Polestar Pinnacle: Volvo Launches Its Quickest Models Ever

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Volvo set a corporate high-water mark for speed today by launching two new Polestar models, each with enough power to make a tenured Vermont professor blush.

Dropping two cylinders while gaining 22 horsepower, the upgraded S60 and V60 Polestars are part of Volvo’s effort to boost the visibility of its performance division.

The 2.0-liter Drive-E four-cylinder in the S60 and V60 Polestar (replacing the previous blown straight six) was worked over by Polestar engineers to make 367 horsepower and 347 pounds-feet of torque. The mill, which makes 240 horsepower in T5 models, gains muscle from a supercharger, larger turbocharger and air intake, and a higher-capacity fuel pump.

Four-wheel drive and a sport-tuned eight-speed automatic round out the package, along with the upgraded brakes and suspension you’d expect.

Using typical Scandinavian understatement, Polestar Chief Operating Officer Niels Möller called the cars “properly quick.” In reality, they’re the fastest production Volvos ever, making the run to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 4.7 seconds.

Volvo wants to flog the Polestar brand heavily in growing markets, and will be making the S60 and V60 Polestar in slightly larger numbers to back up that goal. At 1,500 units per year, it’s still a low-volume offering, but it’s better than the trickle that emerged after the first Polestar model went on sale in 2014.

Polestar Performance Parts recently became available on all Volvo models.

Volvo isn’t saying how many Polestars will be coming to North America, but there stands to be plenty of new buyers competing for those 1,500 units. As part of its growth strategy, Volvo will make Polestars available in 47 markets, up from 13.

Earlier this week, Volvo scored a PR coup when its V60 Polestar nabbed the safety car gig at future FIA World Touring Car Championship races.

[Images: Volvo Car Corporation]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Hummer Hummer on Apr 01, 2016

    Seems like a college design project, how far can we push this tiny hamster mill. Just give it a proper engine

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    • Heavy handle Heavy handle on Apr 04, 2016

      @heavy handle speedlaw, It's not even that complicated. Saab died because GM shut-down the factory and publicly wrote them off. They had their best sales year ever in 2006, again in 2007, and were doing great in early 2008. Everyone believed they were dead by the time they re-started production. GM then blocked the new owners from re-capitalizing the enterprise, probably because the 9-5 was a very serious threat to the Insigna in Europe (the Insigna was the only model keeping the lights on at Opel). Saying they were always doomed is absurd, like saying Audi was doomed in 1992, or Subaru was doomed in 1998. It's not a morality play, just business. History has shown that Saab's turbocharged 4 cylinder tech was the way to go, every successful premium brand has copied them since.

  • Sfvarholy Sfvarholy on Apr 01, 2016

    Oh. It's most certainly NOT anything that Audi or BMW or Daimler-Benz would do. Not at all. ((rolls eyes)) Full disclosure: Volvo owner.

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