Scandinavian luxury and safety both sit in the back seat with the introduction of the 2020 Volvo V60 T8 Polestar Engineered wagon.
Volvos have always been synonymous with safety, with numerous firsts in the industry. In the past few decades, the brand has also positioned itself as a worthy alternative to luxury German brands.
Now the company is transitioning once again in the area of performance, with a modern twist.
Polestar has become the Swedish luxury vehicle company鈥檚 performance arm. That alone is not remarkable, as many other companies have created branches with the sole purpose of enhancing their product鈥檚 attributes.
What sets Polestar apart is that, along with making existing models go faster, it will spin off as a separate entity and offer only electric vehicles (to take on companies such as Tesla).
I had an opportunity to drive a 2020 Volvo V60 T8 wagon with a Polestar Engineered badge on the grille.
This vehicle is so new and so rare that it isn鈥檛 featured yet on the Volvo sa国际传媒 website, so don鈥檛 bother looking.
The V on the model prefix stands for Versatile in Volvo-speak, and 鈥渨agon鈥� for the rest of us. The company does offer SUVs as well, but the traditional Volvo wagon is a body style still strongly associated with the brand in sa国际传媒 (and very much so in Victoria).
While the range for the Momentum T5 starts at $43,900, a Polestar Engineered V60 T8 will set you back a cool $82,300.
The T8 designation tells you that it is the top-of-the-line trim level, with a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid powerplant.
The T8 powertrain features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that is both turbocharged and supercharged. Polestar Engineered adds their magic to eke out 415聽horsepower and 494 pound-feet of torque (up 15 hp and 22 lb.-ft. of torque from the standard T8 engine).
The car鈥檚 software is tweaked not only to produce the extra power, but to also deliver more oomph to the rear wheels in the all-wheel-drive setup.
Every time you start the car, the system defaults to Hybrid. Propulsion is via two electric motors, with the gasoline engine only starting when extra power is called upon.
If you don鈥檛 want to use a drop of gasoline, select the Pure mode. Be aware that you have to tread lightly, lest the gasoline motor cut in sooner than you would like. There is no mode to lock out the gas engine entirely.
If you encounter road conditions that require you to set the vehicle on the Constant AWD setting, the gasoline engine doesn鈥檛 cut out.
But if you are out to try to embarrass German luxury vehicles, the Polestar Engineered mode is the one to choose.
In this mode, the electric motors add to the already powerful gasoline engine. Both the motors and the supercharger get things moving at low rpms, leaving the blower to join the party higher up in the rev range.
The almost 500 lb.-ft. of torque pushes you back in your seat as the V60 tries to go into warp speed. The 0-100 km/h dash is done in under five seconds.
The eight-speed automatic is smooth and happy to change gears smoothly, but paddle shifters are available if you think you can do better.
If your forward trajectory is not just straight ahead, you will begin to appreciate the low-profile tires, Ohlins dampers and the strut bar in the engine bay. They all play a part in the handling characteristics 鈥� and minimal body lean 鈥� on windy roads.
The Polestar Engineered designation also means larger six-piston Brembo brakes are on board to stop you better.
Impress the Volvo fan in your group by easily identifying the V60 Polestar Engineered vehicle by the yellow finish on the aforementioned calipers 鈥� along with its matching yellow seat belts.
Other than the eye-catching seatbelt colour, there isn鈥檛 much in the interior that you haven鈥檛 seen or experienced in other V60s.
The oversized vertical infotainment screen is still a delight to use, and all the multi-function digital screen in front of the driver is bright and clear.
If you are an audiophile, you will be sure to appreciate the audio system that strives to make you think you are sitting in the Gothenburg Concert Hall in Sweden instead of in your car. Its job is made easier using an array of high-end Bowers & Wilkins speakers.
Fit and finish is as one would expect of a luxury vehicle of this calibre.
Perhaps I was wrong about Scandinavian luxury and safety taking a back seat in the Volvo V60 T8. While a Polestar Engineered vehicle adds exclusivity and more power, it is just the icing on a very desirable cake in the first place.
The spec sheet
Type: Mid-sized luxury performance plug-in hybrid wagon, front engine, all-wheel-drive
Engine: Turbocharged, supercharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, 415 hp @ 6,000 r.p.m., 472 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,200 r.p.m.
EV battery range (km): 45 to 50
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Dimensions (mm): Length, 4,761; width, 1,850; height, 1,432; wheelbase, 2,872
Curb weight (kg): 2,090
Price (base/as tested): $82,300/ $83,795 (includes $1,395 freight and PDI and $100 AC tax)
Options: Nil
Tires: 235/40 R19 on alloy wheels
Fuel type: Premium
Fuel economy (L/100km): Not given
Warranty: Four years/80,000 km new car
