Volvo Polestar XC90 revealed
Swedish brand unleashes is most powerful vehicle ever
Volvo's high-performance Polestar division has released details on its hottest hybrid SUV.
The Swedish car maker has confirmed performance figures for the Polestar Performance Optimisation pack offered on the range-topping hybrid version of the XC90 seven-seat SUV.
The tuning arm has tweaked the T8 Twin Engine powertrain - which combines a 2.0-litre turbo charged four cylinder with an electric motor - to increase power to 313kW and 680Nm (a 13kW and 40Nm bump over the standard outputs) and reduce its ability to sprint from 0-100km/h to just 5.5 seconds.
The improved performance makes the T8 Polestar pack the most powerful Volvo ever, but it does not the plug-in hybrid's claimed fuel consumption of 2.1L/100km or its 43km electric-only driving range.
Volvo Polestar claims to have also improved the whole drivetrain package to enhance the vehicle's sporting character, including optimising the throttle response and sharpening the transmission with more precise shift action and holding gears for longer when driving on twisty roads, prevented unwanted mid-corner upshifts that unbalance the car and promoting faster acceleration out of the bends.
The Polestar package is due to be available to Australian owners later this year.
Volvo has also indicated it will develop a genuine Polestar version of the XC90 in the future, following a full acquisition of the tuning division last year.
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