The 2008 Volvo S80 is a midsize luxury sedan with advanced safety technologies, excellent ergonomics and powerful T6 and V-8 engines. This flagship sedan combines Volvo's signature styling with the high-tech safety features for which the brand is renowned. The S80 lineup now adds the all-new T6, a turbo-charged six-cylinder with all-wheel drive. The 2008 Volvo S80 comes in three trims: 3.2, T6, and V8. All trim levels are eligible for the sport package, Dynaudio package and climate package.

The Volvo S80 3.2 trim comes with a 3.2-liter, inline six-cylinder engine producing 235 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The new T6 model gets a 3.0-liter, turbo-charged version that delivers 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The 4.4-liter engine of the S80 V8 is rated at 311 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. All trims use a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy ratings are 16 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on highways for the base 3.2 trim; and 15/23 mpg (city/highway) for the S80 T6 and V8.

The Volvo S80 loses its traditional boxy design with new headlamps that curve round the sides and upward. The famous diagonal-bar grille is larger, displaying the Volvo logo more prominently. The new sedan has increased legroom in the front and rear. Inside, the cabin is fitted with a super-slim center console, premium leather seating surfaces and real wood inlays. A power driver's seat with memory, power front passenger seat and power sunroof are among the list of standard amenities. Also included is a high-performance sound system with a six-disc CD changer, auxiliary input, MP3 capability, 160-watt amplifier and eight speakers. The world's first personal car communicator (PCC) is now standard on the S80 V8, and remains optional on other variants.

The Volvo S80 has standard features such as anti-lock disc brakes, front-seat side air bags, full-length side-curtain air bags, anti-whiplash front head restraints, pretensioners in all five positions, and a personal car communicator. The Volvo S80 earned the top rating of 'good' for both frontal-offset and side collision protection in IIHS crash testing. Adaptive cruise control, optional on all S80s, uses a radar sensor to measure the distance to vehicles ahead and to automatically adjust vehicle speed. Collision warning with brake support works in concert with the system, alerting the driver and applying the brakes if needed. The blind spot information system (BLIS) is another high-tech option. Cameras near the outside mirrors detect vehicles that might be in a blind spot and relay the information to the driver.