Why should the Germans be the only ones to build super sedans? This was the question Cadillac asked when they built the fire-breathing CTS-V, and now the Swedes are asking it too. The result of this Scandinavian introspection is the Volvo S60 Polestar concept, a tuned version of S60 sedan which will be giving the Germans something to think about. With its turbocharged inline-six engine, the standard car produces 300 horsepower and 325lb-ft of torque, enough to stay competitive with Germany’s middleweights. But there is no engine swap for the Polestar concept, and you might be wondering how it could possibly keep up with, say, an M5.
Well, Volvo’s in-house tuning people at Polestar have cranked the engine up to 508 horsepower and 424lb-ft of torque. This is achieved by way of a Garret 3171 turbocharger, modified cylinder heads and combustion chambers, a modified air intake and a new 3.5-inch Ferrita exhaust system. That power is sent through a Haldex all-wheel-drive system and the car is capable of a 0-60 time of just 3.9 seconds. That makes it quicker than an M5 or an E63 AMG, and ties it with a CTS-V. They’ve even painted it in that shade of blue which somehow makes Volvos look faster, not an easy thing to do.
The concept is coming to the L. A. Auto Show at the end of this month, according to Winding Road. But we should all remember that the S60 Polestar is still only a concept. Volvo have issued the usual statement about how they’ll build the car if there’s sufficient public interest, but we’re not sure how much excitement Volvo buyers are likely to generate over a super sedan with a 186 mph top speed. We still think it would be great if Volvo built it, if for no other reason than giving all those M5 owners something to be jealous about.
