Volvo S60, Mercedes E53 Coupe, BMW 850i
Want to break your 3-series, A4 or C-‘Class addiction? Then Volvo may have the remedy: a powerful dose of new S60. By Keith Adams
LIKE ALL RECENT Volvos, the new S60 looks good, but it stands out because of a couple of firsts: it’s the first Volvo model to drop the diesel option, and it’s the first to get the new Polestar Engineered treatment.
European specs for the 3-series/A4/ C-Class rival are yet to be finalised, but we know the initial engine for the UK will be the 245bhp T5. Later, it will be joined by 187bhp T4, T6 Twin Engine and T8 Twin Engine plug-in variants, plus a Polestar Engineered version.
We’ve driven the T8 Polestar Engineered, which is set to become the S60’s halo model. It will be followed by Polestar versions of the V60 and XC60.
Polestar as a sub-brand is attempting the tricky balancing act of being about both high performance and electrification. And, adding to the complication, almost as quickly as Volvo engineers tell you about the platform’s brilliance when it comes to accommodating the Polestar’s hybrid drivetrain, they’ll rush to tell you that this is no BMW M3/Mercedes-AMG C43 challenger.
But at £50k-plus, it will end up on the same shopping lists, and in many ways shouldn’t disappoint. Inside, it stands out from the pack thanks to cool use of wood and that 9.0-inch allencompassing portrait-format Sensus infotainment system.
It’s the Polestar upgrades that make this performance version so intriguing. It combines Öhlins dampers, a strut brace, a 12mm drop in ride height and an increase in spring rate. There’s also a 14bhp jump in power, and a recalibrated Power driving mode to give you sharper throttle response and more driver-focused gearchange settings.
It’s usefully quick, with a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds, but it disguises this acceleration a little too well, never feeling electrifyingly fast. Nor does it have a rorty soundtrack, sounding instead like a humdrum hybrid four-pot.
The plug-in hybrid might only give the Polestar 21 miles of EV driving, but it delivers instant throttle response in the mid-range, making it an excellent fussfree
VOLVO S60 T8 POLESTAR
> Price £51,000 (est) > Engine 1968cc 16v turbo and supercharged 4-cyl plug-in hybrid, 400bhp @ 5500rpm, 494lb ft @ 5500rpm > Transmission 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive > Performance 4.4sec 062mph, 155mph > Weight 1900kg (est)
> On sale Early 2019 means of covering ground quickly.
The ride is firm, but thanks to those sublime dampers it seldom gets ruffled by rough roads. Yes, it can pitter-patter on motorway expansion joints, but the excellent damping and body control round off all major irregularities.
When the roads get twistier, it gives the driver real confidence to lean on it. Turn-in is progressive, and understeer is limited. It’s very difficult to get things out of shape without severe provocation. It still feels heavy (around 1900kg is our educated guess) but is far less leaden than a standard S60.
Overall, the S60 Polestar is a characterful fast saloon, if a little confusing. It’s not fast enough to challenge the M3, nor as charismatic as the C43. The Audi S5 probably has it beaten as an all-rounder too. But the S60 Polestar is good beyond expectations, which is excellent news for buyers wanting a leftfield alternative. Choose one and you’ll be driving an interesting car, not making a mistake.