1999 Volvo S80 - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 1999 Volvo S80? MSRP: $35,820 - $40,385

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It must be a "new" Volvo because there are more boxy shapes, no more square angles.

Volvo’s model line has now been completely rejuvenated with the arrival of the S80. Everything you might remember from the Volvo S90 and its predecessor, the 960, has been changed – starting with the exterior design.

When the plans were approved to build the new car, there were four design proposals. Three of them had conventional Volvo lines; the fourth was far more modern and exciting. It came from Volvo’s design studio in California and was based on the environmental design study that Volvo ECC had launched in 1997 at the Detroit Auto Show. The designer of both models is Doug Frasher, a young American. While the front is still dominated by the trademark Volvo grille, there are soft lines in front which flow fluidly into the remainder of the car’s design. While the front is familiar, the back is not. The rear of the new Volvo S80 has a much more powerful identity now, so that nobody will mistake it for anything else. The designers extended the accent line all the way to the rear, where it creases the large rear taillights, creating a distinctive pinched "peak" at the top .

What immediately draws the attention inside the car is its roominess. They’re not only wide in the front, but also in the rear, which provides a lot of seating comfort. The rear bench is long and high, so tall passengers do not have to stick their feet under the front seats.

Fold-down rear headrests

1999 Volvo S80 seat safety

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