Volvo S60 Polestar sold for USD 300,000

Volvos the world over are associated with maturity and safety. In India, we associate them with buses. Neither idea is familiar with the idea of fun, and yet everyone from Toyota to Honda is targeting a younger audience because, well, the older generation doesn’t usually make for many repeat customers. 

Polestar, the company that makes Volvo’s racing S60s, has made a one-off street version to thumb its nose at the C63 AMGs, M3s and RS4s of the world. Here, then, is the 508bhp Volvo S60 Polestar, ladies and gentlemen, with 575Nm of torque, a 0-100kmph time of under 4 seconds and a top speed of ‘more than 300kmph’. No, they didn’t drop in the Yamaha-developed V8 from the S80, but chose to install a Garrett 3171 turbocharger on the T6. Of course, the cylinder head, combustion chambers, inlet manifold and air intake, conrods and exhaust are all changed now.

As is the transmission – in this case a close-ratio six-speed manual feeding a fourth-generation Haldex AWD system with an electronic limited-slip differential at the back. This is complemented with Ohlins 3-way shock absorbers, a 30mm lower body, increased track width and a number of other changes to steering and suspension. Brakes are now Brembo 380mm ventilated discs with six-piston calipers in front and 302mm ventilated discs at the back. The whole shebang weighs just 1640kg, so great performance is a given. The interior isn’t half bad, either, with Polestar-designed seats, a lower centre console so that the gear lever falls to hand easier and alcantara on all the necessary surfaces. 

There is only one Volvo S60 Polestar in existence today, and it has unfortunately already been sold for the staggering sum of USD 300,000 – a price that would fetch a number of far more desirable exotics, that, admittedly, aren’t as rare. However, Volvo says that enough people want one, they will put the car into production. So go on, write to them and demand your example – school runs will never be the same again.