo’s top-notch innovative safety features are present, including the unique run-off-road crash protection, gyro-sensor-equipped roll stability control and a host of active safety tech. The XC90 was among the first cars to earn itself a five-star NCAP safety rating under the new rules, which also put priority on pedestrian safety as well as autonomous assistance.
Expect the XC90 T8 Excellence to cost above Rs 1 crore and rival more expensive rivals such as the Range Rover.
Story: Jim Gorde
