Polestar was most popular with Malaysians for its BTCC race cars and its Australian Supercars challengers.
Today Polestar is a division of Volvo Cars under the ownership of Geely and its primary concern is the electrification of Volvo Cars.
Yes, Volvo has taken its racing division and turned its expertise towards clean energy vehicles, with added power of course.
This is why the Volvo S60 sedan is Polestar’s debut and we were allowed to test drive their first product, the all new S60 T8.
Yes, Polestar Engineered cars make its debut with this all new Volvo S60 premium sports sedan.
Polestar Engineered tuning is also offered with the new V60 estate and XC60 SUV from next year, available globally in limited numbers via Volvo dealerships and Care by Volvo, the company’s premium car subscription service.
This might not yet be available in Malaysia as we are informed at this time.
So, what do you get from Polestar?
New lightweight wheels have an open design to show off the eye-catching golden-painted brake callipers, the new hallmark colour for Polestar Engineered components.
The Brembo mono-block brake callipers are cast in one piece and optimised for rigidity. The brake pads have increased heat tolerance while the brake discs’ slotted design further improves heat reduction.
The Polestar Engineered multi-link front and rear suspension incorporates premium Öhlins shock absorbers with a dual-flow valve that allows stiffening in the springs and dampeners while retaining comfort.
The strut bar and adjustable shock absorber design are shared with the Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid performance car.
So, how was the T8 engineered S60 on the road?
At the press test drive event in Los Angeles, Volvo had the T6 R-Design in their new signature red for us to sample as well as their T8 Polestar engineered version.
The T6 S60 which we test drove came with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with both a supercharger and turbocharger producing 235kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
It is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission and drives all its 4-wheels via a mechanical all-wheel drive system.
That was impressive enough to bring home to Malaysia. However, Volvo also handed us the keys to their “hero” S60, the T8 Polestar Engineered version which starts with the same combustion engine, producing slightly more power and torque (245kW and 430Nm of torque).
But that’s only the beginning though, because the T8 engine is paired to a 10kWh battery (mounted in the transmission tunnel of the car) and an electric motor on the back axle.
So, how does the Polestar tweaked S60 perform? First, it no longer feels like older turbocharged Volvos which had bags of power that hurled you down the tarmac when you called on it.
This new S60’s Polestar treatment delivers its power in a very instantaneous and “controlled” surge or power, mostly due to its 2,020 kg heft.
Its segment rivals, the Mercedes C34 and the BMW 330i will deliver excitement, yes, at every gear-change, but this S60 does it with more confidence inspiring awe.
It seems like a large-capacity engine block with large turbo bolted on when in reality it’s a 2.0L twin charge motor with Ohlins-tuned handling for precise handling.
The Brembo-installed brakes “bite” hard when requested and it was much appreciated on our mountain climb at insane law-breaking speeds.
Volvo S60 T8 Polestar Specifications
- Engine: 4-cylinders supercharged and turbocharged with electric motor
- Power: 415bhp
- Torque: 670Nm
- Capacity: 1998cc
- Transmission: 8-speed semi-auto
- Speed: 250km/h Limited
- 0-100km/h: 4.4secs
- Price: NA
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