Hear Volvo's V8 Supercar engine scream

Volvo Polestar Racing has released a cracking new video of the Scandinavian brand’s first V8 Supercar engine in all its glory, ahead of the team’s official launch in Sydney this week.

Details of Volvo’s V8 Supercar team launch remain under wraps until the event kicks off at 9:00am on Thursday at The Rocks.

But it’s understood Volvo’s first V8 Supercar will be unveiled as part of a publicity stunt involving a dynamic display by lead driver, Kiwi Scott McLaughlin, on a closed harbour-side public road.

The S60-based Swedish race car will then make its official racetrack debut at the pre-season V8 Supercars test at Sydney Motorsport Park on Saturday, before its first race at the championship-opening Clipsal 500 in Adelaide on March 2.

Volvo is now running TV commercials in the lead-up to its debut V8 Supercars assault this year, when it will join series stalwarts Holden and Ford, plus newcomers Mercedes-Benz and Nissan.

Volvo’s two-car factory team will bring the biggest diversity to Australian touring car racing in more than 20 years – and the most brands seen in V8 Supercars since the formula was restricted to Commodores and Falcons in 1994 – although just 25 cars will contest this year’s series.

Run by Garry Rogers Motorsport in a multi-year deal, the Valvoline-backed team is supported by Volvo Car Australia and the Swedish brand’s racing and performance road car partner Polestar – the tuning house behind the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar sports sedans launched last October.

Upgraded MY2015 versions of both limited-edition models are expected to be launched the day after the Clipsal 500 next month.

Volvo Polestar Racing revealed the racing version of its discontinued 4.4-litre V8 in December and now key specs have been announced.

Like all V8 Supercar engines, Volvo’s naturally aspirated V8 displaces less than five litres (in this case 4989cc via a 95.5 x 87.1mm bore and stroke) and runs on E85 ethanol fuel to produce about 485kW of power (650hp) and 660Nm of torque.

However, the modified Volvo B8444S V8 runs a 60-degree aluminium cylinder block (rather than a more traditional 90-degree cast-iron unit), runs 10.0:1 compression and incorporates Volvo B8444S coil-on-plug ignition, eight throttle bodies, eight port fuel-injectors with 5.5 bar of pressure, chain-driven double overhead camshafts and a 7500rpm rev-limiter.