Volvo lets out its inner rebel: Polestar V60 and S60 enter production

By Peter Braun Published June 30, 2014

It is a good day to be a Volvo fan, the long awaited S60/V60 Polestar is going into production. The first of these tuned Swedes left Volvo’s Torslanda factory and are headed to lucky customers across the world.

The cars themselves may not be thrilling to the average gearhead, but they should be. These cars are redesigned from the ground up by Volvo’s tuning partner Polestar. Think of them as the Swedish equivalent of BMW’s M Sport, right down to the racing experience. The result is that the Polestar ’60s feature motorsport modifications straight from Volvo’s touring car race program – and yes you can say “race” in the same sentence as “Volvo” without the world exploding.

The core of the modifications is the twin-scroll turbo T6 inline six-cylinder engine. In the Polestar edition, this puts out 350 horsepower and a whopping 369 pound-feet of torque, good for 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds and a passing oomph of 50 to 75mph in the same 4.7 seconds. If my experience in the standard 300 hp T6 is any guide, this car may actually blow your socks off.

Even better though, are the suspension mods which are more than 80 percent stiffer than already performance geared S60 R-Design. Add in an all-wheel drive system that is grippy enough to tear skin, and brakes that wouldn’t be out of place on an Airbus A380, and the whole package is starting to look pretty impressive.

The bad news is that there will only be a total of 750 produced worldwide and only 120 of those – 80 V60 wagons and 40 S60 sedans – will be coming to the United States. And the ones that do make it here will feature a hefty price tag of between $50,000 and $60,000.

That is a lot considering what else is out there. But these Volvos aren’t just fast; they will be comfortable, practical, and more than a bit special – not to mention beautiful.

As a longtime Volvo fan I am pretty excited – I think I hid it pretty well ,though. Volvo and Polestar are excited, too. Henrik Fries the Polestar project manager said, “It was a truly proud moment to see the first Polestar blue cars on the production line together with the XCV70, S80 and other models. The cooperation with Volvo works really well and we are looking forward to an exciting future together.”

I am right there with you Henrik … now back to work!

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Peter is a freelance contributor to Digital Trends and almost a lawyer. He has loved thinking, writing and talking about cars…

Cars

Waymo lays groundwork for robotaxi revolution

A Waymo car production line.

In recent years, Waymo has been edging toward its long-held goal of revolutionizing urban transportation by deploying a fully autonomous, scalable, and sustainable ride-hailing service.

The Alphabet-owned company has just taken another step in that direction with the opening of a new vehicle factory in Metro Phoenix, Arizona, in partnership with automaker Magna.

Cars

Ram resurrects 1500 Express trim as an affordable option

ram 1500 express return affordable 2026

Ram is revving up excitement with the return of an old favorite—the 2026 Ram 1500 Express. Reintroduced as a more affordable option in the full-size truck lineup, the Express trim brings back a combination of rugged style, respectable performance, and most importantly, a price tag that won’t send buyers running for the hills.

Starting at $41,105 for the base Quad Cab configuration (and just under $45,000 for the Crew Cab), the new Express offers a budget-friendly alternative in a market where full-size trucks can easily cross the $60,000 mark.

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.