Volvo S60 was launched almost 20 years back in year 2000. Ever since its launch the Volvo S60 has transformed into 3 generations. The first and second gen carried between 2000-2009 and 2009-2018 respectively. Volvo S60 Polestar hence was introduced this year in 2019 as a sports sedan with some performance under the hood.
Versions & Trim Levels:
The S60 is sold in three different versions.
Base level is the T5 with 250 hp followed by T6 with 316 hp and then comes the plug-in Hybrid model with namely T8 with 416 hp. After the basic line is over for the S60 Volvo, comes the Polestar standing on top of all. The Polestar comes in with more power, better suspension and better brakes in order to ensure superior driving experience rather than the normal S60. Now the S60 Polestar is actually a cool sedan except for the fact that you can’t buy one of these of the dealership.
In 2019 Volvo set up only 20 S60 Polestar for the entire USA and all 20 of these were sold online in less than 1 hour. However for the year incoming 2020 year Volvo is most likely to produce decent amount of S60 Polestar therefore enabling you to buy one off the dealership. So why was 2019 sold as 20 units only? Maybe a test mule or perhaps a marketing strategy to raise curiosity for upcoming year model. So keep an eye out for 2020 S60 Polestar because it for sure on paper is impressive. The Polestar packs around 416 hp along with 495 pound-ft of torque.
Pricing and Availability:
Initially the Volvo S60 Polestar for 2019 was only available through Volvo monthly payment subscription however the upcoming 2020 is estimated to cost around $55,000-$60,000. While it may seem a bit much for a ‘Volvo’ given all the features and options the S60 may justify its price to a certain perspective.
What’s special in Volvo S60 Polestar?
People who might have followed Volvo for a while know that the Polestar is performance and race division for Volvo and the previous cars by Volvo had a Blue emblem in front grille written Polestar over it, placed beside the Volvo logo. Well in 2019 S60 the Volvo decided to change the color of badge to White. While I am not sure why this happened I sure am going to miss the blue emblem as it popped more.
Now the colors might not be the most deciding trait for buying a car it has more to do with understanding the brand and concept. Almost every manufacturer for their faster racing and track versions opt for aggressive color such as red and carbon fiber or black and matte. However Volvo has changed the game a little bit by adopting a slightly different path by coloring the S60 in Gold brake calipers and golden seat belts and even the valve stems are in gold indicating the sportiness.
What’s inside the Volvo S60 Polestar?
Volvo S60 Polestar is full of quirks and features inside the cabin. One of the most unique feature is the engine start switch which instead of a boring button like every other car, however Volvo has added its own touch to it by making it in form of switch that has to be twisted to right in order to start the car. Right beneath is the drive mode selector in shape of knob that you can toggle around to select driving mode. The gear knob is also made of crystal although I am not fan of the way it shifts and comeback to its original place therefore you never know what gear you are in by physical touch of lever. The seats in Volvo are rather stylish and comfortable adding sportiness to interior, in addition there is a small Swedish flag that pokes out from side of the seat. Infotainment system in Volvo is one of the top notch available in the market. The infotainment screen is very responsive without any lag and operates just as your smartphone. The infotainment system uses infrared instead of capacitive touch therefore you can operate it with your gloves on when it’s cold, makes sense for a Swedish car as it’s immensely cold there.
Performance and Driving:
Volvo S60 Polestar comes in all-wheel-drive and goes from 0-60 in just 4.5 second. The Volvo S60 Polestar is Turbocharged, Supercharged and a Plug-in Hybrid. Hence making it a newer form of technology integrated into one single vehicle. On the road the S60 Polestar feels quicker than the normal S60, it’s crispier and sharper around the corners in sports mode however if comparing to BMW M3 or Audi in this range, well it’s not quite up their yet. Since the Sedan market is hitting low in the decades it would be really hard to justify the $60,000 mark of Volvo. However if you are a Volvo Sedan person, S60 Polestar might be the one for you.