Polestar preps four-pot future

Volvo’s go-fast partner Polestar is set to pursue a four-cylinder future.

Indeed, with the Swedish marque’s five- and six-cylinder engines soon to be things of the past, Polestar is already well advanced with plans to launch four-cylinder performance models — perhaps as soon as 2016.

Still an independent company, Polestar has strengthened its ties with Volvo over the last two years to the point that it is now embedded in the Swedish marque’s future vehicle development programs. In the past Polestar’s R&D was carried out in isolation — in effect as an aftermarket supplier.

The new relationship is no better illustrated than by the fact Polestar will soon put the final touches on powered-up versions of Volvo’s new generation Drive-E four-cylinder powerplants.

Speaking from Volvo’s Hallerad R&D centre near Goteborg, Polestar Technical Project Manager Henrik Fries confirmed the operation was engaged in extensive testing of new four-cylinder engines.

According to Fries, Polestar’s first experience with the new generation of Volvo fours began in 2011 via its World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) racers. Then, the company took very early examples of Volvo’s 2.0-litre Drive-E turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rebuilt them as 1.6-litre racing powerplants.

Since then development has shifted to engines for road cars, including higher-performance versions of the supercharged and turbocharged engines that will power Volvo’s all-new and all-four-cylinder XC90.

“We are testing four-cylinder engines. That is Volvo’s future and our future too,” Fries told motoring.com.au.

Although Fries was guarded with his answers, he stated there was “headroom” for Polestar to tune the new high-tech Drive-E powerplants to serious power levels.

Although the T6-based 257kW 3.0-litre six from the S60 and new V60 Polestar models could be phased out within two to three years, Fries is not fazed. He says similar or improved power outputs from four-cylinder engines are not the issue, nor the focus.

“There is no problem having over 600hp [450kW, from four cylinders] but what you end up with is a very ‘edgy’ engine,” Fries opined.

“The big challenge is how we deliver [the power] and deal with drivability,” he stated.

Part of the puzzle for Polestar is to utilise Volvo’s interest in electrification. Volvo has already confirmed it will launch a ‘Twin Engine’ hybrid version of the XC90.

As we've reported, the next Polestar-tuned Volvo model will be either the V40 or XC60.

Volvo is also working on a new three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will follow its new four-cylinder engines by 2016 and is destined to be seen in everything up to the mid-size S60, V60 and XC60.