IRVINE, Calif. — Volvo’s signature Scandinavian Luxury sedan has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS’s) top honors for vehicle safety in front, side and rear impact crash protection. Paired with Acura RL and Kia Amanti, Volvo’s S80 was one of the best performers. IIHS’s announced that “The S80 also earns the Institute’s 2007 TOP SAFETY PICK award for superior overall crash protections.” “Volvo safety has been over 80 years in the making. Our cars are born from a culture that believes in protecting those in and around everything we make,” states Anne Belec, President and CEO, Volvo Cars of North America. “Safety is a matter of cultural pride. Safety is not added on; it comes with the first kernel of thought when designing a new Volvo.” Volvo says its holistic, “Circle of Development” approach to safety starts from real world accident research, moving through to engineering, testing, manufacturing and coming back to real world accident research. Volvo’s protective and preventive safety includes: • Protective exterior safety – Protective safety in the new Volvo S80 is structured in the form of a network of exterior and interior safety systems that interact to reduce the risk of occupant injury in the event of a collision. The exterior systems have the task of distributing and absorbing incoming collision forces so that the passenger space is preserved as intact as possible. The body is therefore built in the form of a box-section structure using varying grades of steel, with all the components interacting to provide controlled deformation that reduces impacting energy to the human body. • Transverse mounted engines – Like the rest of Volvo’s offerings, the S80 features a transversely installed engine and front-wheel drive. Transverse engine installation provides a controlled deformation zone in the engine compartment and helps reduce the risk of engine intrusion into the passenger compartment in a frontal collision. Even the new V8 is transversely installed thanks to its extremely compact dimensions and effective packaging. • Interior safety – Interior safety systems assist in keeping the passengers securely in place to help maximize seat belt/airbag effectiveness and minimize the risk of serious injuries. In order to provide the most effective protection possible Volvo Cars has developed a number of unique systems. A new type of side-impact airbag makes Volvo’s patented SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) even more effective. Volvo also provides its Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) that activates in the event of a severe impact from the rear, when the front seat backrest and head restraint move together with the occupant’s body, thus damping its movement in much the same way the arms move rearward when catching a ball. For additional information on Volvo’s safety features, visit www.volvocars.com.
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