Volvo has been seriously upping its game over the past few years, with an entirely redesigned lineup of highly competitive premium models, and even an entirely new “Polestar” all-electric performance-luxury brand that’s designed to go head-to-head against Tesla.
Bridging the gap is “Polestar Engineered”, a performance division responsible for tuning Volvo’s regular crop of luxury cars. Late last year we saw the result of its engineering prowess, the S60 T8 Polestar Engineered that sold out so quickly we hardly realized it came and went, but it set the stage for two additional models we think will fare equally well, the upcoming 2020 V60 T8 Polestar Engineered and XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered.
“At Volvo Car Canada, we are very excited about the addition of the new Polestar Engineered products in our portfolio,” said Alexander Lvovich, Managing Director, Volvo Car Canada Ltd. “Polestar always played a special role in the Volvo business in Canada, as in the last 2 years we achieved one of the highest levels of Polestar optimized product sales in the world. We plan to fully capitalize on this upcoming opportunity to strengthen both Volvo and Polestar brands in Canada.”
Like last year’s S60 variant, the new Polestar Engineered cars once again use Volvo’s turbocharged, supercharged and electrified T8 Twin-Engine Plug-in Hybrid powertrain, which is specially tuned to produce 415 horsepower and 494 lb-ft of torque, 15 horsepower and 22 lb-ft of torque more than the regular T8 AWD power unit.
Updates to powertrain software allow torque to arrive earlier for quicker throttle response, while more of that power gets sent to the wheels in back for better all-round performance. To clarify, along with the boosted 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, the T8 drivetrain utilizes two electric motors (one up front and one in the rear), with a battery that’s both plug-in for pure electric driving over short distances, plus gasoline-electric hybrid powered.
Together with its rear-wheel biased handling, the new Polestar Engineered models received stiffer body structures from an Öhlins-designed front strut bar that allows for “more precise and responsive control,” according to a Volvo Canada press release, while Öhlins also provided a set of adjustable dampers that utilize special dual flow valves, which respond more “quickly to road imperfections.”
What’s more, six-piston Brembo calipers, painted gold in Polestar tradition, improve braking performance, while sets of lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels, unique to each of the three Polestar Engineered S60, V60 and XC60 models, add aggressive character while providing more air to cool those beefier brakes.
If you were hoping for aggressive aero upgrades, ducts and hood scoops plus other boy racer visual performance statements, the Polestar Engineered models take a subtler approach that should appeal to more mature clientele, with the only additional exterior modifications being high-gloss black for the grille, flared wheel arches, black chrome exhaust finishers, and small Polestar emblems front and rear.
Likewise, the new models’ cabins will receive a unique leather-wrapped sport steering wheel and shifter knob, metal mesh aluminum décor trim, gold seatbelts, special charcoal-coloured Nappa leather and “open-grid” textile seat upholstery, plus more.
The new 2020 V60 and XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered models will arrive this summer, but if you hope to own one you’ll need to contact your local Volvo dealer now, because if the S60 version is any indication to go by they’ll be snapped up quickly.
Story credits: Trevor Hofmann
Photo credits: Volvo