volvo_s90_05Volvo sprung up a surprise when the XC90 broke cover last year. A complete departure from the existing designs of the Swedish car maker, it was nothing short of Wow!!  And the company hasn’t stopped there. Say hello to the new S90 sedan, Volvo’s challenger to the Merc E-Class, BMW 5-Series, Audi A6 and the Jag XF. The Volvo S90 is the second model to be based on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) after the XC90. The S90 is now the flagship model for the car maker, replacing the ageing S80. We were in sunny Jodhpur to get a first taste of this new Scandinavian and see if its rivals have a need to worry.volvo_s90_02 volvo_s90_03volvo_s90_30The Volvo S90 is based on the Concept Coupe that was unveiled three years ago. Cars always end up looking great when the production versions carry forward design elements from their concept. And Volvo has done exactly that. The similarities with the concept are clearly visible. The car is the longest in its segment and that gives it immense street presence. The long bonnet gives it a very stately look. It gets all LED headlamps with automatic bending function. And how can we forget the super cool Thor Hammer daytime running lights, which are now a trademark of Volvo’s new design language.  The front grille is inspired from the classic P1800 ES. It features 23 suspended vertical concave slats and large Volvo logo in the centre. The front bumper is more elegant than aggressive and features chrome inserts. The side profile reveals the sloping roof line and the short boot gives the S90 a fastback type styling. A chrome strip runs across the lower side of the car from front to rear and features the Inscription lettering at the front. The rear is chunky and features large C shaped tail lamps, that look unlike anything else in the segment. Volvo lettering runs across the boot lid between the tail lights. Dual exhaust pipes are integrated with the rear bumper. Volvo equips the S90 with 10 spoke 18 inch diamond cut alloy wheels. They look very classy compared to the not so exciting alloy designs by the competition in the segment these days. There’s wide rubber too. Our test car came shod with 245/45 R18 Pirelli rubber. Overall the design of the Volvo S90 feels very sophisticated.volvo_s90_28 volvo_s90_29 volvo_s90_14 volvo_s90_15Continued…