Volvo S80 - a new executive contender - On the road

There are five engines available. The latest 185bhp version of Volvo's all-aluminium 2.4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel becomes available in the company's flagship saloon for the first time.

With 295lb ft of pull across the important middle range of the rev band, it will offer effortless driveability, and if experience of it in other Volvos counts for anything, it will also have the refinement necessary to live with the excellent six-cylinder diesels on offer from Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes.

Volvo expects this engine to mop up 50% of S80 sales in the UK.

The 163bhp version of the same engine will again be available, while for petrol fans the line-up starts with the current 2.5-litre turbo, detuned by 5% to 200bhp.

Topping off the range is Volvo's first V8 saloon, powered by the 315bhp 4.4-litre engine available in some countries (and soon in the UK) in the XC90 off-roader, and an all-new 3.2-litre, in-line, six-cylinder engine developing 238bhp.

Expect to see it in other Volvos, as well as Jaguars, Land Rovers and possibly even Mazdas and Fords in the next couple of years.

The V8 comes with the four-wheel-drive system from the XC70 and XC90 and is the hotshot of the new S80 range (0-62 in 6.5 seconds and a limited top speed of 156mph).

Six-speed gearboxes are fitted across the range; the auto will be available with every model and all-wheel-drive will eventually be offered lower down the range.