Roadtrip Around Florida Keys With The Volvo S90 T6 Inscription
After settling down in Florida Keys, we now have to get into gear and fix S/V Empress so we could get moved into our new home. A lot of repairs needed to be done. We had Empress since May 13, 2017, and two weeks after that, we had accomplished quite a lot of important jobs – sanding & repairing the exterior for antifouling paint, painting the white finish of the interior, re-designing the pumping system, minor rudder repair, cleaning and arranging all the old tools and spare parts that came with the boat. Now we’re getting ready to add the new floor, wall and ceiling coverings. Woohoo!
Jonathan has been doing a lot of sketches and designs for new stainless steel bow and stern railing, as well as a new frame over the cockpit where the solar panels will be mounted. We are also planning to fit a new roller furling headsail system to make Empress easier to sail single handed. Also, one major change we are very excited about is the new composting toilet, which will be cleaner and greener than the current holding tank system. (Ha, learning a lot of new technical words! Haha!)
We still have a LOT to do, but Jonathan can definitely do it on his own. Our plan is to cross the Pacific Ocean by February-March 2018! This is going to be a HUGE PROJECT but we’re really excited!
Fixing our sailboat requires A LOT of moving around, buying things, loading them, and running errands, good thing we’re now using the Volvo S90 T6 Inscription! ❤
VOLVO S90 T6 INSCRIPTION’S STYLING AND INTERIOR
Inscription in Volvo means an entirely different level of luxury in a car. When a Volvo car is an Inscription, It means that it is the most luxurious trim available that combines Scandinavian design and materials with perfect execution and performance.
The exterior of the S90 is luxuriously sporty. Haha. Can you imagine that? I made it up but really, that’s what I thought when I saw it! You know that feeling when you have a new car you just wanna stare at it all day? That’s the feeling it gave me. Just touching the edges of the car made me feel yayamanin.
Staring at its magnificent beauty all day already feels luxurious, but getting inside the car and driving it is an entirely different story– I felt like I was ushered into the business class section of a high-end air carrier (No flight stewardess though! :P). The seats are made of a premium quality leather finish (I can tell by the scent!), leather gear shift, leather steering wheel, basically almost everything leather! The inlay is mMade from birch trees grown in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, with a unique flame-shaped grain pattern created by natural conditions. It has a glossy clear coat that sets off the cool grey colour.
The sound system is excellent. The Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins brings exceptional clarity and realism to the music. It looks like a bunch of tiny Bluetooth speakers (19 in total) integrated into the cabin architecture which give such a pristine sound.
The 8-inch driver display is top of the line. It shows all the relevant driver information including navigation directions, telephone, and actual road signs. It features one big central instrument that is surrounded by additional information displays. It has a 360° view camera which gives a wide eye view of the area surrounding the car.
The Apple Carplay and USB hub is so convenient to use – it’s just like using your smart phones. The iPhone can be controlled via the touch screen, steering wheel controls or by Siri voice commands via the cars’ audio system. The seats are adjustable using the LCD screen. Every single display and button inside the car are digital too! 🙂
DRIVING AND PERFORMANCE
Driving has never been this smooth and luxurious with the Volvo S90 T6 Inscription. There’s a function that allows you to choose between different drive modes for the engine, transmission and the optional air-suspension – Comfort, Eco, Dynamic, and Individual mode. It also has an Eight-speed Geartronic Automatic Transmission feature which ensures that you’re always using the right gear – whether it’s for optimal engine response and driveability, or for a smooth driving experience with the highest fuel-efficiency.
There were times that we wanted to go full-speed but the was so much traffic! But we’re sure that the Volvo delivers on that front too 🙂
SAFETY FEATURES
Aside from the Alarm System, the Volvo S90 has these ingenious features that we absolutely love: Automatic Braking Collision Avoidance, Active High Beam, City Safety Collision Avoidance Technology, Blind Spot Information System and Cross Traffic Alert, Distance Alert, Collapsible Steering Column, Emergency Brake Lights, and Side Impact System, among many other things.
The Road Sign Information System Feature detects road signs ahead with the forward camera; In case of a collision, the front & side airbags will instantly inflate, the safety belts will tighten within a fraction of a second, and with Volvo’s unique Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) integrated in the front seat, it will automatically cradle the spine and neck in a controlled manner. Since its introduction in 1998, it has helped reduce long-term consequences of collisions by more than 50%.
It likewise has a semi-autonomous driving system. We were on our road trip to Miami, and every time we drifted out of our lane, the car would steer itself back into the lane and give us a warning – it then told us to apply proper steering control. It asked us to apply steering one more time and then that’s when the auto-steering was turned off. It’s just amazing! I am completely in awe. Haha!
Now, if there’s a Smart Phone, this Volvo S90 T6 Inscription is definitely an intelligent car. ❤
The vehicle was provided to us free of charge to review by Volvo . However, all opinions and ideas are our own!
CAR RENTAL TIP: We always try to rent our own car when we travel, so that we can explore off-the-beaten-path places on our own schedule. Check out the best deals on rental cars for your trip and explore your independence! Check cheap prices here, now!
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