Volvo Oz plotting Polestar performance drive

Volvo Car Australia is about to embark on a Polestar performance spree with the imminent release of factory enhancements for the V40, S60, V60 and XC60, followed by hot four-cylinder replacements for the S60 and V60 Polestar cars by the end of this year.

Before the arrival of the upgraded mid-size sports sedan and wagon, which are expected to be powered by a downsized turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine offering up to 300kW, Volvo will release the XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid, the facelifted V40 hatchback and its new range-topper, the large S90 sedan.

First cab off the rank will be a range of dealer-fit performance upgrades for the V40, S60, V60 and XC60 from Polestar, Volvo's performance sub-brand. First announced early this month, they include everything from sports suspension and bigger wheels to aero packs and power boosts.

Available in Australia from the second quarter of this year either individually for retro-fitment or fitted to a complete new vehicle, the upgrades will be backed by the Swedish brand’s normal warranty. In the UK, the full package as seen on the 'XC60'Optimised by Polestar' we drove at the global launch earlier this month costs about $13,500 extra.

"Absolutely we'll be offering those Polestar performance parts either individually or as a package," said Volvo Car Australia's corporate and PR director Greg Bosnich. "The majority will be available, with a focus on wheels, exhausts and the like."

Volvo is also developing a range of Polestar upgrades for the XC90 and almost all models are eventually likely to be available with the performance parts which are developed alongside the ‘normal’ Volvo models and subjected to the car-maker’s standard durability tests.

Next up is the XC90 T8 PHEV, powered by a 239kW supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 60kW electric motor. The $122,950 XC90 'Twin Engine' delivers a total of 298kW and 640Nm, and allows the plug-in SUV to be driven in all-electric mode for up to 40km, hence Volvo's claim it's the "world's most powerful and cleanest SUV".

Also revealing the potential of Volvo's new four-cylinder powertrain strategy is the 'triple boost' 336kW concept version of the company's 2.0-litre Drive-E petrol four revealed in 2014, featuring two parallel turbochargers, an electric compressor and a dual fuel pump running 250 bar of pressure.

Although the production version will likely offer lower outputs, if fitted to the S60 and V60, it would easily eclipse the performance of Volvo's hottest production engine to date, the 257kW T6 3.0-litre turbo-six that powered the discontinued S60 Polestar sedan and V60 Polestar wagon.

As a four-cylinder, it could outmuscle the current benchmark in Mercedes-AMG's 270kW A/CLA 45, and it could even beat some of the world's hottest six-cylinder engines, including the 317kW twin-turbo six in BMW's M3/M4.

Bosnich told motoring.com.au the 2015 S60 and V60 Polestar models -- a number of which remain in dealer four-cylinder stock -- would be the last six-cylinder sports models from Volvo, but confirmed that replacements for both vehicles are due here by the end of this year.

"Volvo is now following a four-cylinder 2.0-litre strategy, but we envisage there will be more Polestar models, including new S60 and V60 models late this year," he said.

Before the full-blown S60/V60 Polestars arrive, Volvo will launch its all-new S90 flagship sedan here in the fourth quarter of this year, following the third-quarter release of the facelifted V40 hatch seen at the Geneva show earlier this month featuring a mild exterior cosmetic update led by 'Thor's Hammer' LED running lights.

What's coming from Volvo in 2016:
V40, S60, V60 and XC60 Polestar upgrades – Q2
XC90 T8 PHEV – Q2
V40 facelift – Q3
S60/V60 Polestar – Q4
S90 – Q4