Instrumented Test
The 2015 Volvo S60 Polestar has a 345-hp turbocharged inline-six, a Haldex all-wheel-drive system with a rear torque bias, colossal Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires measuring 245/35-20, and it costs $60,225. These are the facts, but we could see how, without the benefit of first-hand experience, one might come to the conclusion that the car is uselessly expensive for a mostly normal-appearing mid-size Volvo with half the horsepower of the similarly priced Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.
We don’t entirely disagree, but consider also that the Hellcat is in no way a competitor to the Polestar. One is designed by Volvo’s racing partner (Polestar) for edgy professors—you know, the ones who wear herringbone tweed jackets; the other is for people who think 707 horsepower is a God-given American right. Besides, the Volvo is going to be more rare than an unattractive Swedish blonde, with the car pictured here being number 38 of just 40 sedans coming to the States. Volvo will build twice as many wagon variants, and after driving both versions last May, we finally have strapped our test gear to one. Consider our initially positive impressions bolstered.
Packing just 20 more horsepower than a typical S60 R-Design with the optional Polestar ECU tune, the full-blown Polestar S60 is nonetheless a hell of a lot faster. We hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, 0.8 quicker than the last S60 R-Design we tested, a pre-refresh 2012 model. Top speed is a substantial 159 mph, compared with just 134 for the R-Design. Good thing, then, that the Polestar’s sticky rubber and giant six-piston Brembo front brakes are highly effective at bringing things to a halt. We notched a stellar 149-foot stop from 70 mph, far better than the R-Design’s so-so 175-foot performance as well as the 2015 S60 T6 Drive-E’s dismal 193-foot stop.
Additional useful nuggets of information: This Volvo has (manually) adjustable Öhlins dampers, all-new suspension bushings, 80-percent-stiffer springs than the S60 R-Design’s, extra spoilers and wings, Rebel Blue paint, and a gaggle of Polestar badges and logos. Most of this helps the super-Swede hit 0.91 g on our skidpad; the colors and body addenda merely ensure you look good doing it. Sure, on Michigan’s poor excuse for pavement, ride motions are abrupt, but the Öhlins have blow-off valves that allow them to cycle more quickly through large, quick impacts, which takes the edge off.
The Volvo hardly is a track animal—as proven by our driving it on a track and discovering brake fade—but it is set up well for fast road driving. Grip is everywhere, and if you overcook a turn, mild, controllable understeer takes over, at least until you tromp on the gas. The Haldex all-wheel-drive system’s electronically controlled clutch pack punts power to the rear axle, icing the front-end push and motoring the S60 through the corner. The steering, too, is a willing partner; even though it fails to transmit the finest of road information, it generally affords quick steering-wheel movements and linear effort without excessive weight.
The transmission’s inability to rev-match downshifts is almost sinful in a car this overtly sporty, but, combined with the burying of the steering choices and traction-control settings several menus deep in the center display, this demerit underscores the S60’s preference for road driving. Which brings us back to the $60,000 asking price. This Volvo certainly is a special-feeling thing, with a raspy, BMW-like exhaust note; a hugely capable chassis; and impish Polestar cues like the backlit shift knob and the numbered plaque on the steering wheel’s lower spindle.
Every example comes loaded with Volvo’s full suite of safety technologies, including automatic braking, as well as a leather and nubuck upholstery and heating for the seats (four of them) and steering wheel, a 650-watt 12-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, adaptive bixenon headlights, a backup camera, a sunroof, and more. Toss in Ferrari-shaming rarity, and the money—equal to a fully optioned BMW 335i xDrive M Sport or a Mercedes-Benz C400—doesn’t seem so bad for those who prefer their sports sedan to speak with a distinctly Swedish accent.
