Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
16 Aug 2018
2 min read

If you've ever wanted your all-wheel-drvie Volvo to feel just a little more sporty, the folks at Polestar have just the answer.

The Swedish brand's recently spun-off performance arm has been busy rolling out a new software update for Volvo's all-wheel-drive models that will send more torque to the rear axle.

Happily, the the software update was developed with naught but driving fun in mind, with the brand's engineers touting the "improved steering, enhanced turn-in and and better control and engagement", which sounds pretty good to us.

Polestar and Volvo are a little light on detail for now, and are yet to confirm exactly much power will be sent to the rear tyres, but we do know that the upgrade will be activated when a driver selects the Dynamic drive mode or switches the traction control off.

ā€œWe are always fine-tuning the driving experience of Volvo cars, and this upgrade makes the all-wheel drive both smoother and more dynamic,ā€ says Volvo's senior vice president of research and development, Henrik Green.

Polestar has been working its wizardry on the current fleet of Volvo product via software upgrades for some time now. This is, in fact, the sixth area they've focused on, after throttle response, gear shifts, points and gear holding, and squeezing more power from the engines.

There's no word yet on when the update might become available in Australia, but it is internationally available on the 90 series, 60 series and the XC40.

Has Volvo well and truly shaken its dowdy image? Tell us in the comments below.

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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