Volvo
dealer Wearnes Automotive Hong Kong has concluded the July vehicle launch offensive on
the 29th with the successful launch of the new S90 premium sedan, one week
after its private showroom preview.
Further,
along with the S90 the facelifted V40 was also deployed at the scene,
complemented by big-name celeb guest appearances. We were told earlier the T6 Inscription
(320hp, 4WD) would stay at the showroom and only the T5 Inscription (254hp, FF)
would make it to the launch/roadshow ground, meaning those who attended the VIP
preview were presented with the better of the crop. But even so, the T5 has attracted a trove of
family visitors whose small ones appeared to have been smitten by the interior’s
spaciousness and the soft, perforated nappa leather.
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| Not all audiences agree with the V40-like rear trunk door/bumper config on the S90, unlike the V90's more traditional type |
S90 T5/T6 Inscription
Wearnes
says the S90 emphasises not only comfort, luxury and safety, but also equipment
specs which beat some other competitors, along with competitive pricing. Starting from around $570k the T5 Inscription
costs similar to that of Mercedes’ E200 (W213), but perceptually feels larger with
the feel of a boss-grade limo, thanks to the roomier rear cabin space and the deep
trunk, complemented by minimalist design complete with top-notch leather and
wood inlays. Up-to-date interior tech is
exemplified by the 12.3” full TFT driver’s cluster and centre stack 9”
portrait-array touchscreen display, while the surround camera, B&W speaker
upgrade (bundled with centre console-mounted CD drive), and rear air suspensions
are a T6 exclusive and optional on the T5.
Good news is that the first fifteen T5 units will come bundled with the
B&W speakers, according to dealer staff.
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| Generic dashboard design as in XC90 |
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| Small centre armrest-through hatch must be unlatched from rear trunk; 40/60 split seatback folding is there but unlatch handle/buttons are nowhere to be seen |
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| Deluxe and wide rear armrest complete with storage and cup holders; load-through hatch is a bit too small though |
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| Nice graphics and simple design with driver's digital cluster, but display seems to switch to power-saving mode at most times, when stationary and with keys off the vehicle's perimeter |
The
better-equipped T6, meanwhile, will cost around $800k, while the top-notch
plug-in hybrid T8 grade (407hp, e4WD) -- expected to be offered in Inscription and
R-Design trims only as on the XC90 T8 -- will arrive early next year along with
the V90 wagon lineup's debut, pending final pricing on both.
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| There's no place other than the centre console storage area to place the CD drive, bundled with the B&W speaker upgrade but apparently not available in base speaker specs |
V40 T4 Inscription
On
the other side of the spectrum, the updated V40 consists of minor interior,
exterior, and equipment updates, as exemplified by the front fascia with Thor
hammer style LED lights, updated Sensus connectivity interface, and City Safety
auto-braking, while auxiliary parking assistance is optional.
The
dealer has revealed in discussion forums that the local V40 lineup will remain in T4
grade (190hp, 6AT) only, due to the higher purchase cost of the T5 (245hp, 8AT). Starting from around $300k the T4 is offered
in base Inscription and R-Design trims, with the latter adding sports body
styling, perforated leather and rear camera for an additional $50k, plus other
standalone options.
Brief up-close impressions
Local media test driving of the S90 T5 has been complete as of date, with newspaper media already published their impressions; magazine reviews will take a bit longer and may include comparo tests as well. MGJMW regrettably didn't get to be involved in such process but we managed to have examined the interior amenities and features and are generally satisfied with the specs; although, on the demo T5 we couldn't locate the unlatch handles/switches etc. for the rear 40/60 split seatback folding, even though we've been assured the feature is there. Meanwhile, the centre control interface does takes practice to be proficient, and that the display is in power-saving mode (ie. with reduced contrast and brightness) when stationary.As for legacy media compatibility, the inclusion of CD player inside centre console storage is a must for mature grown-up users, even though storage space will be cut by nearly half. However, instead of being bundled in the B&W speaker upgrade only, perhaps shouldn't Volvo consider standardising it in all speaker configurations? We wouldn't mind the drive's vertical positioning nor the awkward CD insert position, as long as it can play CDs properly without skipping or whatever.
Think current in-car entertainment is not just about connected music transfer or so? No way, let alone a Volvo.
There's more than just the cars......
MGJMW may not get to attend to the S90 in full capacity, but from the shopping mall launch we did see a few interesting (if not jaws-dropping) things from such occasion. We'll discuss those observations later in a separate post.S60 Polestar To Be Next To Arrive?
With Wearnes inaugurating its revamped showroom location (operative since late June) in mid-August it seems that the MY2016 S60 Polestar hotrod may finally gets its due date here, even though there's still no word on the V60 Polestar's ETA. In fact, the Polestar models are some of the main attractions in town for the second half of the year, before which pre-sales reservations were reported to be very strong, with only just one quota left for HKDM at the time of this publication.Does that mean the S60 Polestar, limited to just 1500 units worldwide and features a high-pressure turbo- and supercharged I-4 with 367hp, be sold out before it gets officially unveiled in town? Exact pricing has also not been announced either, but will the dealership be able to keep it at the $700-800k range? And besides that, how good is the revamped showroom in terms of design and service? Stay tuned to this blog for more updates.
