Volvo S60 Polestar: genuine M3 rival details revealed
The Volvo S60 Polestar performance concept has made its debut in Sweden, and with a BMW M3-beating 378kW of power, 575Nm of torque and all-paw grip the Germans should be very nervous.
Volvo says the concept has been developed with the performance-oriented driver in mind, which means the Volvo S60 T6 inline six-cylinder engine has been treated to a modified cylinder head and combustion chambers, modified inlet manifold and air intake, special conrods, a Garrett 3171 turbo and a Ferrita 3.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system. All this sees 100km/h come up from standstill in 3.9 seconds before reaching over 300km/h.
Ensuring the driver stays in control of the 1640kg Swedish speed-sled is a six-speed manual transmission, Haldex all-wheel drive system, rear Haldex electronic limited slip differential and massive 380mm ventilated discs up front with six-piston Polestar Brembo calipers.
A 30mm lower chassis, wider track (20mm front, 40mm rear), Ohlins shock absorbers and 19-inch Polestar wheels give this Volvo not only a menacing stance but also loads of grip which you can bet will be savoured by the one-off car's sole owner.
Alcantara is the material of choice inside with the grippy material covering the extra supportive Polestar-designed seats and the steering wheel and gear knob.
If you're still questioning the notion of a proper-quick Volvo, consider the language used by the man responsible for complete vehicle development at Polestar Jan Andersson: "What we found was another very strong Volvo with great potential for motorsport applications and also an almost ideal platform for a road-going performance car."
So far the only downside appears to be the non-committal response from Polestar and Volvo with the official line remaining more cars will depend on the feedback of the prototype. Fingers crossed.
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