Volvo S80 - a new executive contender - In the cabin

The interior, Volvo's best yet, is characterised by simple, clean surfaces, smooth, rounded interlocking sections, and high-quality materials (including four different wood or aluminium dash inlays, plush carpets, soft plastics and sumptuous leathers).

There's also something similar to Audi's MMI system for accessing the phone, stereo, satellite-navigation system and the set-up of various functions of the car.

It's housed in a new version of the S40's 'floating centre stack' – a slim panel, fastened to the dash at the top and the centre console at the bottom, with storage space behind.

It's no surprise that most of the S80's smartest advances fall within the area of safety.

The security system has a heartbeat sensor that tells you from a distance if any unauthorised person is inside – a feature that will be especially valuable to owners returning to the car in dimly lit areas.

The plipper also has a 'last function' memory, so if you are worried you've forgotten to lock the car, you can check even if you're in another country. What you can't do is rectify the omission if it tells you that your fears were correct.

The kind of anti-collision features that are becoming increasingly common on expensive cars will be available on the S80. They include adaptive cruise control that automatically maintains a safe distance to the car ahead, and a head-up collision warning, beamed on to the windscreen at driver's eye level, if it seems that a crash is about to happen.

What's described as a 'world-class' stereo system, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a plug-in socket for an iPod or MP3 player are other modern essentials you'll be able to order.