Swede for speed: Pumped up Polestar Volvo to race in V8 Supercar 2014

By Nick Jaynes June 17, 2013

Volvo V8 Supercar teaser — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hold onto your hats Swedish motoring fans, because Volvo is set to enter the Australian V8 Supercar racing series for 2014.

If you’re not familiar with V8 Supercar, it’s an Australian racing series that historically pits V8-powered Holden (Australian General Motors brand) and Ford racecars against one another in rear-wheel drive warfare on a road course.

In the last few years, V8 Supercar gained world notoriety for the both the power of its cars and the skill of its drivers, which made for some exciting racing indeed.

Last week we reported that rumors pegged the safety-obsessed automaker as the newest entrant in the infamous racing series, although Volvo itself denied such claims. Now, however, Volvo is ready to make it official and released the video you see above.

This isn’t Volvo’s first foray into Australian racing. It has run several in the past. In fact, Volvo won the Bathurst in 1998 after having won the entire Australian Touring Car Championship in 1986.

What will be under the hood? We had speculated a version of the Yamaha-sourced Volvo V8 could power the S60 around the track. It appears that’s exactly what’s going to happen. The 4.4-liter V8 will be sized up to meet the 5.0-liter racing requirements and will then push power to only the rear wheels. Volvo hasn’t had a rear-wheel drive car since the S90 of the early 2000s so the S60 V8 Supercar will be like no other Volvo on the road today.

Joining Volvo will be Mercedes and Nissan, now that the Australians have opened up the series to more than just Holden and Ford. To meet the engine requirements, Nissan upped its GT-R 3.8-liter V6 to a 5.0 V8, adding two cylinders, and Mercedes downsized its 5.5-liter V8.

Volvo won’t be flying solo, however, as the Swedish-based Volvo tuner company Polestar will be riding shotgun. Volvo has also reportedly teamed up with Garry Rogers Motorsport, “a Bathurst-winning outfit that’s been served by the likes of current V8 Supercars champion Jamie Whincup, who’s dominated the sport for the last five-odd seasons,” according to Car.

We’re big fans of both V8 Supercar and Volvo so the 2014 series should prove incredibly exciting. As more information is known about the Volvo racecar, we’ll be sure to bring it to you.

Topics

Volvo

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

Cars

The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is one of the best-looking EVs yet

Front of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore

Maserati is adopting electrified vehicles with open arms, and while that could potentially signal an identity crisis for the luxury Italian brand, that’s probably a good thing in the long run.

The company recently took the wraps off of the new Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which is essentially a convertible version of its already released GranTurismo Folgore electric car. The new EV is its third go at electrified vehicles so far, and it flew us out to Rimini, Italy, to witness the big reveal in person.

Cars

EV warranties aren’t like those for non-electric cars. Here’s what you should know

Close up of the Hybrid car electric charger station with power supply plugged into an electric car being charged.

EVs are on the rise. With awesome new models finally rolling out and charging networks rapidly expanding, it feels like we're at the tipping point of electric cars being as mainstream as non-electric vehicles. But with a whole new type of vehicle come new challenges. One challenge is adapting to charging times. Another is paying closer to attention to range. And another, as some drivers are finding out, has to do with electric car warranties.

Turns out, the warranty that comes with electric cars isn't necessarily quite the same as the one that you might get with your non-electric car. If you really think about it, that's probably not all that surprising -- after all, while they can look the same, electric cars have a completely different makeup under the hood compared to their gas-powered cousins. But understanding an EV warranty could be the difference between winding up having to pay thousands for a battery replacement, or getting one repaired on the house.
It's not all new
Before diving into things like battery warranties, it's worth doing a quick primer on car warranties in general. EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles usually come with two different warranties -- at least when they're bought new. First, there's the basic warranty (also known as bumper-to-bumper warranty), which covers every part of a car except for basic maintenance, usually for up to three years or 36,000 miles.

Cars

The 10 best car battery brands in 2024

How to test a car battery

You must know this, but your car needs a battery to run properly. A dead battery means a car won't start, but various electronics in the car won't work properly either, including overhead dome lights, the radio, and even some security features, like door locks or alerts. So, it's in your best interest to ensure your vehicle's battery is in tip-top shape at all times. It's especially important if your car or vehicle sits unused for long periods. A trickle charger can help keep the battery powered in those situations, or worst case, a portable jump starter can help you get it going. But eventually, you're going to need to replace your battery, and it will help to know the best car battery brands out there so you know precisely what to replace your old one with. Let's discuss.
AC Delco
In operation for more than a century, AC Delco has been recommended as "the only batteries" for GM vehicles. You'll find them at retailers like AutoZone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Amazon, and even some Walmarts. They're reliable, reasonably priced, and come with a good warranty, 18 months or above, depending on where you buy. A great AC Delco battery to call out is the Advantage series.

Bosch
Bosch is a solid mid-grade battery provider both in quality and price. They do have some affordable options, but their premium lines are still reasonably priced, with several tiers available for a wide variety of vehicles. The downside is that Bosch batteries are not carried by all retailers like some of the other options on our list, but you can find them online. You can also visit a Bosch service center if there's one near you. Callouts are the S4 to S6 series and the T4 to T6 series. We will say the brand's four-year free replacement warranty is unmatched.