Brilliant though it is as an exercise in advanced automotive engine design, the exquisite Yamaha V-8 engine is a total waste of money for 99% of the targeted buyers of the XC90. Nothing wrong with the engine, mind, or the execution; it’s just that it’s so completely unnecessary. I mean I played around with the massive acceleration a total of maybe 30 seconds during the entire seven days I drove the vehicle. You simply can’t use it here.
Frankly, I can hardly wait for a diesel-engine version to hit these shores. It will be as much or more fun to drive as the V-8 and should get double or triple the real world fuel economy. A new version of Volvo’s sturdy D5 inline 5-cylinder (20V) diesel engine is now available in XC90s sold in Europe. We need it here too.
