After receiving such a warm response to its Volvo S60 Polestar Concept Car, Polestar has announced it will put a limited number of cars into production – featuring just 350bhp compared to the concept’s 508bhp.
Based on Volvo’s six-cylinder turbo-charged T6 engine, it’s been upgraded with a bigger turbo, new intercooler, revised engine mapping and racing exhaust to produce 350bhp and more than 369lb-ft (500Nm) of torque.
Featuring a Polestar-tuned six-speed automatic gearbox – which also features a launch control – and a Polestar-tuned Haldex 4WD system, the S60 Polestar accelerates from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds, reaching an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.
“We have built a car that we, as car enthusiasts, want to drive,” says Christian Dahl, Managing Director of Polestar. “This is a driver’s car, bringing out the very best of the already competent Volvo S60 chassis with our experience and technology from motorsport.
“We received a fantastic response to our Volvo C30 and S60 Polestar concept cars, so we are very happy to now introduce our first production car to the Australian market. This is an important step forward for Polestar, one that promises an exciting future.”
SEE ALSO: Volvo’s 501bhp S60 Polestar celebrates a new era of Swedish touring cars
If the engine isn’t quite up to the fanfare of the Concept model, the upgraded chassis survives relatively unscathed.
Polestar Öhlins 2-way adjustable dampers are assisted by upgraded springs (80% stiffer than stock), while the suspension has been extensively upgraded with new front and rear stabilizers, new rear tie blades, stiffer front and rear top mounts, a carbon fibre reinforced strut brace and stronger rear toe-link arms.
The six-speed automatic gearbox now shifts significantly faster and receives a new launch control function, while Volvo’s Haldex 4WD system has been tuned to deliver more torque to the rear.
A new aerodynamic package has been developed including a front splitter, rear wing and diffuser – all having been tweaked and modified in Volvo’s wind tunnel and in collaboration with the Volvo Research and Development team.
Volvo Polestar Racing driver Robert Dahlgren, who has been an integral part of the development work, said “We have taken the best bits of the standard S60 T6 and our S60 Polestar Concept Car, creating a vehicle that puts a smile on your face when you drive it over your favourite twisty road. At the same time, it is more than capable of everyday driving, too.”
The first cars will be delivered to (Australian) customers in late June 2013, while Volvo and Polestar assess its viability in other markets. Given the UK’s compatibility as a right-hand drive market now’s the time to petition your local dealer and ‘demand’ it comes here also.
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