The New Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Is A Boot Away From Perfection

The only thing that'd make Volvo's new Polestarred S60 any more alluring is a wagon body, but we've good news on that front...
The New Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Is A Boot Away From Perfection

Here it is: the all-new S60, a car which looks…exactly how you’d expect. Just as the V60 is a miniaturised V90, the S60 is a slightly shrunken S90. And as was the case with the V60, we don’t care one bit. How good does it look?

It’s built on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) in Charleston - making this the first Volvo to ever be built in the USA - and it uses an array of 2.0-litre petrol engines shared with other 60 and 90-series vehicles. There won’t be any diesel units in the range.

The New Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Is A Boot Away From Perfection

Kicking things off is the 246bhp T5, which will do 0-62mph in a VW Golf GTI-bothering 6.5 seconds. Next up there’s a twin-charged, all-wheel drive T6 with 306bhp on offer, or if you’d prefer, there’s a hybrid T6 ‘Twin Engine’ packing 335bhp.

The T8 hybrid develops 385bhp and a thumping 472lb ft of torque, dropping the 0-62mph time to 4.9 seconds. But if you want just a little more potency, you can upgrade to Polestar Engineered spec. And that’s where things get interesting.

The New Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Is A Boot Away From Perfection

As revealed by Volvo last week, this spec doesn’t bump the power up by much - the total power output from the twin-charged engine and electric motor is 409bhp, while the torque is at 494lb ft. We’re more interested in what Polestar has done to the chassis: we have Brembo mono-block brake calipers squeezing upgraded pads onto slotted discs, and super-plush Öhlins shock absorbers pinched from the Polestar 1. Oh, and a strut brace from the same car.

The whole shebang is finished with gold-painted brake calipers, and gold seatbelts. On anything else that’d be a bit tacky, but somehow for the S60, it just works.

The New Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered Is A Boot Away From Perfection

Sounds like an enticing recipe, but there’s one problem: it’s not a wagon. Imagine that spec - gold finishings and all - on the V60. The desirability is suddenly ramped up to 11, isn’t it?

Thankfully, that will eventually become a reality - Volvo has confirmed that a Polestar Engineered version of the V60 is indeed happening, and it’ll be revealed in 2019. It’ll be joined by a Polestar-tweaked XC60 the same year.

Whichever trim level you go for, the S60 is a fantastic-looking thing
Whichever trim level you go for, the S60 is a fantastic-looking thing

As for the S60, the range will go on sale in the UK early next year. There’s no word on pricing yet, but expect it to have a similar starting price to the £31,810 V60.

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Comments

Austin98

Base horsepower at 246?! Now that’s what I call an impact. Well played Volvo.

06/21/2018 - 09:08 |
164 | 0
SirJamjaxIsGoingAgain-PeaceOutChaps

In reply to by Austin98

They’ll probably release lower power variants. T3 I think it’s called

06/21/2018 - 15:11 |
12 | 12
DL🏁

I’m in love

06/21/2018 - 09:14 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

WAIT!!! 246 HP FROM A STOCK SALOON?!!? AND ITS SUPER STRONG!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

(sorry for the exclamationmarks)

06/21/2018 - 09:22 |
12 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

!!!!!

(Just for good measure)

06/21/2018 - 12:22 |
0 | 0
Freddie Skeates

‘a boot away’ since when did you become Canadian @Matt Robinson

06/21/2018 - 09:24 |
14 | 0
Tomislav Celić

Hybrid
High performance
Compact
And It’s a Volvo
AND A POLESTAR

All boxes are ticked, I need one

06/21/2018 - 09:41 |
98 | 0

Welcome to the A game Volvo

I’d have one too please

06/21/2018 - 12:21 |
6 | 0

AND THERE’S A POTENT ESTATE COMING AS WELL

06/21/2018 - 16:57 |
18 | 0
Anonymous

I love it hopefully i can drive it at some point

06/21/2018 - 10:20 |
0 | 0
Jake 136

I’m sorry to be that guy, but… no manual means no ‘near perfection’

06/21/2018 - 10:21 |
6 | 16

Manuals aren’t the only thing in the world

And think about it. The majority of Volvos S60 Market are Paper company Managers that probably just want a nice car to daily drive

So why bother making a manual if no ones gonna buy one?

06/21/2018 - 10:51 |
2 | 6

I’ll see myself out and make sure not to give opinions anymore 😂

06/21/2018 - 12:07 |
2 | 2
Fat Beckham

Polestar wagons for the win… Need those yellow belts for mine, they’re a bit lovely.

06/21/2018 - 10:48 |
28 | 2

I have so much time for these. Is yours the inline-six or the later four-pot?

06/21/2018 - 11:46 |
6 | 0
CannedRex24

BMW 3 what now?

Seriously Volvo has gone from being the Boring estate car company to making one of the most beautiful cars of the modern day

This looks hell of a lot better than the New 8 series with its jagged edges, while this is just plain simple

never in my entire life have I wanted a Volvo so badly

06/21/2018 - 10:48 |
16 | 4

You should really consider applying at the Squadra Azzura

06/21/2018 - 15:28 |
0 | 0
TurboToddler (Straight-five)

You know it’s gonna be good when a Volvo range begins at a T5

06/21/2018 - 11:57 |
34 | 0

Most likely only going to be the base at launch. I expect a lower power T3 to be released later on

06/21/2018 - 22:02 |
4 | 0