---
title: "A Commanding Presence"
description: "Road presence. Either you have it, or you don’t. The new Volvo S90 sedan exudes effortless cool thanks to its assertive—and uniquely Swedish—take on luxury car design. Here’s how their designers pulled it off."
date: "2016-06-13"
modified: "2016-06-13"
authors:
  - name: "The Foundry at Time Inc."
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/the-foundry-at-time-inc"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/3958/a-commanding-presence"
categories:
  - "News"
---

# A Commanding Presence

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide2_170077_800x600_library_0.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

![Bold Stance](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide1_170100_1920x1080_library.jpg>)
*Bold Stance*

*, Wider, longer, and lower than other sedans, the Volvo S90 boasts a stance that quietly draws attention. The perfectly proportioned sedan combines traditional automotive elegance with modern technological advancement.*

![Coupe-like Silhouette](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide2_170077_1920x1080_library.jpg>)
*Coupe-like Silhouette*

*, The S90’s sporty silhouette features a roof line that peaks just above the driver and then slopes downward to the trunk, giving the sedan the feel of a two-door. This is no surprise, of course, considering the seeds for the S90 were planted when Volvo floored the automotive world with its Concept Coupe in 2013 to introduce the 89-year-old carmaker’s game-changing design initiative.*

![Commanding Grille](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide3_8_1920x1080_burnett.jpg>)
*Commanding Grille*

*, The face of the S90 harks back to one of Volvo’s design benchmarks: the Volvo P1800. This distinctive grille, marked by its 23 concave bars, is a clear nod to that iconic mid-century vehicle. Combined with its long dash-to-axle ratio and short overhang, the new S90 makes a subtle yet strong connection between its illustrious heritage to its design-forward future., *DW Burnett/PUPPYKNUCKLES**

![Thor’s Hammer Headlights](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide4_13_1920x1080_burnett.jpg>)
*Thor’s Hammer Headlights*

*, Even the S90’s swept-back daytime running lights exude a quiet confidence. The unmistakable “Thor’s hammer” T-shape, a hallmark of Volvo’s new design direction, proudly announces this vehicle’s presence—and helps bring a sense of might to even the most mundane of morning commutes., *DW Burnett/PUPPYKNUCKLES**

![Scandinavian Elegance](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide5_16_1920x1080_burnett.jpg>)
*Scandinavian Elegance*

*, With decades of unmatched leadership in safety, Volvo opened the door to a new world of design possibilities with its Scalable Product Architecture, giving the Swedish carmaker the freedom to create vehicles with a wide range of proportions, powertrains, and features. Volvo designers and engineers set a high-water mark with the S90, a luxury sedan that embraces the clean lines and confident beauty of fine Scandinavian design., *DW Burnett/PUPPYKNUCKLES**

![Smart Power](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/volvos90_roadpresence_slide6_124742_1920x1080_library.jpg>)
*Smart Power*

*, Nothing breeds confidence quite like getting more for less. And that’s exactly what you get when you press the pedal on the S90’s efficient, supercharged and turbocharged two-liter engine, which delivers the performance equivalent of larger displacement offerings. Translation: lower fuel costs and emissions with a fulfilling driving experience.*

### Author social links