Riksgränsen, Sweden. About 30 journalists from Canada, Spain and Italy are gathered in Riksgränsen, Sweden -- in the heart of Eastern Laponia -- to take part in winter tests. The weather is beautiful... and cold: minus 23 degrees Celcius. We're approximately 160 kilometers north of the North Pole (in latitude).
We left the Kiruna airport at the end of the afternoon. Here, the sun rises at 9 a.m. and sets at about 3:30 p.m. Kiruna is the country's northernmost city and largest mining town, with iron ore extraction being the key industry. It's also home to Volvo's winter test center, because temperatures often drop below minus 40 degrees.
To get to Riksgränsen, Volvo put at our disposal a number of S80s featuring an inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine (which has yet to be offered in Canada). Our tester was equipped with studded tires. We drove for more than 140 kilometers in the dark.
Thanks to its all-wheel drive system, the car enjoyed an easy time on E10, a two-lane main road. Smooth, powerful yet civilized, the S80 surfs on the road without beating about the bush. It also offers excellent comfort. So far, my only criticism goes to the range of the low-beam headlights. While they do a good job of illuminating the lower sides of the vehicle, they do not stretch far enough. However, the high beams provide a clear view of the road ahead.
When we get back to Kiruna, on Wednesday, we'll see how the S80 behaves on the ice. Stay tuned.
photo:Volvo
We left the Kiruna airport at the end of the afternoon. Here, the sun rises at 9 a.m. and sets at about 3:30 p.m. Kiruna is the country's northernmost city and largest mining town, with iron ore extraction being the key industry. It's also home to Volvo's winter test center, because temperatures often drop below minus 40 degrees.
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To get to Riksgränsen, Volvo put at our disposal a number of S80s featuring an inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine (which has yet to be offered in Canada). Our tester was equipped with studded tires. We drove for more than 140 kilometers in the dark.
Thanks to its all-wheel drive system, the car enjoyed an easy time on E10, a two-lane main road. Smooth, powerful yet civilized, the S80 surfs on the road without beating about the bush. It also offers excellent comfort. So far, my only criticism goes to the range of the low-beam headlights. While they do a good job of illuminating the lower sides of the vehicle, they do not stretch far enough. However, the high beams provide a clear view of the road ahead.
When we get back to Kiruna, on Wednesday, we'll see how the S80 behaves on the ice. Stay tuned.
| Volvo Winter Testing Part 2 - driving the XC70 |
| Volvo Winter Testing Part 3 - tested in the S80 |
photo:Volvo