SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. - Everyone knows Volvos are safe. The Swedish car company practically invented the idea of occupant safety, introducing a long line of innovative safety features - including three-point seatbelts and rear-facing infant car seats - in the process. But can a Volvo be more than the automotive equivalent of bubble-wrap for you and the ones you love? If the introduction of the new Volvo XC90 V8 sport-utility vehicle is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes.

Once known as a builder of sturdy and practical vehicles, Volvo has in recent years enhanced its reputation with a slate of handsome new models. Now, the company is out to prove that its products can deliver world-class levels of luxury and performance that the company's founders could scarcely have imagined.