• Volvo S60 Polestar receives Drive-E powertrain
• 32 new S60 Polestar models for South Africa
• Improved handling, emissions and fuel economy
• Four-cylinder Drive-E engine produces 270kW/470Nm
Cape Town - Volvo, together with Polestar (the performance division owned by the Swedish automaker) has announced the launch of the quickest cars yet - the new 270kW S60 sedan and V60 sports wagon.
The new S60 Polestar has been confirmed for South Africa albeit in limited quantities - only 32 unit will be available locally. Expect the S60 Polestar to arrive later in 2016.
Image gallery: 2016 S60 Polestar
The new car, powered by a specially-enhanced version of Volvo's four cylinder Drive-E powertrain, is capable of 270kW and 470Nm. It from 0-100 km/h sprint in just 4.7 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 250km/h.
Despite the increased performance, fuel consumption and emissions are at a class-leading level of 7.8 litres/100km and 179g/km CO2.
According to Volvo: "Polestar has taken an original S60 with a highly-advanced 2.0-litre four cylinder Drive-E engine and added a bigger turbo, a supercharger, new conrods, new camshafts, a larger air intake and a higher capacity fuel pump to augment the engine, and matched it with a BorgWarner four-wheel drive system and the new Polestar-optimised eight-speed Geartronic automatic gearbox."
Polestar has also reduced the car's weight - 24kg lighter over the front axle and 20kg lighter in total compared to the previous model.
Polestar goes global
The two new models also mark the globalisation of the Polestar brand. The first road legal Polestar cars were launched in 2014 to limited markets, including South Africa. Today, Polestar is delighted to announce that it is expanding the number of markets where Polestar models will be sold from 13 to 47 and doubling production volume from 750 cars per year up to 1 500.
Both cars also trace their heritage to the Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, the all-new FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) race car from Polestar Cyan Racing. The new road cars use the same base chassis, engine and philosophy of the team behind their development.
Other new features on the cars include new 20-inch lightweight wheels, Polestar-calibrated electro-assisted power steering and new slotted front brake discs, measuring 371 mm in diameter.
Only 32 new Volvo S60 Polestar models will make their way to South African buyers in the third quarter of 2016, with similar pricing to the previous model.