The locally-assembled S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription has finally been launched, exactly two months after Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) began taking orders for its flagship plug-in hybrid sedan. It’s available in two variants – Inscription and Inscription Plus, priced at RM368,888 and RM388,888 (OTR without insurance) respectively, undercutting the S90 T5 by RM20,000 and the S90 T6 R-Design by a full RM85,000!
As part of an ongoing promotion, VCM is giving a RM20,000 discount – that makes it RM348,888 for the Inscription and RM368,888 for the Inscription Plus – for those who make their purchases by October 31, 2017. In comparison, its closest rival, the locally-assembled Mercedes-Benz E 350 e,starts from RM392,888.
Like its twin-engined SUV counterpart, the S90 T8’s primary propulsion comes from a transversely-mounted twin-charged (that’s supercharged and turbocharged) 2.0 litre four-cylinder Drive-E engine capable of 320 hp at 5,700 rpm and 400 Nm of torque from 2,200 to 5,400 rpm. Power is exclusively sent to the front wheels through an Aisin-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.
Mounted over the rear axle is an 87 hp/240 Nm electric motor that powers the rear wheels, drawing juice from a 10.4 kWh lithium-ion battery (larger than the 9.2 kWh in the XC90). Boot space – all 500 litres of it – is not compromised because the battery is built into the centre tunnel in place of the propeller shaft, but there is no longer a space saver spare wheel. Instead, it comes with a temporary tyre repair kit.
Now for the juicy bits. Total system output is 407 hp and 640 Nm, enabling a century sprint time of 4.8 seconds. At full charge, the battery provides up to 50 km of pure electric range, and the combined fuel consumption is rated at 2.0 litres per 100 km (XC90 is 2.1 l/100 km) while emitting 46 grammes of CO2 per km. Top speed is capped at 250 km/h. There are four drive modes to choose from: Pure, Power, Hybrid and Individual.
Unique to the Inscription Plus is a set of electronically-controlled adaptive dampers (Four-C) for all four corners, with the rear axle getting air suspension. This automatically levels the car without regard to load and adapts to road and driving conditions. The Inscription, on the other hand, makes do with the same Dynamic Chassis as the S90 T5 with composite leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers.
On the outside, both variants are visually identical, with equipment such as full LED headlamps with Active Bending Lights and LED DRLs, LED taillamps, 19-inch 10-spoke diamond-cut wheels (same design as the XC90) wrapped with 255/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, Inscription front grille and rear badge as well as a charging port cutout at the front left fender.
Inside, you get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, heads-up display, a nine-inch touchscreen head unit, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel and dual-zone climate control with CleanZone air filtration system as standard. The Inscription trim comes with an electronic gearstick in the form of an illuminated crystal (made by Orrefors, a Swedish glassmaker), open-pore walnut wood trim and black Nappa leather upholstery with the word Inscription embossed onto the head restraints.
A 10-speaker high performance audio system (six-channel, 330 watts) is fitted as standard, but making its debut (and still exclusive to the Inscription Plus) is the Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system with 19 speakers, optimised by a 12-channel, 1,400 watt Class D amplifier with three presets – Studio, Stage and Concert Hall – that are specifically tuned to mimic the experience one gets at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.
For the audiophiles, here’s a breakdown of the sound system. It’s made up of seven 25 mm aluminium dome tweeters with Nautilus technology, seven mid-range speakers (100 mm front, 80 mm rear) with yellow Kevlar membrane, four 165 mm woofers with carbon/paper membrane and a 250 mm air ventilated subwoofer that is integrated into the rear subframe.
The head unit supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with Bluetooth audio streaming, but it’s best to play lossless formats that retain the full-bodied sound quality.
As for safety, both S90s are evenly specced and come with Volvo Intellisafe pack, beginning with adaptive cruise control with distance monitoring, City Safety with full auto braking, smart detection of cyclists, pedestrians and large animals, Run-off Road Mitigation, Park Assist with Park Assist Pilot (self-parking) and level two Pilot Assist, which basically drives the car for you up to 130 km/h. All these features work via a range of sensors, radars and camera that read road markings.
Both variants get Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, 360 degree surround view camera and a pair of two-step integrated booster seats as standard.
The S90 T8 Inscription is locally-assembled at Volvo’s Shah Alam plant, and that qualifies it as an EEV. Export plans are well underway – Thailand is already a recipient of the twin-engined XC90 and S90.
In Malaysia, each purchase comes with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty and five years of free Volvo On Call roadside assist. Service interval is at every 20,000 km. For a more detailed look at the car’s specifications, refer to CarBase.my.
GALLERY: Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus
Gallery: Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription
Kudos to Volvo Malaysia!
The closet competitor, Mercedes E350e, doesn’t even come close. Fan boys will still think Volvo and Mercedes and not the same class. They are right, Mercedes will not be able to match what Volvo is offering, at least in Malaysia.
RM368k = Brunei dollar 118K
So the only thing the Inscription Plus gets are the adaptive damper’s and bowers and Wilkins sound system? Rm20k extra from the Inscription. Is it worth it?
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
Stick with Toyota, janji got RV.
Air suspension boy
The amount of HP and class leading features for that price is just insane. BMW Malaysia and MBM short change their 530i and E350e in specs and rely solely on their brands to sell. Job well done VCM for setting the new class benchmark.
Awesome Volvo… Hopefully Proton get redesign of current model and equip with Volvo tech with affordable price for Rakyat.
Volvo tech for ‘affordable’ price? Dream on…the best you can expect is ‘reasonable’ price, what with having to cover back the r&d costs….
proton claim back billions of R&D reimbursement from taxpayer, and rebadge honda accord, suzuki ertiga, mitsu lancer.
volvo claim back how much R&D costs from swedish gov to produce this car ?
Lotus Volvo Geely > All
20k km service interval!!?? Volvo is asking for trouble! Just ask BMW Malaysia!
Agree…Sludge was the main issue and BmW chg to 10k service interval after that.
Inb4 S90 is almost the perfect car except the badge.
Volvo > all
Where’s your champion now Merc?
So pretty.
If only they ditch that steering shifters. Those are add-ons slapped onto local models, thus the design aren’t optimal like in other models.
What steering shifters? There are none for all Volvo Hybrids.
Value for money, if you have that much money to spend in the first place. No doubt, most will still go for the E Class just for the brand, but the specs on this Volvo makes it a tough for choice to consider. Wondering what price and specs the 5 Series PHEV will cost when it comes around. That Beemer has the driving dynamics advantage, the E Class and S90 dont have.
BMW’s PHEV and driving dynamics advantage does not go hand in hand (Maybe except the i8).
With the battery in the boot etc, the balancing is off for their PHEVs when compared to their pure gasoline models, a lot of extra weight in the rear.
The XC90 T8 is a good example, when in power mode, it is much more fun to drive than the X5 PHEV, even in corners.
X5 ine year sales itself more than 5 years volvo sales volume for all models.
Which speaks volume on badge sheep in Malaysia.
Doesn’t matter that they’re getting an inferior product, so long as it has that badge.
When butt is ugly, some sales people will say it has character. When sales is bad, some people said it is the badge problem. In actual fact, germans are still a step ahead. Consumer cannot be so innocence.
heybadigol has been brainwashed by bmw advertising . just because they advertise as so means automotically “Beemer has the driving dynamics advantage, the E Class and S90 dont have.”
Some parts of this article are difficult to read as they are printed over photographs…
Why la you make like that?
Yes u need to update your browser , my firefox cannot view this website properly need to use chrome. but other website no problem don’t know why…
This must be the cheapest luxury sedan $$$ can buy in Malaysia.
I dread to think of having dis car out of warranty…
the back remind me of perdana
Haters most likely never seen this car in real world.
I checked it out while they were displaying at One Utama, it’s such a handsome, imposing car. The rear is something different, it’s definitely attention grabbing with that interesting crab claw-ish design.
No manner what hoo hah made for every new volvo launch. Just see the sales result to judge the acceptance by malaysian. I have to be frank, i have not seen a single s90 on the road. Later some dude said merz, beemer and audi are bought by those poor guy, thats why you see many on the road.
Fatimah of course u havent ” seen a single s90 on the road” . the bloody car just announce price and not yet started delivery.
Crab…crab…Ahhh crabby Civic
Should have at least given it a 3 zone, if not 4 zone climate control. Would have preferred it over the B&W speaker option. Of course best if could have both.
Volvo said a 3- or 4-zone climate control is not available on the S90 plug-in hybrid, due to the battery pack being placed in the centre tunnel. Even the centre console box has been made shallower to accommodate the battery.
But last i check S90 T5/T6 also 2 zone with rear vents on B pillars not 3/4 zone, the centre is kosong on the rear.
I don’t think you need so many zones, this is a small car compared to XC90 dual zone should be sufficient. Anyways I think having a lot of zones is just a gimmick I normally leave all zone at the same temperature
It’s just all about options.
While many drive the car most of the time, occasionally some are also chauffeured. Those people seated at the back would prefer to have more control over their air-conditioning settings.
This S90 is a certified EEV that comes with EEV incentives, but why is it priced so close to the XC90 that doesn’t come with EEV incentives?
This price list shows that the XC90’s price includes excise duty (No EEV incentives).
https://s1.paultan.org/image/2016/06/Price-List-XC90-T8-CKD-4.jpg
u know that XC90 is oso PHEV?
in a luxury segment, you don’t put any value on brand?
Do you know why an LV bag cost so much more than, say, a Bonia?
there is alot of emotional selling in a luxury segment, not just about spec sheet… is how the purchase makes you feel…
Volvo are well known for their super expensive and long waiting list spare parts. I have a friend that is a mechanic, and drives a Volvo at the same time and yet he always advice us not to buy Volvo. Being able to afford a luxury car is one thing but to wait several weeks to months for spare parts is another.
You better pray you don’t knock your car or someone else doesn’t knocks into your car. If your Volvo does end up in the authorised workshop, then be prepare to lose your car for at least several months. If the old version Volvo waiting time is up to 4 months just to source for parts then please be prepared to expect 6 months waiting time for the new Volvo as their parts are even rarer.
If you can afford to buy a S90, then it will better for you to fork out a little more to get a Mercedez or BMW instead. At least their parts are slightly easier to obtain, cheaper than Volvo and their cars are slightly easier to maintain compared to Volvos. Most importantly Merc and BMW parts waiting time average out at several weeks to 2 months compared with Volvo 4 to 6 months.
Those people that thumbs down this comment are either ignorant or doesn’t own any Volvo before or a fool. I myself own a Volvo and I can tell you upfront that don’t ever get a Volvo for yourself.
The spare parts prices are worst than a Merc or BMW. Easily 15 to 30% more expensive compared to that 2 luxury brand. Worst part is those spare parts that got to do with engine, I have to wait 2 months for the SC to order the spare parts. The SC did gave me the option to source the parts on my own if I want it to be faster and such places will be those kereta potong parts. So yeah, no more Volvo for me now and in the future.
I would rather put that money and get myself a german.
So, the amber interior is not offered on the T8? Is it possible to get the local dealer to customise the interior to amber interior and black headliner? :)
Unfortunately, this is the only interior combo available for the CKD models. Why? Based on customer demand of the CBU models.
Car is well accessorized no doubt but horrendous after sales. Do you want to wait 4-6 weeks for parts? I own a Volvo XC60, and am speaking from experience.
Number of service centers have drastically dropped. The service center opposite Midvalley is shut down and now reroutes service to Glenmarie.
Only JB, Penang and shah alam have Service Centers. Guess for Geely and Volvo, all that matters is sales but later when the customer needs service or repairs, leave them to fend for themselves. Do a quick search at Volvo Malaysia’s website and see for yourself.
What’s the deal Volvo?