Volvo S60 T6 Polestar - Prince of the North

How to make a car truly unique? Limit sales to a few hundred pieces. Everything went better than you expected, but did you know that your next car might not have that “something”? Therefore, limit the sales of your successors. Volvo did it with the S60 Polestar. Will we fall for it?

Polestar Cyan Racing was founded 20 years ago, in 1996. Then, under the name Flash Engineering, it was founded by Jan "Flash" Nilsson - the legend of STCC racing, the second most successful racer in the series. Now for some complexity. In 2005, Nilsson sold the team to Christian Dahl, although he retained the name Flash Engineering. Since then, Dahl has led the Polestar Cyan Racing team with support from Nilsson, with Nilsson leading the revamped Flash Engineering team. Whereas the original team drove the Volvo 850 and then the S40, they now exclusively drive BMWs. Polestar Cyan Racing became a Volvo factory team. However, in 2015 it was taken over by Volvo and thus became to the Swedish brand what M Gmbh is to BMW and what AMG is to Mercedes. Recently, a similar division was formed by Audi - previously Quattro Gmbh was responsible for creating sports versions, now it is "Audi Sport".

Why write about designs within manufacturers when we're about to get to the test of a very interesting machine? Perhaps to show that behind these sporting elements are people who managed to win 7 championships in the team classification and 6 in the drivers' classification. These are not amateurs.

But have they been able to turn their experience into a sports sedan? Not so long ago we tested the S60 Polestar with a 6-liter 3-cylinder engine. This version can be admired endlessly. So we already know what Polestar can do. But what was left of this car after the “cutting out” of two cylinders?

Carbon fiber and big handlebar

Volvo S60 Polaris inside, it looks basically the same as a regular S60. There are, however, a few differences, such as the carbon fiber cockpit center, nubuck armrest and door panels, sport seats. In the previous version, before the facelift of the engine, we could make a note about the size of the steering wheel. Unfortunately, that hasn't changed - it's still way too big for sports car standards.

Another element of the interior that does not impress me at all is the shining blue lever for selecting the automatic transmission mode. Combined with the current mode of operation highlighted in green, it looks like it was at least ten years ago, or as if it has been touched by Pimp My Ride experts. Which still boils down to a ten-year-old view.

However, Volvo dreamed that the S60 Polestar was an uncompromising sports car, but at the same time one that you will shop for and drive to your parents for Christmas. To some extent it worked: the seats are comfortable, the luggage compartment holds 380 liters, there is enough space in the back seat. However, on the other hand…

We run four cylinders

At a time when the vast majority of cars were powered by four-cylinder engines, only a hot hatch could get away with using such units in sports cars. There is no uniqueness in this. A capacity of 2 liters also does not increase the heart rate. Oh, those "sixes".

It's just that this burly but quiet T6 from the DRIVE-E family was well tuned - in many ways. Now it reaches 367 hp. and 470 Nm. The rev limiter has been moved to 7000 rpm. The exhaust system allows you to breathe freely - 3" nozzles with 3,5" nozzles. The exhaust was also made from stainless steel and active flaps were added. The new turbocharger generates a boost pressure of up to 2 bar. We also have reinforced connecting rods, camshafts, a more efficient fuel pump, a sports air filter and an increased flow intake system.

It bears some resemblance to the Lancer Evolution, which may have had a "Lancer" part in its name, but its engine also had little in common with the "folk" version. Although, in terms of common parts, the road S60 Polestar and the racing S60 Polestar TC1 share the same floor slab, engine block and some other elements.

However, the changes don't end there. The new Polestar has lost a lot of weight. 24 kg in front - this is due to the smaller engine - and 24 kg in the back. This affects controllability. In addition to that, we have a new suspension, revised steering, carbon fiber struts, a new 8-speed gearbox, a BorgWarner transmission that supports the rear axle, a tuned ESP system, and many other changes. This is the same S60 that doctors, engineers and architects love, but that's just the looks.

There is no compromise that would satisfy everyone. This requires compromises. So the Polestar isn't as radical as it could be, but it's also not as comfortable as the quieter part of the clientele would like. The suspension is firm by sedan standards. Therefore, on the roads of the lower categories, you will shake a little. For better quality, however, I will make the case Volvo S60 Polaris it won't even budge. Body roll is really small, so driving on very twisty roads is a pleasure. There are no delays in weight transfer here.

The engine starts with a frown. It's hard not to be prejudiced against him. It's like our favorite rock band used to play under the hood, but his guitarist and bassist died. The rest of the band doesn't want to look for a replacement, so they play with an incomplete rhythm section and no guitar solos. You can, but it's not the same.

Perhaps I'm complaining that this is no longer 6 cylinders, but a powerful exhaust system that sets the tone for even these four cylinders. Sounds pretty… cohesive. The sound of the new Polestar, of course, can be liked, but it is a little less noble. By the way, active flaps are constantly working here - you can hear it well in the parking lot. Literally a moment after stopping, the bass disappears, and we can feel like in a regular S60.

Although the steering system has been improved, unfortunately it is still quite "soft". The steering wheel turns slightly and we cannot change it with a single button. We will feel what is happening with the car mainly due to the excellent suspension and lively response to the gas, but the information coming into the hands of the driver is somewhat muffled. The shiny 371mm front and 302mm rear Brembo brakes deserve a big plus. And let's face it - the Polestar's excellent handling is not only a credit to Volvo engineers, but also to Michelin - the 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 245/35 Pilot Super Sport tires, which are some of the sportiest tires we can put on road car.

Volvo S60 Polaris first of all, it is excellent handling as well as performance. It accelerates from 100 to 4,7 km/h in just 0,2 seconds, which is 3.0 seconds faster than the version with the 7,8 engine. If you began to think about gas mileage at the first mention of a more efficient high-pressure fuel pump, there is something to be afraid of, but without exaggeration. The history of Volvo with 100 l / 14 km can be considered as real as the story of Shevchik Dratevka. In the city you need at least 15-100 l / 18 km, and if you press the gas to the floor more often - 100 l / 10 km and more. On the road, you can keep the consumption at the level of 100 l / XNUMX km, but this requires a lot of endurance.

Profit and Loss Balance

Volvo has done such a good job on the new S60 Polestar that its valuation is limited only by the profit and loss balance. What have we lost? Two cylinders and their fantastic sound. What did we get? Better performance, lighter weight, even better handling and the feeling that we are driving a more technically advanced car. The new version is also ... cheaper by 26 thousand. zloty. Worth 288 thousand. zloty.

But isn't it all about making Polestar unique? It still exists because few who decide will buy it soon enough, but it lacks what sets it apart from millions of other cars. Sixth row.

It was as if someone gave away our beloved, fat and drooling Labrador to a shelter, and in return gave us a show champion - with an additional payment. Maybe the new dog is objectively “better”, but we liked the fat one better.