Tag Archives: polestar
3 Important Notes About The Polestar-Tuned 2018 Volvo XC60
We know that Polestar is slowly transitioning into a standalone brand that will handle Volvo’s high-performance electrified cars. Still, this does not mean it won’t tinker with its bigger brother’s luxurious vehicles.
The Swedish brand that became known for its race-car specifications will continue to offer tuning programs and optimizations for Volvo cars. This despite the fact that the Volvo spinoff is already focusing on electric vehicles. The latest vehicle of the automaker to get a tuning program from Polestar is the 2018 Volvo XC60, or to be more specific, the XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid.
1. Power up to 421 Horses
Thanks to its expertise on this particular field, Polestar managed to crank up the power of the Volvo XC60 to 421 horsepower. That’s 21 hp more than the standard XC60 T8, which is using a 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged inline-4 at the front axle and an electric motor at the rear axle.
The current XC60 T8 can go 0 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. Given that there are 21 more horses here, that start time should go down even more.
2. Better Driving Experience
Aside from adding power, there are ways that a Volvo XC60 can be more driver- and user-friendly. Thanks to Polestar’s tuner program, the XC60 T8 now has more torque in mid-range to ensure accessible thrust for daily driving modes. Pairing that up with the eight-speed automatic transmission, and you’re bound to hold a car that is quick and easy to shift for that perfect balance.
The tuner update from Polestar will bring the XC60 T8 to the level of the larger XC90 T8. Both vehicles will represent Volvo’s most powerful vehicles ever.
3. Pricing Details to Come in the Near Future
The market launch of the Polestar-tuned XC60 T8 is scheduled this fall, so pricing details are expected to be revealed around that time, too. Installation of the tuning program itself will be done in the authorized dealer’s shop.
For now, only the T8 will receive the Polestar tuner program. Soon, we’re hoping to see a similar treatment on the other trim levels such as the T6, T5, D4, and D4.
Volvo To Offer Only Electrified Powertrains In The Future
Volvo is joining the rest of the European car manufacturers in steering the auto industry towards an electrified future. The company announced on Wednesday that it will only offer electrified powertrains starting in 2019, completing phasing out the internal combustion engine from its lineup.
According to Autonews, Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement that the announcement comes on the heels of the manufacturer’s plans to sell one million electrified cars by 2025. “When we said it[,] we meant it. This is how we are going to do it.”
Back in 2014, Volvo revealed plans of offering a plug-in hybrid alternative alongside versions of its traditional gasoline and diesel-powered engines. The company CEO explained that the move will allow Volvo to “stand out” from their competitors.
Henrik Green, Volvo’s research and development head, told the source that vehicles powered only by a combustion engine would be phased out from the company’s lineup between 2023 to 2025. That’s a long way from now, but it seems to look doable under Volvo’s current plan.
Between 2019 and 2021, Volvo plans to offer five cars from its full-electric lineup. The company presently has nothing in this department, but the next years will prove challenging for the car manufacturer as it shifts away from the use of combustion engine.
Three of the planned full-electric vehicles will come from Volvo while the remaining two cars planned will be produced by Polestar, which parent company Volvo plans to transform into a stand-alone brand for high-performance electric vehicles.
Electrified Technology is on the Rise
Volvo’s electrified models will be manufactured in its factories in Europe, China, and the United States. Although heftier in investment costs, Samuelsson told Reuters this will be shouldered by the company’s existing budget.
The switch towards an electrified future is a move well-recognized in Europe, where analysts ave been predicting the rise in electronic technology by 2020. Aside from Volvo, its competitors Renault and the Volkswagen Group are also offering hybrid technology.
A number of key European cities may also be banning the use of diesel engines, but the cost of an after-treatment systems to make diesel comply to new emissions regulations may not be worth the investment.
Volvo “90” Series Polestar Models Are Confirmed
Not only is Volvo’s “90” Series Polestar models confirmed, they will also produce 600 horsepower. This is after Volvo’s in-house tuner Polestar produced the S60 and V60 Polestar sedan and wagon, the company’s first dedicated performance offerings.
An official from the company has recently confirmed through a source that the development of the “90” series, which will also be receiving programming from Polestar. Volvo’s research and development head Peter Mertens said that Polestar’s versions of the S90 and the V90 will produce 600 horsepower.
This would make the two comparable to the offerings being made by Germany’s top luxury brands. What differentiates Volvo’s models would be the decision to have them come equipped with 4-cylinder based hybrid powertrains, instead of the V8 engines currently fitted in other models.
The non-Polestar S90 and V90 models we currently have in the market have the T8 Twin Engines as the most powerful drivetrains. These engines feature a turbocharged and supercharged 2-liter 4-cylinder paired with an electric motor to produce 410 horsepower.
Mertens said the same setup would be adopted for the Polestar models, although the internal combustion component will be replaced by a new 450-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with an electric-aided turbocharging system. The electric motor will be replaced by a more powerful 150-horsepower unit.
In 2014, Volvo already showed the 450-horsepower 4-cylinder, although no production plans have been announced yet.
There is no word yet on when Volvo is planning to launch the S90 and the V90 Polestar models. Mertens also didn’t say if these models would be available in the US, although they will assuredly be popular there since the S60 and the V60 enjoyed significant statuses there.
There is also no word yet if the XC90 would receive the Polestar treatment, although former Polestar boss Christian Dahl said it could very well happen in the future.