Volvo S60 Polestar 508 HP

The first thing you will need to know about the performance version of the S60 is that it is a one off model developed by Volvo Cars Official Motorsports and its racing and tuning partner Polestar for an as of yet unnamed client.

 While some sources believed that it may use the XC90's Yamaha built V8, Polestar based the car on the S60 T6.

The regular model is motivated by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six delivering 300hp (304PS) to all-four wheels for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h (155mph).

The Swedes, however, made a whole lot of changes to the inline-six including modified cylinder head, combustion chambers, inlet manifold and air intake along with a larger Garret 3171 turbo, and as a result, the engine produces 508-horsepower at 6,500rpm and 575Nm (424 lb-ft) at 5,500rpm.

Polestar then lowered, widened and reinforced the chassis and also tuned the Haldex all-wheel drive system and Öhlins suspension and fitted the car with bigger Brembo brakes. Power is channeled to the wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The company quotes a 0 to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of just 3.9 seconds and a top speed in excess of 300km/h (186+mph).

By comparison, the current Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG that is powered by a 451hp (457PS) 6.3-liter V8 hits 100km/h in 4.4 seconds and tops out at 250km/h (155mph - electronically limited).

On the outside, the S60's body was widened by 20mm on both ends and features a styling kit comprising flared wheel arches housing 19-inch rims in 265/30 R19 tires, a new front bumper with a splitter, side skirts, a discreet boot lid spoiler and a new rear bumper with a diffuser.

As for the interior, the performance S60 gets Polestar designed sport seats with increased support, Alcantara on all functional areas such as the steering wheel, gear knob, and seats plus a lowered center console lowered for improved gear-lever ergonomics.

Robert Dahlgren, Volvo Polestar racing driver, commented after taking the car for a spin:

"To me the Volvo S60 is a very well sorted car from start. In our concept car we have developed chassis, engine and transmission just like we want it, and the result is a huge leap forward in terms of handling and performance. It is, by far, the most impressive street Volvo I’ve ever driven. But I must also say that the genuine Volvo feeling is still there."

Technical specification
Performance

---

• 0-100 km/h 3.9s
• Top speed more than 300km/h

Engine

---

• Volvo T6 inline six (B6304T4)
• 508 hp @ 6500rpm
• 575Nm @ 5500rpm
• Max rpm: 7100
• Modified cylinder head and combustion chambers
• Modified inlet manifold and air intake
• Special manufactured conrods
• Garret 3171 turbo
• Ferrita 3.5” stainless steel exhaust system

Drive train

---

• Reinforced M66C (close ratio) manual 6-speed gear box.
• Haldex E-LSD in rear
• Haldex Gen4 XWD

Chassis

---

• Tires 265/30R19
• Rims Polestar 9,5X19”
• Chassis lowered 30mm
• Öhlins 3- way shock absorbers
• Reinforced anti-roll bar front and rear
• Track width increased 20 mm front and 40 mm rear
• Polestar-tuned EHPAS steering
• Stabilising X- members, front and rear.
• Modified control-arms with uniballs front and rear.
• Reinforced bushings in sub-frame and control-arms
• Modified engine mounts

Weight

---

• Total weight 1640kg and optimized weight distribution

Brakes

---

• Front Polestar-Brembo 6 piston calipers, 380 mm ventilated discs
• Rear Polestar-Volvo calipers, 302 mm ventilated discs
• Brake cooling air intakes from front

Aerodynamics

---

• Based on tests in Volvo’s wind-tunnel
• Lowered front splitter and larger rear spoiler to reduce high speed lift
• Carbon fiber diffusor
• Body 20 mm widened front and rear

Interior

---

• Polestar designed seats with increased support. Alcantara on all functional areas steering wheel, gear knob, and seats to ensure maximum grip.
• Centre console lowered for optimised gear-lever ergonomics.

Read More

Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid Concept

 The Swedish car manufacturer announced that it would soon be adding another plug-in hybrid in its range, this time based on the XC60 crossover featuring a gasoline (instead of a diesel internal combustion engine like the V60 PHEV).

Although officially it's still a concept, Volvomakes no attempt to hide the fact that in reality it is a forerunner of the production version which will follow and, by its own admission, is aimed squarely at the U.S. market.

“The gasoline plug-in hybrid is ideal for the American motorist who wants an electric car while at the same time retaining all the power and capacity that comes in his or her present vehicle”, said Volvo’s President and CEO Stephen Jacoby.

The XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept features a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine up front, with an output of 280HP and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque that’s driving the front wheels through a new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Like the V60 PHEV, its rear wheels are driven by a 70HP electric motor powered by an 11.2 kWh lithium-ion power and the driver can select all-wheel drive at the push of a button. The system's combined output is 350HP enough to accelerate the car from 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) in just 5.8 seconds when the “Power” mode is selected.

The hybrid XC60 can be propelled solely by the electric motor for about 45 kilometers (28 miles) with zero emissions when the “Pure” mode is selected.

The default “Hybrid” mode provides an average consumption of just 2.3 lt/100 km (102.2 mpg US), a maximum range of up to 960 km (600 miles) while emitting just 53 g/km of CO2.

The hybrid XC60 bears a “T8” designation in order to demonstrate that its performance is comparable to that of a conventional eight-cylinder engine.

“It’s time to stop counting cylinders”, says Peter Mertens, Volvo’s senior vice president at the R&D department. “Four-cylinder engines are the most effective way to quickly reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption without compromising customer expectations when it comes to driving pleasure and performance.”

Read More

Volvo Designer Imagines a P1800 Coupe for the 21st Century

The P1800 is by far the sportiest looking model ever to leave Volvo's production facilities - though to be precise, manufacturing began in the UK by Jensen Motors before Volvo moved production to Sweden in 1963.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since Volvo introduced the coupe model to the world in 1961, and to celebrate the event, the Swedish firm's head designer and an avid fan of the P1800, Christopher Benjamin, came up with a sketch to show what a modern day version could look like.

Benjamin's proposal blends the lines and shapes of the original P1800 with the styling language of Volvo's most recent and future-telling study, the Concept your Sedan that was displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show this past September.

Read More