Although the S80 is the flagship of the Volvo line, it is often overshadowed by the similarly sized and priced S60. The base S80 is offered with a 3.2l six-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive. The higher priced T6 model equips a more powerful turbocharged six-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive. The S80 has a healthy list of standard equipment befitting its near $40,000 price tag.

The V8 model has been discontinued. Both six cylinder engines gain a modest increase in power.