The updated Volvo V60 Polestar with carbon fibre aerodynamic enhancements
The updated Volvo V60 Polestar with carbon fibre aerodynamic enhancements
Polestar, the performance brand of Volvo Cars, has unveiled the Model Year 2018 Volvo V60 Polestar, complete with additional aerodynamic components made from lightweight carbon fibre that increase downforce for improved performance and handling. A limited number of 1,500 vehicles will be produced (this figure includes the S60 Polestar, which is not sold in the UK), with all cars receiving a unique number on the tread plate.
The new aerodynamic exterior package has been developed jointly by the engineers of Polestar and Cyan Racing, the motorsport partner of Polestar, with data and knowledge derived from the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) programme, where the team is involved in the title fight.
The aerodynamic enhancements include a new front splitter and side sills, all made in lightweight carbon fibre, increasing downforce. The new components increase grip and high-speed stability, providing a car with the duality of being at ease in everyday driving as well as providing the driver with further control and feedback on an inspiring stretch of road or during an evasive manoeuvre, for example.
Many of these components were developed and tested during Polestar Cyan Racing's recently revealed secret Nürburgring test, where a Polestar S60 claimed the record for the fastest four-door road-legal car around the infamous Nordschleife circuit.
Other visual changes include high-gloss black Polestar diamond cut wheels, carbon fibre door mirror casings and a new colour – Bursting Blue Metallic. The interior has been updated with a new seat upholstery, blue contrast stitching and Polestar embroidering.
More than 250 components have been changed compared with the 'standard' Volvo model to create a car with all the usability and practicality of the Volvo V60, but also delivering year-round sports car performance. Key component changes include the adjustable Öhlins shock absorber system and six-piston Brembo brake calipers with 371 millimetre discs.
The V60 Polestar retains the award-winning 367 hp Drive-E engine, one of the most powerful four-cylinder production engines in the world, with fuel consumption and emissions at a class-leading level of 34.9 mpg and 186 CO2 g/km.
"The Model Year 18 S60 and V60 Polestar models are the pinnacle of our road car programmes that we have been developing successfully since our first road car was launched in 2013," said Jörgen Ronstad, Vice President, Product Strategy & Management at Polestar.
"The aerodynamic enhancements, combined with other small but important changes, further enhance our base philosophy of a performance car for all roads and conditions, transferring technology and knowledge from track to road."
UK prices for the Model Year 2018 V60 Polestar will be announced at a later date.
Technical overview
Performance
Volvo V60 Polestar
0-100 km/h 4.8 sec
0-200 km/h 17.4 sec
0-60 mph 4.5 sec
0-120 mph 15.8 sec
Top speed 155 mph*
* = Electronically limited
Chassis
Adjustable Polestar Öhlins shock absorbers
Front strut brace with carbon fibre enforcement
Stiffer top mount front and rear
Stiffer tie blade bushing
Polestar-optimised steering
80% stiffer springs compared with V60 T6 R-Design
Front: 60 N/mm
Rear: 72 N/mm
Tyres and rims
Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/35 ZR20 (95Y) XL with cavity damping
Black Polestar bespoke rims, 20x8"
Engine
4-cylinder inline engine with turbo and supercharger
1969 cc
270 kW (367 hp DIN / 362 hp SAE) @ 6000 rpm
470 Nm (347 lb ft) @ 3100-5100 rpm
Max 7000 rpm
Max boost 2.0 bar
Polestar 3.0" stainless full-flow active exhaust system with twin 3.5" tail pipes
Higher-capacity turbo
Strengthened conrods
Strengthened camshaft
Higher-capacity fuel pump
Higher-capacity air filter
Higher-capacity air intake
Transmission
BorgWarner four-wheel drive
Polestar calibration for more rear torque dynamic distribution
Polestar-calibrated stability control system
8-speed Geartronic automatic gearbox with paddle shifters
Faster gearshifts
Curve-hold functionality
Off-throttle functionality
Optimised shift precision
Brakes
Front:
Polestar/Brembo six-piston brake calipers
371x32 mm ventilated and floating Brembo discs
Rear:
302x22 mm ventilated discs
New brake pads for Model Year 2018
Kerb weight
1800 kg / 3968 lb (V60)
Features
Launch control
Sport+ mode
Aerodynamics
Polestar carbon fibre front splitter
Polestar carbon fibre side sills
Polestar front splitter corners
Polestar rear spoiler
Polestar diffuser
Interior and exterior
Sport seats with charcoal, nubuck, blue thread and Polestar imprint
Steering wheel with blue thread and leather/nubuck
Carbon fibre centre stack
Nubuck inlay in doors
Nubuck centre armrest
Polestar gearshift knob
Polestar carpets with blue thread
Polestar sports pedals and footrest
Polestar door sills with numbering
Colours
Bursting Blue Premium Metallic
Cyan Racing Blue
Onyx Black Metallic
Bright Silver Metallic
Ice White Solid
Fuel tank
67.5 litres
Fuel consumption (combined)
34.9 mpg (V60)
CO2 emissions
186 g/km (V60)
Environmental classification
Euro 6b
-ends-
About Polestar
Polestar is Volvo Car Group's performance road car brand and was founded by Polestar Racing, today known as Cyan Racing. Polestar's birth was a result of Cyan Racing's race engineers' desire to explore how technology behind the multiple-title-winning success in racing could be applied to the performance of road-going Volvo cars, on all roads and conditions in everyday life. The first road-going performance Concepts were launched in 2010 and the first performance cars, based on the Volvo S60 and V60, were ready in 2012. In 2015, Volvo Cars acquired Polestar Performance. Today, Polestar builds the S60 and V60 Polestar, a 367 hp performance road car with more than 250 developments over and above the standard Volvo products. It also offers Polestar Engineered performance hardware upgrades and powertrain software optimisations for existing Volvo products.
In the future, Polestar will also become a new separately branded electrified high-performance car company. Polestar will offer a portfolio of bespoke Polestar-branded cars that will no longer carry a Volvo logo. Polestar will enjoy specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefit from significant economies of scale as a result of its connection to Volvo. These synergies will allow it to design, develop and build world-beating electrified high-performance cars.
For further information
Duncan Forrester
Vice President, Global Head of Public Relations and Communications
duncan.forrester@polestar.com
+44(0) 7768 877877
Tw: @DuncanForrester
Johan Meissner
Press Manager
johan.meissner@polestar.com
+46(0)70 241 3234
Tw: @JohanMeissner