01 Jun 06
Have you spotted the deliberate mistake yet?
The XC90 in the pictures for this month's report may be mechanically identical to the one I've been running for the last few months but, in fact, it's a complete imposter and silver, not slate grey.
It's here because, as those who tuned in last month will know, my regular XC90 has a teensy little problem with its brakes. Just once, you understand, but it did come awfully close to landing me a bill for a new bit of Severn Bridge. And braking ability is something I take very seriously.
But not as seriously, as it turns out, as Volvo.
In very condensed form the facts were that after a fortnight of inactivity, followed by a slow crawl through London traffic, I drove it to Wales, where it nearly failed to stop for the aforementioned bridge. Two emergency brake tests conducted immediately afterwards failed even to make the ABS kick in, despite the wetness of the road, but at the third time of asking, the brakes recovered all their former bite and have remained beyond reproach ever since.
But naturally I needed Volvo's view of this strange behaviour and their view was they'd better have a look, pronto. Two weeks later they're still looking and its temporary replacement remains outside.
