CarPlay Head Unit for Volvo S80 Mk1 P2 (1998-2006): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The first-generation Volvo S80 (P2 platform) was the saloon that put Volvo in the same league as the big German brands: a roomy body, some of the best seats on the market, five- and six-cylinder in-line engines and a level of safety that is still a selling point decades later. In Spain it sold mainly in 2.4, 2.5T and D5 versions, and you still see cars in great condition because they rack up the miles without breaking a sweat.

The weak point, by now, is the multimedia system. The original S80 P2 console was designed for cassettes, CD changers and, at best, a hands-free kit of its day: no trace of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or any usable navigation. A head unit made specifically for the S80 Mk1's double DIN slot solves all of that in one go, without wrecking the dashboard.

Does the Volvo S80 Mk1 (P2) come with CarPlay?

No. No first-generation S80 left the factory with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: those technologies came along long after this car was developed. What you could find, depending on trim and options, was:

• Cassette or CD radio (Volvo HU units) and, on higher versions, a CD changer in the glovebox or the boot.
• Premium audio system with a power amplifier and extra speakers on the best-equipped trims.
• Optional RTI navigation, with a pop-up screen on top of the dashboard and disc-based maps, completely outdated today.
• Period hands-free kits, in many cases without Bluetooth or with modules added by the dealer.

In everyday terms: for navigation you end up using a windscreen mount, music from your phone arrives through a cassette adapter or an FM transmitter, and calls sound mediocre. Exactly what a modern head unit does away with.

The solution: Android head unit for Volvo S80 Mk1

The head unit made specifically for the S80 P2 comes with a black fascia built for the original slot, so it respects the climate controls, the lower buttons and the lines of the dashboard. It includes:

• 9-inch IPS QLED touchscreen, with a far better viewing angle and brightness than any radio of that era.
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: your phone connects on its own as soon as you start the car.
• Built-in GPS with offline navigation, plus Google Maps and Waze from your phone.
• Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, with an external microphone included.
• Android with an eight-core processor and WiFi, so you can install Spotify, YouTube Music or your favourite radio app.
• DSP with a professional equaliser, very handy if you are keeping the Volvo's original speakers.
• Working steering wheel controls thanks to the CAN Bus adapter included.
• Rear and front camera inputs, plus ISO wiring, GPS module, microphone and mounting hardware.

Volvo S80 Mk1 compatibility: supported versions

The kit is designed for the first-generation S80, the P2 platform (1998-2006), across all its engines:

• Volvo S80 2.0T and 2.4, including the naturally aspirated 2.4 and the 2.4T.
• Volvo S80 2.5T.
• Volvo S80 2.9 and T6, the in-line six-cylinders.
• Volvo S80 D5 diesel, the most common one in Spain.
• Cars with the original double DIN radio slot, with or without the premium audio system.

Careful: the second-generation S80 (P3 platform) has a different dashboard and needs a different unit; for those cars and for the V70/XC70 of the same family there is the article on the CarPlay head unit for Volvo S80, V70 and XC70. If your Volvo belongs to another family, every model is covered in the guide to CarPlay screens for Volvo.

What is the installation like?

The S80 Mk1 is an easy car to take apart: the centre console comes out by hand and there are no integrated screens to complicate the job.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a few minutes before touching anything.
2. Remove the centre console trim with plastic pry tools, starting from the bottom so you don't break the clips.
3. Pull out the original radio (on many cars it comes out with extraction keys) and unplug the ISO and aerial connectors.
4. Connect the kit's ISO harness and CAN Bus adapter: that is what keeps the ignition signal, the lighting and the steering wheel controls working properly.
5. Place the GPS module under the dashboard, near the windscreen, and the microphone next to the rear-view mirror or on the A-pillar.
6. Run the rear camera cable back to the boot lid if you are going to fit one.
7. Fit the screen with its specific fascia and reconnect the battery.
8. Check CarPlay, Android Auto, FM radio, sound from every speaker, the microphone and the steering wheel controls before putting the trim back on.

It is a plug and play installation: there is no need to cut or splice any of the car's wiring, and the original unit can be refitted if you ever sell the S80.

How much does it cost to fit CarPlay in a Volvo S80 Mk1?

Through the official route there is no option: Volvo does not offer any update that adds CarPlay or Android Auto to a car of this generation. The alternative at a general workshop is fitting a standalone double DIN radio plus a fascia, ISO adapter and steering wheel module bought separately, piecing together parts from different suppliers and running the risk that the fascia does not sit properly in the Volvo's slot.

The kit made specifically for the S80 P2 arrives with everything matched from the start: custom fascia, ISO wiring, CAN Bus adapter, GPS module and microphone. That cuts down fitting time and avoids compatibility surprises. The memory options available and the current price are on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose the steering wheel controls?
No. The CAN Bus adapter included keeps volume, track skip and calls working from the wheel.

Does it work with the S80's premium sound system?
Yes. The screen plugs into the original ISO wiring and the built-in DSP lets you tune the sound to the car's speakers. On cars with a separate amplifier it is worth checking the connections during the fitting.

Does CarPlay work without a cable?
Yes, Apple CarPlay is wireless: after the first pairing your phone connects on its own when you start the car. Android Auto also works wirelessly on most compatible phones.

Is it suitable for an S80 with RTI navigation?
Yes, the radio slot is the same. The RTI pop-up screen simply stops being used, because all the navigation moves to the new screen.

Can a reversing camera be added?
Yes. The unit has rear and front camera inputs, and the image switches over automatically when you select reverse.

See the CarPlay head unit for Volvo S80 Mk1 (P2)

You will find all the photos, specifications and memory options on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for Volvo S80 Mk1 P2 (1998-2006). If you are not sure which version you have, send us a photo of your dashboard and the year of your car and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.