VOLVO XC90 T8 TWINS
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spot monitoring, seat belt pre-tensioners, anti-whiplash headrests and adaptive
cruise control. You even get ISOFIX mountings on both. There are so many other
design considerations too that if I were to write here, would require two more
pages of text. Many things are under the skin and don’t register. Why are the
doors so thick? So that in a side collision there is sufficient energy absorption
before the passenger is touched. Same reason why Volvo doesn’t offer self-
closing doors; I am told that in a side collision, the self-close door mechanism
housed within the door can actually pose a risk to the passenger.
Price
Both models are in the Rs. 30-35 million range depending on options, but
given our chaotic tax structure this could change at the drop of a hat, as our
policymakers decide they need to squeeze us more for their own gains. Stating
the price of a car with certainty is becoming an art form now. However, for what’s
on offer its decent value in our market given that you get a 400bhp luxury SUV.
Final Words
The Excellence would make a great company car for the top man or woman
who is always on the go, always working on the go and prefers to relax with a
glass of bubbly on the go as well. It can double as a mobile office (and recall
that some at the level would keep a bottle of scotch or similar in their office – as
is their entitlement). Given that traffic and commuting times in our country are
increasing day by day, it is not unimaginable that one could spend two or more
hours on the road, and in the Excellence, would be like spending it in your office
or living room.
The R-design is more likely to appeal to the top man or woman who still
enjoys driving, and may decide to buy it as a family vehicle rather than a
company transport. However there are many options in this market and price
bracket, and such a person may also choose to buy a lower-tier SUV for family
conveyance and a smaller, driver-focused car for driving thrills. So who would
buy the R-design?
There are Volvo aficionados in Sri Lanka who prefer nothing else but the
brand’s offerings, and when you take into account that this R-design was brought
down to order for a customer, there is a market for it, no matter how niche.
ABOVE: One of the 19 speakers
BELOW: Champagne glasses in the Excellence
PHOTOS CHAMILA PEIRIS