The Volvo V60 Polestar has just become even more potent thanks to a new engine and shared technology with the Polestar Touring Car Championship racing car.
By using the same base chassis and engine as its motorsport variant, the V60 has downsized from the previous 3-litre, turbocharged six-cylinder engine to a modified version of the 2-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine Volvo calls Drive-E.
Despite the loss of two cylinders, power is up from the old car’s 345bhp to 362bhp thanks to the combined fitment of a supercharger and a turbocharger. Torque has decreased slightly from 498Nm to 468Nm, but 0-62mph still drops from five seconds down to 4.8.
Claimed average fuel consumption climbs from 27.7mpg to 34.9mpg and CO2 output also drops from 237g/km to 186g/km thanks to the adoption of the new engine and its fuel-saving technology.
Its gearbox is an eight-speed version seen in other Volvo models such as D4 versions of the S60 and V60, but has been heavily reworked by Polestar for a performance edge.
Stopping power has been improved thanks to larger 371mm ‘floating’ brake discs at the front, which provide lower mass than conventional discs without sacrificing stopping power. The steering has been recalibrated by the Polestar team as well.
Power is still transmitted through the rear-biased all-wheel drive system, meaning balanced handling with astonishing traction and the ability to cope with the worst a British – or indeed Swedish – winter can throw at it.
Visually, the new 20-inch alloy wheels will differentiate this from the previous model.
The Volvo V60 Polestar is available to order now, with the first UK deliveries expected around November 2016 – just in time for winter.
While official pricing has yet to be announced, Volvo sources tells us it shouldn’t cost more than a few hundred pounds over the current V60 Polestar’s price, so it should still be around £50,000. Still want an Audi S4?
