Volvo S60 T6 Polestar 2013 review

Another high-performance car has hit the high-performance scene in Australia - Polestar. Polestar is the tuning division of Volvo and joins Mercedes AMG, BMW M cars, even Holden HSV, in offering the excitement many Australian drivers crave.

In a stunning recognition of Australian drivers, Australia is the first country to receive the Volvo S60 Polestar. Just 50 have been assembled at this time and all have been allocated to our country.

The Swedish high-performance guys see Australia as being the most challenging market in the world, with a huge array of hot machines being sold here to those who appreciate the pinnacle of automotive excitement.

We attended the world debut in Brisbane and came away most impressed with the S60 Polestar. Putting its money where its corporate mouth is, Polestar and Volvo are going all out in the high-performance stakes by entering the V8 Supercar series in 2014.

“Australian V8 Supercar racing is the best in the world,” said Hans Baath, one of Polestar’s chiefs who came Down Under to introduce their new baby, “the racing is close and exciting and Swedish car enthusiasts love the TV coverage.”

Nissan and Mercedes AMG began competing against Ford and Holden in the new-generation V8 Supercars in 2013 and it will be great to see Volvo in there as well.

Of course, the V8 Supercars Volvo Polestar will be a pure racing machine, but we have just had a terrific couple of days in the road-going version of the car. Our particular car was the first off the line and appropriately numbered 01/50 on the plate on the steering wheel.

With a retail price of just $109,990 the S60 Polestar is powered by the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine we have admired in other Volvos. In this iteration it produces 350 horsepower (257 kW in Australian numbers) and over 500 Newton metres of torque.

DRIVING

Torque is the important thing in any engine. "Power sells a car, torque moves it," smiled Hans Baath. We just loved the endless stream of grunt produced by the straight-six. Throttle response is all-but instantaneous despite this being a turbo engine and the torque is at its peak all the way from 2800 to 4500 revs.

The automatic transmission is modified version of the standard Volvo six-speed unit and provides fast changes to match the engine. Overtaking is ridiculously quick and safe with an engine like this. All-wheel drive with sporting settings to ensure the correct torque is sent to each wheel and finishes off the excellent powertrain package.

As well as the sporting engine Volvo and Polestar have worked on the suspension, steering, brakes and body stiffening. This results in a sporting machine that will bring a smile to the face of even the most demanding of drivers.

Even more impressive than the sports sedan feeling is the way it copes with day-to-day driving. Ride comfort is almost as good as that of the standard S60 sedan.

Obviously the most impressive thing about the new Volvo S60 Polestar is its performance, but we were also amazed at how easy it is to drive in real life conditions. Hans Baath again, “This is a car for all seasons, all reasons, and all conditions.” He is so definitely right.

VERDICT

This is no hard-riding track-day special and we would be happy to use one as a daily commuter – with dreams in our head of taking it for that famed early-morning Sunday drive and/or to the racetrack on the same day.
 

Volvo S60 T6 Polestar

Price: from $109,950
Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo
Power: 257kW and 500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-drive
Thirst: 10.2L/100km
0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds