Volvo's sports sedan challenger tested

ROAD TEST: Volvo S60 Polestar

By: Denis Droppa

Johannesburg - Asked to name a quick list of sports sedans, Volvo isn’t likely to be one of the first names most people would blurt out.

More known for its safe and conservative cars with a dash of Scandinavian minimalist styling charm, the Swedish brand is now trying to muscle in on some sporting action with its Polestar performance upgrades. Volvo’s performance division draws on experience that the Polestar racing team has gleaned competing in Scandinavian Touring Cars and Australian V8 Supercars.

Offered through the South African Volvo dealer network, these motorsport-inspired enhancements are available for the Volvo V40, S60, V60 and XC60 models to begin with, including chassis parts, wheels, exhausts, interior and exterior details.

We took a Polestar-tweaked S60 sedan to Gerotek’s high-performance testing ground to see whether the blue badge is worthy to be called a sports sedan that mixes it with the likes of fast Audis, BMWs and Mercedes.

The S60 we tested was a limited-edition three-litre, straight-six turbopetrol derivative, of which only 28 were brought to South Africa, all of which have been sold at R735 000 each. But later this year Volvo South Africa will bring in a new S60 Polestar powered by a turbo- and supercharged two-litre engine with outputs of 270kW and 470Nm.

The three-litre version we tested lays down 258kW and 500Nm through an all-wheel-drive system and an automatic six-speed gearbox.

Producing a semi-decent roar, the car pulls with gusto and develops little turbo lag, although the six-speed auto gearbox isn’t as sharp as the dual-clutch transmissions out there. Setting it to Sport mode does make for an improvement though.

In our Gauteng test the Volvo accelerated from 0-100 in 5.8 seconds which is brisk, if not quite in the league of the rival BMW 340i (which needs just five seconds flat).

Also read: BMW 340i is a real stealth bomber

Volvo also focused on chassis and brake tuning, and this souped-up S60 gets a set of Ohlins racing shocks with 30-way adjuster knobs similar to the ones in Volvo’s championship-winning Scandinavian Touring Cars. The front Brembo brakes are enlarged to 371mm in diameter, while the Haldex all-wheel drive system has been recalibrated to send more torque to the rear wheels. The suspension is 80 percent stiffer than a standard S60 T6 and feels very firm, and together with low-profile 20-inch radials it’s a car that doesn’t like bumps and potholes at all. We didn’t try fiddling with the settings of the Ohlins suspension, though, and perhaps a more comfortable and road-friendly setting is attainable.

In normal driving the tyre roar from those 20-inchers is also intrusively loud, especially on slightly rougher road surfaces.

But the handling is very clean and neutral. The rear-biased all-wheel-drive system doesn’t understeer prematurely and gives the car a very forgiving nature through the bends, and you’re able to manhandle it quite hard without being spat into the roadside scenery. The uprated brakes are powerful but the pedal felt a little soft under hard braking.

The S60’s interior has been given the Polestar touch with items including a carbon-fibre centre console and blue-stitched upholstery. The stylish leather and suede bucket seats are terrific, offering couch-like comfort with great cornering support.

The transparent housing of the Polestar gear-lever knob also adds a nice touch.

VERDICT

While it was entertainingly quick and nimble on the track, the S60 Polestar’s too-firm suspension and excessive tyre roar didn’t make for the happiest of road cars. Rivals such as the BMW 340i and Audi S5 are better at straddling the divide between ride comfort and handling prowess.

FACTS

Volvo S60 Polestar

Engine: 3-litre, 6-cylinder turbopetrol

Gearbox: 6-speed automatic

Power: 258kW @ 5250rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 3000-4750rpm

0-100km/h (claimed): 4.9 seconds

Top speed (claimed): 250km/h

Price: R735 000

Warranty: 5-year/100 000km

Maintenance plan: 5-year/100 000km

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