Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
BEING a motoring journalist, I have been afforded numerous fantastic opportunities that would never have been available to me had I pursued a different career path.
However, few, if any, surpassed my experiences with the new Volvo S90 in Oman recently. The good folk from the Swedish marque flew out a small group of eager motorists to Muscat and put us up in the swanky Shangri-La resort in preparation for our day of activities with the car.
Unfortunately with a flight in the very early hours of the morning because the editor insisted I helped put the paper to bed rather than myself, there was barely time to grab 40 winks, never mind hit the beach, before shovelling down an omelette and a croissant and heading to the car park to pick up my ride.
I quickly found myself reaching for my sunglasses as the blazing sun bounced off the shiny, sleek bodywork and laser-beamed towards my tired eyes. With drivers paired up, I opted to take the passenger seat r the first stint so that I could enjoy the scenery of this beautiful country.
I had never been to Oman before, but I had heard tales from many people that it was the most scenic location in the Gulf, and they were not wrong. Glorious turquoise ocean on one side and mountains … ‘Mountains, Gandalf!’ … I’d almost forgotten they existed having been in Bahrain so long) on the other, Muscat is a special city.
The stitched leather seating made for a perfect spot to daydream out the window, which was rolled down so I could enjoy the fresh breeze on the warm day, with its cushioned lumbar support and ample leg room front and-back.
We arrived at a small valley where the water came in between the mountains and stopped for a much-needed refreshment. We took some pictures at the very scenic spot before I prepared myself for my turn to drive … and it turns out I chose the best stint as I got the twisty, scenic mountain paths!
Being a passenger was one thing, but driving this seductive saloon was something else. If there is one word to describe the S90, it’s ‘smooth’. Whether it was shufling dn umpy desert tracks, cruising along major, newly-laid highways, or cutting swathes through rock behemoths, the car glided across the surface.
Volvo may be a relatively new entrant into the sedan market, having been more associated with estates and SUVs, but if this car is an indication of their plans then opinions may quickly change.
All of the features you’d associate with more ‘traditional’ luxury contenders in this segment, were present here, but with a fresh, ergonomic design. Furthermore, there’s the added peace of mind of Volvo’s safety standards.
Although I’m often frightened to go above a crawl in a test drive car since the car is not my own, I had full faith that if something did happen on the
tight, twisty roads which often have blind turns and steep drops, then I would be in safe hands.
In fact, I almost put one of the s flagship eatures and a rd first t the test That is the large animal detection - a system capable of detecting large animals such as elk, horses or moose, night or day.
The technology offers an intuitive warning and brake support to help avoid a collision, which almost occurred when we drove through a village and a stray donkey veered onto the road. Luckily, I had space to go around the poor fellow, but the car behind was not so lucky later on when a goat decided to park itself in the middle of the road and refused to be budge even with a dose of honking and some arm-waving persuasion!
After a stop for lunch on the beaches of a remote hotel resort, the best part of the day was upon us. With Shangri-La programmed into the on-board navigation, we were given free roam to drive about the city as long as we got back to the hotel at a decent time.
Although, just before we could set off, we were told to drive along in formation so an overhead remotecontrolled drone – which looked like something out of a ide game cud fim us for promotional footage!
This freedom allowed me the chance to go at my own pace and test various features of the car, such as the acceleration from the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain, the hugely sensitive brakes and various autonomous driving features.
It was with a tinge of sadness that I parked into the bay back at Shangri-La and handed the keys over, but I soon perked up when I realised I had enough time to jump in the sea and have an afternoon snooze on a sunbed.
Followed by a slap-up steak dinner at an amazing restaurant (eat your heart our Szecowka, Sir) and this as definitey ne of my favourite trips and road-testing experiences.
Hopefully, next time I can go for longer!
