Photo: Volvo
Since the second-gen Volvo XC90 came out in 2014, Volvo stepped up its game by a huge margin in terms of quality, safety, and hybrid technology. A year after the XC90 dropped on the scene, Volvo acquired Polestar with the sole purpose of producing go-faster machines. This particular XC90 is a case in point.
Officially known as the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine with Polestar Performance Optimisation, this mid-size luxury SUV is not exactly the 600 PS (592 horsepower) monster we talked about last week.
Nevertheless, it’s the most powerful sport utility vehicle ever made by Volvo. As the name implies, the Polestar skunkworks didn’t do much more than to make small adjustments to the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Throttle response, gearshift speed, gearshift precision and gear hold, off-throttle response, more mid-range performance, you name it, every little bit helps. Hence, the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine with Polestar Performance Optimisation churns out a combined 421 PS (415 HP) and 501 lb-ft (680 Nm) of torque. By comparison, the normal T8 Twin Engine develops 400 PS (395 HP) and 472 lb-ft (640 Nm) of grunt.
Thed Bjork, the reigning Scandinavian Touring Car Championship champion and the weapon of choice of the Polestar Cyan Racing team, helped Polestar fine-tune the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine with Polestar Performance Optimisation. ”It is amazing for me as a racing and development driver to be able to work with the same kind of technology and philosophy for the XC90 as with my S60 racecar. While an SUV like the XC90 might be far from what we usually work with, the core of the optimisation is the very same thing. It is about creating driving pleasure and usable performance, something I definitely think we have achieved,” declared Thed.
Despite the rise in output and performance (0 to 62 mph in 5.5 seconds), frugality remains as good as ever with a class-leading rating of 112 MPGe (2.1 l/100 km) and 27 miles (43 kilometers) of pure electric range. Now available in Europe, the Polestar Performance Optimisation will go on sale in the U.S. in October 2016.
Nevertheless, it’s the most powerful sport utility vehicle ever made by Volvo. As the name implies, the Polestar skunkworks didn’t do much more than to make small adjustments to the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Throttle response, gearshift speed, gearshift precision and gear hold, off-throttle response, more mid-range performance, you name it, every little bit helps. Hence, the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine with Polestar Performance Optimisation churns out a combined 421 PS (415 HP) and 501 lb-ft (680 Nm) of torque. By comparison, the normal T8 Twin Engine develops 400 PS (395 HP) and 472 lb-ft (640 Nm) of grunt.
Thed Bjork, the reigning Scandinavian Touring Car Championship champion and the weapon of choice of the Polestar Cyan Racing team, helped Polestar fine-tune the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine with Polestar Performance Optimisation. ”It is amazing for me as a racing and development driver to be able to work with the same kind of technology and philosophy for the XC90 as with my S60 racecar. While an SUV like the XC90 might be far from what we usually work with, the core of the optimisation is the very same thing. It is about creating driving pleasure and usable performance, something I definitely think we have achieved,” declared Thed.
Despite the rise in output and performance (0 to 62 mph in 5.5 seconds), frugality remains as good as ever with a class-leading rating of 112 MPGe (2.1 l/100 km) and 27 miles (43 kilometers) of pure electric range. Now available in Europe, the Polestar Performance Optimisation will go on sale in the U.S. in October 2016.
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