Marton Pettendy•31 Oct 2014
REVIEW
Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar 2015 review
Hot new V60 wagon is even more impressive than S60 Polestar on which it's basedVolvo S60 and V60 Polestar
Launch Review
Golf Coast, Australia
Australia was the first recipient of the hottest Volvo ever produced, the MY13 S60 Polestar, and now the Swedish brand has expanded the range with the V60 Polestar as part of an upgraded MY15 sedan and wagon range. Pricing for the former remains unchanged at just $100,000 and the wagon costs $3000 more, but there are no substantial changes to what's become a full-time mid-size performance model from the most unlikely of manufacturers.
Volvo is no stranger to the performance wagon, as evidenced by the hot 850R that was even raced by the late, great Peter Brock in the 1990s.
But while it followed the same basic turbocharged five-door formula, the 850R was an altogether different animal to its spiritual successor, the V60 Polestar.
No, outright performance hasn't changed hugely in the nearly two decades since the 850R manual arrived with a 185kW/350Nm 2.3-litre turbo-five driving the front wheels.
Volvo's quickest V60 is undoubtedly quicker, thanks to a Polestar-tuned transverse 3.0-litre turbo six that packs a twin-scroll Borg-Warner turbo to deliver 257kW at 5250rpm and a beefy 500Nm at 3000rpm.
While the S60 Polestar sedan is claimed to hit 100km/h in an undeniably quick 4.9 seconds, the wagon version is just one-tenth slower thanks to 68kg of extra kerb weight (1834kg) and still 1.5 seconds quicker than the old 850R.
That puts it somewhere between its only natural rival, Audi's S4 Avant, which is powered by a comparable 245kW/440Nm 3.0-litre supercharged V6 and just over $5000 pricier at $108,500.
Unlike the 850R, however, both the V60 and S4 come with all-wheel drive – in the Volvo's case a Haldex system with unique Polestar functionality including more rear-end bias at take-off and under lateral g-forces in stability control-off mode.
It's this that makes the V60 Polestar a vastly better performance wagon than the 850R, and allows its bigger, broader spread of torque to be applied to the road with astonishing effect.
It's no lightweight and cannot hide its mass in tight bends, where over-exuberance ends in predictable understeer, but this Polestar-fettled wagon delivers outstanding mid-corner grip, vice-free steering and a level of power-down traction some sports cars would envy.
Ride the Uluru-shaped wave of healthy torque and prepare for tight corners by braking early and apexing late, and the Polestar rewards with accessible, exhilarating performance.
Aiding this flexibility is an upgraded six-speed (up from four in the 850R...) adaptive Geartronic automatic transmission, including full-manual override, paddle shifters and sport mode, plus faster gearshifts and a new 'curve hold' function that prevents auto-shifting in corners.
There's even a launch control system, which doesn't do much you can't with your own feet, but is a nice bench-racing taking point alongside the 2.5-inch active exhaust system.
It features outlets that open up to 3.5-inches over 4000rpm and in Sports mode, reducing back pressure and producing a rortier exhaust note under acceleration. In truth, however, the hottest S/V60 has a raspy note right from idle, but doesn't sound special at speed.
Nor is it particularly frugal in action, where we saw more than double the claimed combined figures (10.2L/100km for the sedan and 10.3L/100km for the wagon) during the full-day launch drive through the Gold Coast hinterland. At least the Polestars don't use any more fuel than the standard S60 and V60 T6 AWDs, says Volvo.
Stronger six-piston Brembo brake callipers and 371mm ventilated discs – and the new master-cylinder and booster introduced last year – are up to the task, and Polstar says it spent three months recalibrating the anti-lock braking and electronic stability control systems to improve brake control and feedback.
That was largely to account for the biggest change for the 2015 model year: the move to larger 20-inch Polestar alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/35 ZR tyres, replacing the MY14 sedan's 19s with Bridgestone tyres.
There's no doubt the 20s increase traction and steering performance, and the adjustable Öhlins shock absorbers – the most unique chassis component of the Polestar twins – have been tuned to suit.
But the fact is the 80 per cent-firmer springs are too hard and the tyres too noisy on most surfaces. Ride quality was harsh on rural Queensland roads in the middle of the dampers' 20-click adjustment range, which we doubt many owners will make use of once they've left their dealership.
Especially since you have to get under the car to fiddle with them or, in the case of the wagon, remove a panel in the cargo bay and twirl the rear shock adjusters with a special tool.
For sure, in the setting chosen by Volvo V8 Supercar star Scott McLaughlin (a full 15 turns out from full damping force at the front and five turns out at the back), both Polestars offered crisper turn-in at Norwell's Holden Performance Driving Centre.
But even in the full-soft mode we asked to sample, the Öhlins shocks took the sharp edges of most public-road lumps but still transmitted far too much unwanted static for comfortable daily use, let alone an extended road trip.
Which is a shame, because the V60 Polestar – even more so than the sedan – combines practicality and performance like few other cars, and makes far more sense than any AMG-, M-and S/RS-badged luxury SUV, which will never leave the bitumen anyway.
Throw in Volvo's legendary ergonomics and industry-leading safety credentials, not to mention Scandinavian individuality and relative exclusivity, and there's a lot to like about the first Volvo-Polestar production cars.
Yes, the spirit of the 850R lives on in the V60 Polestar, but this Volvo performance wagon is worlds away in every department, and unique in the automotive landscape.
We love its mix of fast and function, but fear the brittle ride will be too high a price to pay for most.
Which is a shame, because with a new generation of force-fed fours set power all Volvos of the future, the big-turbo-six Polestar twins will be the last of a dying Swedish breed.
2014 Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar pricing and specifications:
Price: $99,990 and $102,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 257kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.2L/100km and 10.3L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 243g/km and 247g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
On sale: January 2015
| What we liked: | Not so much: |
| >> Torque and traction | >> Ride comfort |
| >> Practicality and ergonomics | >> Lack of interior upgrades |
| >> Relatively unassuming looks | >> Fact it's the last of a dying breed |
Also consider:
>> Audi S4
>> BMW 335i
>> Mercedes-Benz C 400 4MATIC
Tags
Volvo
S60
V60
Car Reviews
Family Cars
Performance Cars
Prestige Cars
Written byMarton Pettendy
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
Expert rating
80/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
16/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
16/20
Safety & Technology
17/20
Behind the Wheel
16/20
X-Factor
15/20
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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