BMW has its M cars, there are a host of AMG-powered Mercedes, the Audi RS range is getting bigger and faster by the month and now Volvo wants a bigger slice of the luxury sports car market.
Volvo's Polestar division focuses predominantly on track cars but since 2014 has been officially working its magic on a small number -- just 750 in the whole of 2015 -- of street legal models too.
However, with its latest models, the V60 and the S60 Polestar, it's hoping to double production and to take its performance cars to a global audience.
"These cars are properly quick," said Niels Möller, Chief Operating Officer, Polestar of the beefed up estate car and sedan, revealed Friday. "But they are more than that. They combine Polestar's 20-year racing pedigree with Volvo's inherent pragmatism and engineering heritage. These are very quick cars that you can use every day of the year."
How fast? With a 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds, regardless of body style they are the quickest road legal cars to sport a Volvo badge in the company's history.
Both cars are electronically limited to a 250km/h top speed and all of this performance is down to reworking Volvo's existing four-cylinder engines, rather than simply taking a bigger motor and squeezing it under the hood.
The standard 2-liter engine has been given a larger turbocharger though it keeps its existing supercharger. It also features upgraded conrods, a new camshaft, exhaust system and improved air intake. The improvements mean 362hp on tap, which flows through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels.
There's also more stopping power thanks to Brembo brakes and a 20kg cut in weight for better handling and balance.
"All changes made to the car are about improving drivability and efficiency. The base of the new engine carries motorsport technology, with solutions such as the combination of turbo and supercharger, lightweight materials and more. This works hand-in-hand with our core philosophy and has enabled us to evolve the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar," said Henrik Fries, Vice President R&D, Polestar.
Just as impressive is the fuel consumption. The V60 and S60 Polestar are capable of returning 7.8l/100km on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 179g/km.
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