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Volvo puts the S60 Polestar into production – but its not the one you want

Nick Jaynes
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Volvo S60 Polestar
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When the aftermarket Volvo tuner Polestar unveiled its 508 horsepower version of the all-new Volvo S60, the motoring world was set alight.

With a bright blue paint job, charcoal-colored Alcantara-draped interior, a manual transmission, and all-wheel drive, the S60 Polestar Concept was a gorgeous BMW M5 competitor from the frozen north unlike anything we’d ever anticipated from the Volvo brand.

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We in the automotive media begged Volvo to make one of their own and for a while it seemed our requests were falling upon deaf ears. This week, however, Volvo has announced a first-ever production version of the S60 Polestar.

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For now, it’s only set for the Australian market but if things go well there, it could find its way to other global markets, like the U.S.

Before you start rubbing your hands together with devious anticipation, we have to break some news to you: unlike the 508 horsepower maniac produced by Polestar, the production car will only have 350 horsepower, which represents only a 25 horsepower jump over the standard S60 T6 AWD. The production car will make a 0-60 run in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 158mph.

The disappointment doesn’t end there. Though the S60 Polestar production car will have a different aerodynamics front- and rear-end package and all-wheel drive, the Swedes have left the Polestar six-speed manual on the shop floor and instead included Volvo’s standard six-speed automatic.

Volvo S60 Polestar 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In spite of its diminished potential, Volvo still brags, “The Volvo S60 Polestar shares technology from the Polestar racing cars, like dampers from Öhlins, high capacity brakes, and the extensively developed, highly-tuned chassis.”

These features might normally excite us but after receiving news of the lowered horsepower output, we’re now less than excited.

We’ve sent an email off to a U.S. Volvo representative for more info but have not yet received a response. Check back for more information as soon as we learn more, like when the S60 Polestar might comes Stateside.

Do you think Volvo has made a major misstep by de-tuning the S60 Polestar?

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