Competition is heating up the race for the safest passenger vehicles on the market today. For decades, Volvos have been known as the cars you want your children and loved ones riding in, but all-wheel-drive vehicles that don't display the Volvo badge have been showing up on dealer lots and suburban driveways in droves, siphening safety-conscious buyers. Not about to be outdone on their home turf, Volvo has been steadily rolling out new models for the past year-and-a-half. The 1999 all-wheel-drive S70 GLT sedan is one of the latest. In traditional, boxy Volvo style with a few more curves than before, the S70 GLT AWD will appeal to sedan buyers seeking the versatility of all-wheel drive.
Volvo expects most of its North American sales for this model to go to consumers living in Snowbelt regions like the Northeast, Northwest and Midwest. States such as Vermont, Montana, Minnesota, North Dakota and Michigan will be big markets for the S70 GLT AWD. Although most Volvo buyers are about 50-percent male and 50-percent female, Volvo believes the 1999 AWD S70, like the AWD wagons, will tip the scales a bit to appeal more to women.
The median age for consumers of the S70 GLT AWD sedan is 53 and the median household income is estimated around $213,000. While 20 percent of Volvo's current AWD wagon buyers traded in their sport-utility vehicles for Volvo's sure-footed wagons, the company has not speculated how many SUV buyers will turn to this new all-wheel-drive sedan. They do believe that many S70 GLT AWD intenders will be Volvo customers who want to stay in-house and who want all-wheel-drive vehicles, but don't want a wagon body style.
Based on the competent V70 platform, the car makes 190 horsepower with its DOHC, inline, five-cylinder engine and has a torque output of 199 foot-pounds @ 1,800 rpms. Employing a light-pressure turbocharger, the car can sprint from zero to 60 in about 8.6 seconds. The S70 can also go plenty fast on the highway, though its speed is electronically limited to 127 mph.
Volvo's outstanding all-wheel-drive system, which has been available only on its wagons until now, is what the company hopes will draw safety-minded consumers into dealerships across the nation. The system is available on 1999 Volvo S70 sedans equipped with automatic transmissions and the GLT trim level. Base price for the AWD sedan is $34,095 (including destination charge).
On regular, dry pavement, the car behaves like a traditional front-wheel-drive vehicle. When the road becomes slippery, however, the AWD system automatically switches from front-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. The driver doesn't even have to think about it.
Here's how the system works: engine power is diverted to either the rear or front wheels as soon as slippage is detected. The viscous clutch, a type of turbine that instantly transfers power from the front to the rear, is what helps maintain traction on the road. On good road conditions, the system allows 95 percent of the engine power to go to the front wheels and five percent to power the rear. But when the front wheels slip, torque distribution is spread to all wheels and up to 95 percent of engine power can be transferred to the rear, if necessary. In real-life situations, this translates into safer and more stable driving on snowy and icy roads.
At a February press event in Quebec, Canada, journalists were able to test this system on a closed park road packed with several layers of snow and ice. The vehicle was confidence-inspiring and easy to control-even at speeds up to 50 mph. The road was carved into a hillside and shrouded by huge snow mounds, but the wheels did not spin and the S70 climbed uphill as easily as if it was traversing dry pavement. Our S70 test cars were equipped with special Gislaved tires, a winter tire that is made in Sweden and sold by Volvo. Standard on the S70 AWD sedan are 195/65/15 all-season tires and 15-inch alloy wheels.
In addition to Volvo's all-wheel-drive system, a locking differential for the rear axle drive unit and traction control for the front drive unit helped the S70 retain its grip under foul weather conditions at speeds less than 25 mph. When the locking differential senses minute differences in the rear wheel rotation, it locks the axles so that power is put to both rear wheels, thus maintaining traction. Meanwhile, Volvo's (low-speed) Traction Control System (TRACS) prevents front wheel spin when hitting the gas pedal from a stop. This optional anti-spin system works with the antilock braking system to detect abnormal wheel rotation; when spinning is detected, the system brakes that wheel.
These combined innovations have raised the ante for manufacturers like Subaru, Audi and Mercedes, who are hoping to compete with Volvo's top-notch safety standards. Other Volvo safety features include front airbags, side airbags (that are integrated into the seats rather than the doors), three-point seatbelts with automatic belt pretensioners, front and rear crumple zones, and impact-absorbent materials in the doors and door posts for protection in a crash. As we've noted in previous road tests, the vehicle's brakes are incredibly responsive on all road surfaces and the steering is firm and communicative. Strong low-rev acceleration and stable road handling also make the S70 fun to drive.
But safety and power won't get you very far if you don't like the travel accommodations. In the Volvo S70 you won't find much to dislike. The seats are soft, yet supportive and can be adjusted in a myriad of positions. Huge, integrated headrests provide excellent comfort and support. The stereo and speakers fill the cabin with well-balanced, fine-sounding music. And don't worry about wind or road noise; the inside of the S70 seals up tightly and quietly.
With its newest safety features and traditional luxury appointments, Volvo has a winner with the all-wheel-drive S70 GLT sedan. If you like four-wheel-drive ability and superb traction, but also want a luxurious sedan to cruise around in, check out Volvo's newest S70. It's the best of both worlds.
