Swedish automaker Volvo has launched its performance brand Polestar in the Indian market and the Volvo S60 Polestar became the first of its range to be introduced in the country. India already gets the S60 sedan in the standard and Cross Country versions, but the Polestar edition is a souped-up version that will go head to head with the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C43 and Audi S4. Initially it was rumoured that Volvo would launch the high-performance Polestar variants of the S60 sedan and the V60 Estate in the Indian market together. But for now, India will only get the S60 Polestar.
We got a chance to take the car for a spin at the Kari Motor speedway in Coimbatore and just loved it. High speed turns, straight runs and hard braking the car handled all of it and asked for more. For 2017, Volvo has replaced the in-line 6-cylinder T6 engine in the S60 Polestar with a downsized 2.0-litre engine with 4 cylinders that makes more power than before at 362 bhp and develops a peak torque of 470 Nm. The engine comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission unit with paddle shifters which helps it go from 0-100 kmph in 4.7 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 250 kmph. In terms of other features that set it apart from the standard variant includes larger brakes, stiffer suspension, aggressive body kit and 20-inch Polestar alloy wheels. It also comes with a ‘Polestar’ logo at the rear.
On the inside, the cabin gets new sports seats up front, nubuck leather upholstery, a Polestar steering along with carbonfibre inserts across the cabin. Though luxurious the dash with its host of buttons feels very dated when compared to the competition. Perhaps a touchscreen was the need of the hour. The use of lighter materials and a downsized engine has helped the 2017 model shed 20 kilograms of excess weight. One thing in which the Volvo S60 Polestar just beats the competition by a large margin is the pricing, with a starting price of just 52 lacs (ex-Delhi) it’s a true value for money entry level performance car.
