Volvo Reviews

This was a real surprise package as the XC60 all-wheel drive is one of our favourite medium size luxury SUVs. But this one is a front wheel drive and also ushers in a new turbo diesel engine.XC60 is one of Volvo's most successful models and they are making hay while the sun shines offering a swag of variants to cater for a wide range of tastes and budgets.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONThe test car had  a 2.0-litre, five-cylinder with 120kW/400Nm output. It joins the larger twin turbo 2.4-litre, diesel five in higher grade XC60s and a raft of other engine choices in the range. It has a six speed conventional auto transmission offering sequential mode on the stick shift as well as a sports function we didn't bother with.PRICE AND FEATURESThis one kicks off at a relatively accessible $55,490 and is, realistically, all you need in an XC60. Specification is relatively generous with the D4 boasting leather, reverse camera, rear park assist, power tail gate, electric parking brake, electric driver's seat, climate control, pollen filter, cruise and trip computer. Satnav is an option.SAFETYThe XC60 D4 scores the latest version of City Safety braking system, dynamic stability control, roll stability control, emergency brake lights, multiple air bags and really handy two stage booster cushion rear seats for little kids. They fold into the body of the normal seats.DRIVINGWe drove the car extensively over the holiday period and have to say it was the ideal family wagon suitable for pretty much anything we chose to do. The load space is big and it's a superbly comfortable touring vehicle as we found on a 2000km round trip.The engine is smooth and quiet and has plenty of pull across a wide operating range. We saw better than 6.5-litres/100km on a trip without driving for economy and four up. Mid-range grunt is strong.With coil over suspension, ride and drive feel is sporty despite being tallish and weighing in at around 1770kg. Even the turning circle is commendably small and we love the illuminated gear knob.We reckon no owners would venture any further off road than a trip to the country on dirt roads. The front-wheel drive will do that without any problems. And do it using less fuel and with the same degree of comfort and refinement as more costly variants. It looks a bit Plain Jane compared to higher spec' versions but being at the bottom of the XC60 pecking order mandates some compromises.VERDICTThe XC60 D4 is a handsome, right size family wagon that we'd own in a blink.Volvo XC60 D4Price: from $58,490Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmEngine: 2.0-litre 5-cyl turbo diesel, 120kW/400NmTransmission: 6-speed auto; FWDThirst: 6.9L/100km , CO2 182 g/kmWeight: 1770kg approx. 

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used Volvo XC90 2002 - 2012.

When Volvo announced in June that it would enter V8 Supercars next season, I couldn't help thinking about bowling hats sliding around on parcel shelves and wondering how to tie them down. What would the race regulations have to say about an unsecured piece of headgear?An absurd idea, of course. A case of reflex brand association.  But it's precisely the sort of connection we all make. It shows how much mental reorganisation is needed to put the two ideas in the same sentence. Volvo and racing? Come on.For those with longer memories, this will be less of a struggle. Volvo competed with its S40 in the 2.0 Litre Super Touring Cars series in the 1990s, winning at Bathurst in 1998 and taking the manufacturers' title a year later. It has kept its eye in with stints in overseas events, including the Scandinavian Touring Cars Championship.As the V8 Supercars rules have changed, but the general perception of Volvos has stayed broadly the same, it has come back for another go. This time the race car is an S60 powered by a V8, which is not a combination you can actually buy. Although that matters only if you think that, beyond the badge, V8 Supercars actually have something in common with their showroom equivalents.However, there is a link. Volvo's pet motorsport operation, Polestar, which prepares its track racers in Sweden for the STCC, has come up with a specially tuned version of the S60. It's called S60 Polestar, and it's Volvo's pitch for the performance sub-brand buyers who have a huge appetite for BMW M cars, Mercedes AMGs and Audi Quattros.The S60 Polestar trials the idea in an Australia-only limited edition of 50 cars that went on sale in June, as Volvo announced its V8 Supercars involvement.VALUEThe S60 Polestar is based on the regular performance flagship S60 T6 R-Design, the top-spec version of its mid-size junior exec, which comes with a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine and body-hugging seats for $75,140. The S60 Polestar is almost half as much again; at $109,950 it is easily the most expensive Volvo you can buy.DESIGNThe S60’s Polestar package includes revised suspension, 19-inch wheels instead of 18s, and Polestar calipers for the brakes with performance pads. The transmission is the same six-speed automatic, although tuned by Polestar, and the car retains the electric steering system on the S60. Its quoted dry weight of 1684kg equals a T6 R-Design.On the outside, the Polestar gets a body kit including a rear wing and discreet badging with the tuner's square blue logo. The same blue is also available for the whole car, although red and white are alternatives.  Inside you'll find heated leather-faced seats, satin highlights, a soft dashtop and unusual metallic trim on the centre console that is reminiscent of Scanpan cookware, although that probably wasn't the goal. It's a typically excellent Volvo interior with just a few inherent issues, such as rear headrests that restrict vision. The dials are straightforward and include a helpful speed limit indicator but, as far as I could tell, no digital speedo. There's a counter-intuitive electric park brake that you pull for off.From a buyer's perspective it is not much of a lift over the donor car, with most of it unchanged from the R-Design treatment. The logo under the transparent gearshift cap is a nice touch but it could do with a bit more Polestar badging, since that's what you're paying for. The steering wheel is too large for the context and features a naff numbered inset showing which one of the 50 examples you're in. For the extra you could expect more nice textures and colours, more satin trim.The equipment level compensates a bit, with everything you get in a T6 R-Design plus some. So it includes intelligent lights, parking sensors, premium sound, sat nav, Bluetooth and adaptive cruise control. There's little to add except a sunroof, which is another $2650.For passengers, there's just as much room as a standard S60 but the boot is a different matter. A spare tyre sits on the cargo floor, getting in the way. In an Orwellian use of language, this is what's known as a “space-saver”. But it doesn't save any space at all, it occupies it.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONVolvo’s Polestar enhancement adds a bigger turbocharger, new intercooler and race exhaust to the S60’s 3.0 litre straight six. The result is 33kW more power, for 257kW, and 60Nm more torque, at 500Nm.  The 250km/h top speed is unchanged from the S60 T6, which is where most luxury brands set the limiter. Surprisingly, fuel use is unchanged at 10.2 litres per 100km average. The difference comes in acceleration; with launch control, the Polestar is more than a second quicker to 100km/h than the donor car, at 4.9 seconds. That's quick in anybody's language, Swedish or German.SAFETYVolvo is better known for safety than performance and the Polestar includes all the brand's safety software, such as auto-braking at low speeds if it detects an imminent collision with a car or human. However, the pedestrian airbag that debuted on the V40 hatchback recently has yet to be fitted to the S60 range.  Some of the driver alert systems are becoming obsessive in their coddling. I particularly liked the “rain sensor with tunnel detection”.DRIVINGThe S60 Polestar drives as well as any Volvo I've sampled although, like the cabin, it feels constrained by its starting point. The engine is mounted high and transversely under the bonnet, which is not ideal from a handling perspective, and with all-wheel drive it ends up feeling more like a performance Audi than a performance BMW or Mercedes.So there's plenty of grip, but the chassis feels a bit tall and doughy. Turn in could be crisper. There's no shortage of power or pace, and the engine has a pleasing snarly tone although it's a background soundtrack.  The combination of turbo lag -- the delay between throttle application and acceleration -- plus a transmission that isn't the quickest to shift means engine response from low revs requires patience.It's better when asked to deliver while already rolling. The transmission can hunt for gears a bit in D. Sport mode turns up the wick although there are no steering wheel paddles for manual shifting; you must use the lever, which operates counter-intuitively with a push for an upshift.There's a hard redline at 7000rpm, but left to its own devices the transmission changes up earlier regardless of mode. The steering, usually a Volvo weakness, is among the best I've encountered from the brand but it could be more engaging and the car's turning circle is a wide 11.9m. The 19-inch wheels also generate quite a lot of tyre noise and ride quality can be brittle.VERDICTOverall, the S60 Polestar moves the bar for Volvo but doesn't change its character. It's a corduroy car in running shoes and, while it delivers on outright pace, it lacks the sort of excitement dividend you should expect for a $34k premium. It nibbles at German performance territory rather taking a wholehearted bite.  That may be the fate of Volvo's race return too. This year's newcomers Nissan and Mercedes have been rolling chicanes for the Holdens at the front of the pack.Volvo S60 T6 PolestarPrice: from $109,950Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turboPower: 257kW and 500NmTransmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 10.2L/100km0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds

After years of safe, sensible, but somewhat stodgy cars Volvo reinvigorated its offering with a series of smart, stylish and more appealing models. The popular S40 compact sedan was a major part of that transformation after replacing the 440 in the late 1990s.NEWAn all-new S40 appeared in 2004 and it was a big step forward in both style and substance, with an updated range of models, a responsive chassis, and a diesel engine option. Four models made up the range, starting with the entry level S, following came the luxury LE, the D5 diesel and the sporty T5.They were smartly laid-out inside, with practical controls, comfortable seats and ample cabin space, although those in the back seats might have felt a little cramped. Three engine options were offered, starting with the 2.4-litre five-cylinder petrol engine, with a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine and a sporty turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine as attractive alternatives.The base petrol engine delivered decent performance, while the diesel stretched the distance between fuel stops nicely and still offered good performance, but the sparkling performer of the range was the turbocharged petrol engine in the sporty T5. There was a choice of manual and automatic transmissions available, depending on the model.Most of the range was front-wheel drive, but the T5 boasted all-wheel drive. If the engines delivered the zip, it was the chassis that delivered the real enjoyment with its nimble, surefooted handling that was light years ahead of the lumbering old Volvo of the past.NOWLike all modern cars the S40 bristles with technology and as we see every day here at Carsguide that can mean trouble. That's not to suggest that every car will breakdown, but it's a fact of today's motoring life that the cars we drive are often struck down with maladies that are unexplainable and frustrating.It's important to approach the buying process with that in mind and thoroughly check any used car you might be thinking of buying. Even the most thorough check might not identify an underlying issue, but it's vital that a check is conducted.That might be a road test, and we don't mean a quick thrash around the block, but an extended road evaluation taking in as many varied road and driving conditions as possible. It should include highway speed as well as normal suburban speed, you should go to a car park and test it at walking speed, manoeuvre it as you would if parking it, drive it over speed humps, around roundabouts, over smooth, rough, even gravel roads.While you're doing this you should be listening for odd noises, clunks, rattles, vibrations, anything that seems out of the ordinary. But don't rest there, take it to a Volvo specialist and have them cast their expert eye over it. While you're at it check for a service record, one that's credible, and preferably from a mechanic who is familiar with the Volvo brand.Regular oil changes are critical to engine life, so it's important that the recommended service routine is maintained. Many S40s will have passed or fast approaching the time when the cam timing belt needs to be changed. The change on earlier models was scheduled at 120,000km or eight years, later ones went out to 150,000km or 10 years.SMITHY SAYSAn attractive mid-sized car that offers safety, features and good on-road performance at an affordable used price.Volvo S40 - 2006-2009Price new: $39,950 to $54,950Engine: 2.4-litre, 5-cylinder, 125 kW/230 Nm; 2.4-litre, 5-cylinder, turbo-diesel, 132 kW, 350 Nm; 2.5-litre 5-cylinder turbo, 162 kW/320 NmTransmission: 5-speed auto, 5-speed man, FWD, 6-speed man (T5), AWD (T5)Economy: 7.0L/100 km (TD), 8.7L/100 km (2.4), 10.1L/100 km (T5)Body: 4-door sedanVariants: S, LE, D5, T5Safety: 5-star ANCAP.

Another high-performance car has hit the high-performance scene in Australia - Polestar. Polestar is the tuning division of Volvo and joins Mercedes AMG, BMW M cars, even Holden HSV, in offering the excitement many Australian drivers crave.In a stunning recognition of Australian drivers, Australia is the first country to receive the Volvo S60 Polestar. Just 50 have been assembled at this time and all have been allocated to our country.The Swedish high-performance guys see Australia as being the most challenging market in the world, with a huge array of hot machines being sold here to those who appreciate the pinnacle of automotive excitement.We attended the world debut in Brisbane and came away most impressed with the S60 Polestar. Putting its money where its corporate mouth is, Polestar and Volvo are going all out in the high-performance stakes by entering the V8 Supercar series in 2014.“Australian V8 Supercar racing is the best in the world,” said Hans Baath, one of Polestar’s chiefs who came Down Under to introduce their new baby, “the racing is close and exciting and Swedish car enthusiasts love the TV coverage.”Nissan and Mercedes AMG began competing against Ford and Holden in the new-generation V8 Supercars in 2013 and it will be great to see Volvo in there as well.Of course, the V8 Supercars Volvo Polestar will be a pure racing machine, but we have just had a terrific couple of days in the road-going version of the car. Our particular car was the first off the line and appropriately numbered 01/50 on the plate on the steering wheel.With a retail price of just $109,990 the S60 Polestar is powered by the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine we have admired in other Volvos. In this iteration it produces 350 horsepower (257 kW in Australian numbers) and over 500 Newton metres of torque.DRIVINGTorque is the important thing in any engine. "Power sells a car, torque moves it," smiled Hans Baath. We just loved the endless stream of grunt produced by the straight-six. Throttle response is all-but instantaneous despite this being a turbo engine and the torque is at its peak all the way from 2800 to 4500 revs.The automatic transmission is modified version of the standard Volvo six-speed unit and provides fast changes to match the engine. Overtaking is ridiculously quick and safe with an engine like this. All-wheel drive with sporting settings to ensure the correct torque is sent to each wheel and finishes off the excellent powertrain package.As well as the sporting engine Volvo and Polestar have worked on the suspension, steering, brakes and body stiffening. This results in a sporting machine that will bring a smile to the face of even the most demanding of drivers.Even more impressive than the sports sedan feeling is the way it copes with day-to-day driving. Ride comfort is almost as good as that of the standard S60 sedan.Obviously the most impressive thing about the new Volvo S60 Polestar is its performance, but we were also amazed at how easy it is to drive in real life conditions. Hans Baath again, “This is a car for all seasons, all reasons, and all conditions.” He is so definitely right.VERDICTThis is no hard-riding track-day special and we would be happy to use one as a daily commuter – with dreams in our head of taking it for that famed early-morning Sunday drive and/or to the racetrack on the same day. Volvo S60 T6 PolestarPrice: from $109,950Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turboPower: 257kW and 500NmTransmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 10.2L/100km0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds

June 30 is D-Day. The end of the financial year is the best time to buy a new car because there are always special deals in showrooms. As carmakers and dealers aim to clear their outdated stock, Toyota uses a June push to cement its showroom leadership. Some of the special deals are on cars that have done demonstrator duty, or were built in 2012, or are just not selling as well as expected. So they're not the tastiest fruit in the bowl.But there is great buying across the board as demand for new cars fuels one of the longest growth periods in motoring. The bottom line is that you can save money -- and lots of it. So here's a look at the June sales, with Carsguide's assessment of the best deals on wheels.CITROENThe new importer is pushing hard so the Aircross SUV starts at $31,990 drive-away front-wheel drive or $33,990 with AWD, a saving of $3800. There's $5000 off the C4 Seduction turbo diesel auto hatch at $25,990. Carsguide says: The Aircross isn't great, but the C4 discount is tasty.FORDThe death notice for the Falcon and Territory has not helped buyer confidence but a 2.9 per cent finance push on Fiesta and Focus still looks good. The superseded Kuga SUV from $31,990 drive-away is a $10,000 saving. You can save about $3000 on a 2012 Escape SUV from $27,990 drive-away.The Territory gets a $6500 tickle, the TX seven-seater at $38,490 drive-away (third-row seat usually costs $2500). The impressive Mondeo liftback starts at $29,990. Good buying on Falcons, thanks to the arrival of the VF Commodore, from $33,990 and better if you haggle.HOLDENAs the VF Commodore creates queues, the outgoing Z-Series starts at $34,990 with five years' warranty and roadside assist. That also applies to the SV6 at $35,990 and the Cruze SRi and SRi-V at $23,490 and $26,990. Last year's Barina CD hatches are $15,990 drive-away with a sunroof. The Colorado is $39,990. Hard to see past the excellent Cruze SRi.HONDAClipped prices and free on-roads. The City VTi sedan is $17,990 and the (slightly) more lavish VTi-L automatic version starts at $21,990. The bigger Civic sedan is being cleared from $21,990. Free auto on the Jazz VTi at $19,990. The Civic is worth a look at $2500 off.KIAFree on-roads, discounts and $1000 gift vouchers on many models. A five-door Rio S is about $3K off at $15,990 drive-away with a $500 gift card; the three-door Rio is $14,990 and the five-door Si is $18,990. Runout Cerato TD sedans start at $17,990 for the S, saving about $5000, the Si sedan is $23,990 and hatch at $17,990. All get a $1000 gift card. Cerato SLi and SLS have drive-away pricing but miss the gift card. All Optimas have free on-roads. A 2012-build Optima Platinum is $37,990, saving about $4000 with a $1000 gift card. Most Sportage SUVs include on-roads and a $1000 gift card. Carnival and superseded Rondo pricing is drive-away. The Sportage diesel and Optima are top-notch.MITSUBISHIThe manual Lancer gets an old-school value pack on the Special Action Model for $19,990 drive-away. The Mirage is $12,990 drive-away for the ES manual, with a $500 cash-back that also applies to the auto.Driveaway prices also for the compact ASX at $24,990 for the 2WD manual, the Outlander LS 2WD auto at $29,990, Pajero GLX-R auto at $54,990 or $59,990 for VRX. Both come plus $3000 cash-back, saving about $6000.The Triton ute is now tackling Great Wall from China at $19,990 drive-away for a GL single-cab 2WD with alloy tray, or add luxury for a GLX dual-cab 4WD diesel at $31,990 drive-away with $2000 cash-back, saving about $14,000. The utes look good at those prices.NISSANA 2.9 per cent finance package, with agreed value after three years, makes the Pulsar ST sedan look good at $49 a week or $19,990 drive-away. The X-Trail ST 2WD petrol manual cops a $4000 reduction to $25,990 drive-away, while the Navara RX 4WD dual-cab manual is cheaper than ever with a $9500 cut to $30,990 drive-away. The Pulsar sedan deal is attractive.OPELThere are drive-away deals across the range. The basic Corsa is down by about $2500 to $16,990 drive-away, the Astra is from $22,990 drive-away for the 1.4-litre turbo petrol hatch with three years of free servicing, saving about $5500. The top-line Insignia sedan is from $39,990 drive-away with heated leather seats. The Astra is easily best of this breed.PEUGEOTFree on-roads at Peugeot on most models but not the cool new 208. The 4008 SUV cops a $1500 saving from $29,990 drive-away and there are deals on the outgoing 4007. Nothing to see here.RENAULTA Koleos from $26,990 drive-away looks even better with interest-free finance. The Megane hatch is from $22,990 drive-away with finance pegged at 1.9 per cent. The slow-selling Fluence and Latitude sedans are available with 2.9 per cent finance. The Megane CC convertible goes from $43,990 including on-roads. The sporty Clio RS is from $34,990 drive-away and the hotrod Megane RS has 2.9 per cent finance.Commercial deals start with the short-wheelbase Kangoo petrol manual with dual sliding doors from $20,990 drive-away, moving up to the Trafic short-wheelbase manual for $29,990 and the long-wheelbase manual for $32,990, while the Master large van starts from $46,990 drive-away. There's a five-year/200,000km warranty on all light commercials ordered in June. Hard to argue against a $3000 bonus on the Koleos but stocks are tight.SUBARUDrive-away pricing -- for savings of $3000 to $4000 -- is the bait, with Impreza pricing from $23,990 (excluding the WRX, of course). The Tribeca from $54,990 now includes on-roads but you need to visit a dealer to get the full story. Nothing outstanding.SUZUKIThe front-drive SX4 gets a Navigator pack with voice-controlled 6.6-inch satnav with Bluetooth for $19,990 drive-away for the manual and $21,990 auto. That also applies to the 2WD auto Grand Vitara at $29,990 drive-away, including reversing camera and satnav with Bluetooth. The Alto GL manual also gets satnav for $11,990 drive-away for the manual, with the Swift GL manual at $17,490 drive-away including cruise control and Bluetooth. The Grand Vitara is a polished piece.TOYOTAThere's 2.9 per cent finance on Aurion and Camry with the Camry Altise looking best at $29,990 drive-away. Other drive-away deals include $15,990 for the Yaris YR five-door, $21,490 for the Corolla Ascent automatic, $39,990 for the Kluger KX-R 2WD five-seater, $60,990 for the Prado GXL turbo diesel auto and $39,990 for the HiLux SR 4WD dual-cab ute. The right time for the cabbies' new favourite, the frugal hybrid Camry.VOLKSWAGENDrive-away pricing on passenger cars and zero finance on commercials. The Polo is $16,990 on-road, the Jetta is down to $25,990 and the Passat $36,690. The Polo is Carsguide's 2010 COTY.VOLVOFuel and servicing for three years or 60,000km plus roadside assistance. There are conditions -- with a pre-paid BP card based on 15,000km a year and $1.50 a-litre pricing -- and the latest V40 hatch is excluded. Clever twist on bargaining but a pity it doesn't apply to the V40.Paul Gover's 10 COMMANDMENTSYou must still do your homework. You must still check the fine print. You must still be prepared to haggle and compromise.But do it right, crunching the numbers and running right to the dealer's deadline, and you can drive away in something special at a special price.The starting point is all the deals, from sticker specials to cheap finance and steak knife-style free extras, being offered by most of the 60-plus brands in showrooms today.If something you want is on special, go for it. But check that the car was built in 2013, and is not a geriatric old-timer from 2012, and ensure your target is exactly what you want - not a stripped-out stocker, perhaps missing an automatic gearbox - that will cost thousands to get the way you want it.Once you lock down a target, don't think the advertised special is the end of the deal. You also need to negotiate for a better price on delivery and on-road costs, and avoid the trap of buying over-priced extras such as paint and upholstery protection, window tinting and extra-long warranties.No-one can expect to go into the ring with a showroom professional and expect to win, because buyers only get a new car occasionally and sales staff are dealing every day. But, by concentrating on the real bottom line - the changeover price - and being prepared to compromise, you can come out ahead.The best tips are the simplest. Run as close as you can to June 30 to sign the deal and get the car, because dealers are all aiming for targets that can mean tens of thousands in bonus money from headquarters. Also be prepared to take a car they have in stock, even if it's not your favourite colour, because dealers are aiming to clear everything they have on the lot.And have your finance in place before you arrive, especially if you're taking up a special deal, because that makes things quicker and you'll also be spared any hassle and potential extra costs.Watch out for 2012 cars because the warranty clock has already been running, don't forget that a big discount today will also mean less at changeover time, and remember that a demonstrator car could have had a hard life already. 

We all know that Volvos are quite good to crash. But no-one buys a Volvo to go fast or just for the enjoyment of driving. Until now, perhaps.Thanks to a Swedish company called Polestar, and an Australian push for performance that includes - yes, really - V8 Supercars racing from 2014, there is something new, fairly special, and definitely memorable, in the Volvo catalogue. It's an S60 the company is pitching up against a spread of go-faster hero cars including the brilliant BMW M3 and sledgehammer Mercedes-Benz C63.The Volvo S60 Polestar will never seriously threaten the M3 or C63, but it's a fair bit cheaper and capable of cracking along fairly briskly without flicking your bowls' hat off the parcel shelf or going soft on safety. It will even sprint to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds and has to be held back to 250km/h at the top end.It's not cheap at $109,950, but it is exclusive with just 50 copies. And it's coming first to Australia because Volvo Car Australia knows its needs to be more than just the safety-first car company in a land where people still like cars and like to drive."In short, we see this a sa driver's car. And car built to work in all weather, all season and all roads, every day, and not just on the perfect day," says Hans Baath, the Swedish head of Polestar, at the S60 launch this week in Brisbane.It's also a test case, a first, to see if the car has potential for other countries and if Volvo should do more stealth work on its other models. "Choosing Australia was quite simple for us. It's a country were the car is a vital part of everyday life. There is a huge car culture here."VALUEThe bottom line is $109,950 and that's a lot when you can get a T6 all-wheel drive for $65,490 and a Teknik-tweaked version for $75,490. But Volvo wants shoppers to consider it against an M3 at $155,100 and a C63 at $154,900.The car picks up a bunch of Polestar stuff but, in reality, it's a conservative package. All the Polestar improvements are done on the regular S60 production line, unlike companies like HSV that need to get base cars into their workshops to do real improvements.Volvo calls it a Q-car - a tag snitched from the Q-ships of the World Wars, which were cargo ships with big guns - but these days it's probably better to describe it as a stealth fighter. It is definitely flying under the radar and the only giveaway - on around a quarter of the cars - is bright blue bodywork that salutes Sweden's motorsport racing colour.The only option on the Polestar car is a sunroof for $2650 and there are only 50 cars in a limited run. For now, at least.TECHNOLOGYAny turbo car is relatively easy to tweak, but the trick is getting the package balanced. It's about engine output first, but also ensuring the car doesn't turn into an unruly, fire breathing beast. There is no risk of a runaway here, for Polestar has been a performance partner at Volvo for more than 20 years and the only external changes to the engine are a free-flow exhaust. The rest is down to computer programming.The end numbers are 257 kiloWatts and at least 500 Newton-metres - obviously more - linked to a tweaked Haldex all-wheel drive system that picks up launch control, but with an engine that still won't rev to the redline and a six-speed auto that shifts faster but has no flappy paddles and a touch-change that's set for cruising not sporting.The big development on the Polestar car is Ohlins suspension that's both firmer and more compliant than a regular S60. It's even adjustable if, as if, you take the car to a racetrack. There are also bigger and better brakes, with 19-inch alloys and sticky Bridgestone Potenzas.DESIGNEven in bright blue, the Polestar Volvo is a stealthy car. There is a tiny rear spoiler and a deeper dam under the nose, as well as big alloys covering impressive brakes, but that's about it.The cabin is disappointing with only a build number and a tiny Polestar badge in the top of the shift lever. The seats are standard, so is the trim, and there's nothing to remind you that you've splashed more than $100k on the car.In a lot of ways it's like the Aurion Sportivo. So, a bit naughty for someone in the midstream of motoring but definitely not nasty. "This is the thinking man's performance sedan. We didn't go big on the external modifications," says Matt Braid, managing director of Volvo Car Australia. "The bodywork changes are for a reason. It's not about winning the brochure wars."SAFETYNothing changes on the safety front, which means five-star NCAP protection and a bunch of driver assistance schemes. But, really, this is an S60 that should do even better because it has more grip, better brakes, and is likely to be driven by someone who is actively conducting the car and not just dozing at the wheel.DRIVINGWithin 200 metres I know the S60 Polestar is not a threat to an M3 or a C63. It's brisk from the lights, with a solid mid-range turbo shove, but there is none of the excitement or theatre of the German master blasters. It's not nearly nasty enough.So I settle back to enjoy the car, and find it surprisingly enjoyable. The big improvement by the Polestar team is in the chassis, which is both rigid and compliant - a combination that's rare in a car that starts life as a front-wheel drive family bus.The car copes brilliantly with bumpy roads, sits down tight without crashing or banging, and is enjoyable to hustle - but not hassle - over some winding and undulating mountain roads out of Brisbane. It's a grand tourer with panache, although the bright-blue bodywork prevents any really stealthy attacking.But push harder and things are not so good. There is no support in the front buckets, the auto gearshift is counterintuitive for a performance car, the brakes start to stink, and the safety-net settings in the engine means it will not hold a gear or downshift on demand.So Polestar has done some great work, but I can feel the limitations of a conservative company and the need to run the car down the regular S60 production line. There is no chance to be really daring, just a bit different.Polestar began as a race team and the company clearly knows how to get a result, but this time has only produced a solid midfielder in a class studded with winners. It's a good effort for the first time in the event, but more work - and more daring - is needed to really score.VERDICTNice, not nasty, in a class where nice cars are not enough and real drives expect a bit more passion.Volvo S60 T6 PolestarPrice: from $109,950Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turboPower: 257kW and 500NmTransmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 10.2L/100km0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds

Volvo is returning to Australian race tracks entering the V8 Supercars series from next year. But in the meantime it has the hottest Volvo to hit our roads since the turbocharged R models of the late 1990s. In fact, the S60 T6 Polestar is the fastest and most powerful Volvo road car of all time.Volvo’s been here before, switching safety for sex. It’s all designed to help reverse perceptions about its staid image. Volvo road cars have improved over the years but the image hasn’t move with them.For its latest campaign Volvo has teamed with its Swedish race team Polestar to add some extra urge to its already quite quick S60 T6 turbo road car. Volvo has built 50 special models, the first of their type in the world. If Australians take to it, more may follow both here and overseas.VALUELet’s get the bad news out of the way first. This is an expensive car. At $109,950 plus on-road costs it is $40,000 (or more than 50 per cent) dearer than the S60 T6 on which it is based. Ouch.For that you get a larger turbo, race-tuned Ohlins suspension (the same brand used by the Lotus F1 team and found in Lamborghini road cars), lightweight 19-inch wheels and Bridgestone RE050 tyres (the same type fitted to Porsches, Ferraris … and the new Holden Commodore SS).Standard fare includes everything that Volvo can fit to an S60 sedan, including radar cruise control, crash alert and crash avoidance (it will slam-on the brakes below 50km/h if you’re about to hit the car in front). Then there is blind-zone alert, automatic high beam dipping, and the standard count of six airbags and five-star safety. The only option is a sunroof ($2650) but the decision has already been made for you. The 50 cars in the first batch of S60 T6 Polestar sedans have already been built; only 10 have sunroofs fitted.TECHNOLOGYA bigger turbo and a bigger exhaust are self-explanatory. More air in and more air out equals more power, times a higher fuel bill and a bigger smile. The brakes are showroom standard “floating” calipers with a large-ish discs but the brake pads come from racing experts Brembo. To be frank, at this price Volvo should have gone the whole way and fitted Brembo calipers as well. The Volvo S60 T6 Polestar stops ok, but the brakes are the Achilles heel of the car if you want to drive it in the same way Volvo wants you to.The big news is the suspension. There are 20 settings to choose from on each of the four shock absorbers. The problem is you need to be handy with a spanner and don’t mind getting you suede slacks dirty. To adjust the front shock absorbers you need to turn the steering wheel on full lock and reach up into the gusset of the wheel housing and fumble your way to the adjustment point with a tiny tool that, helpfully, comes with each car.Adjusting the rear is a little more civilized: you can do this via the boot. Just watch your slacks and your tweed jacket on the dirty bumper bar as you lean in. Hopefully, one day, you’ll be able to do all this at the press of a button (as you can in a top-end Audi, or a humble HSV). The last piece of the Polestar’s party tricks is the launch control, but ther is a catch. Only Volvo could come up with so many safety measures that you’re discouraged from using it.In true anorak fashion you have to click through a complex menu on the dash, then pat your tummy and rub your head (or is it the other way around?), stomp on the accelerator and the brake and then you have three seconds to unleash the engine’s fury. Or you could ignore all this and just floor the accelerator. The result is pretty much the same.DESIGNThe Volvo S60 T6 Polestar looks stunning in sky blue (the three other colours are black, white and red). The charcoal wheels set it off too. But apart from the discreet Polestar badges on the boot, grille and gearknob, you’d be hard pressed to pick it from the standard version.We’re not sure if this is a blessing or a curse. Volvo owners may prefer the understated look. Either way there is room to add something to make it look a little more special. From the inside, the Volvo S60 T6 Polestar looks exactly the same as the regular model (but for the build number on the steering wheel).The seats are nicely shaped, good to look at and sit on. But back-seat room is cramped compared with the competition. I love the design of the Volvo “floating” centre console panel but I still bang my knee on it every time I get in one.SAFETYIt’s a Volvo. Next.DRIVINGThe turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine (mounted across the engine bay like a large dog sitting on your lap) enables the car to do the 0 to 100km/h dash in 4.9 seconds -- the same as the latest HSV Clubsport and on par with its German and Japanese luxury competition. Thankfully Volvo has resisted the urge to make it sound like an aftermarket European hot rod. The exhaust doesn’t drone at freeway speeds or around town. Tick.Power is plentiful and comes from low revs. It’s quite elastic on winding roads, never out of breath and always wanting to surge ahead. It is genuinely exhilarating. Which is why it’s disappointing that the brakes aren’t bigger or able to handle more punishment. Room for improvement here. The steering has been completely overhauled from the standard model (which was too heavy at some speeds and too light and vague at others). It’s a big improvement but and more than adequate but still not best in class (BMW, Lexus and Mercedes steering systems feel better and more intuitive).Then there is the suspension which, let’s face it, is at the core of how the car feels. We drove it on public roads on the middle settings (10 out of 20, front and rear, whatever that means). It was firm but not uncomfortably so. Things only started to really get busy at low speeds in bumpy city streets. The good news is that if you don’t like it after your test drive, you can ask Volvo to soften it a little.VERDICTThe best Volvo road car so far -- but it needs bigger brakes and a sharper price to complete the package.Volvo S60 T6 PolestarPrice: $109,950Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turboPower: 257kW and 500NmTransmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 10.2L/100km0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds

By international standards Volvo is a small carmaker

Is Australia ready for its first $100 grand plus Volvo? It's a tricky one soon to be answered when Volvo introduces a high performance, limited edition, 50 unit run of its striking S60 sedan called the T6 Polestar.Volvo Australia has already had a crack at a Polestar special edition a locally fettled hot-rod wagon back a year or two. It ignited a latent fire of performance car passion at head office in Sweden which quickly decided to go ahead with a pilot program of factory-built, production Polestar S60 sedans. They want to use Australia as a test case for future plans involving high performance models.And Volvo is ideally positioned to build them thanks to heavy involvement in the Swedish Touring Car Championship and other European race series through the compact Polestar operation. It's similar to Renault's RS outfit and others such as Opel OPC.So, what they've done is take a top of the range S60 T6 off the production line, rolled it into a special workshop at Volvo's factory in Gothenburg and replaced numerous standard parts with high performance items.VALUEThe Volvo S60 Polestar is estimated to retail for $115,000, and is equipped to luxury standard with all that brings but the interior is understated.Inside is pretty much standard T6 with a few changes and additional garnishes Sports seats are possibly going to be fitted but the standard re-trimmed pews were fine for everyday driving.TECHNOLOGYThe 3.0-litre engine is a transverse straight six with a new Borg-Warner twin scroll turbo achieving a healthy 257kW/500Nm output.It's sufficient to propel the 1684kg sedan from 0-100kmh in a rapid 4.8 seconds. The launch control system aids acceleration off the mark awhile the revised all-wheel drive system has a rear axle bias for a sportier feel and better acceleration.Fuel economy and emissions remain the same as for the standard T6 S60. The 2.5-inch exhaust system offers a slightly sportier note than the standard model.But there's no paddle shift and the manual shift mode goes the wrong way (on the pre-production cars driven). It's your standard performance re-engineering effort possibly a bit more advanced with a sporty suspension and brakes, more power from a new, bigger twin scroll turbo and ECU changes together with a sports exhaust. They changed the camshafts and tweaked other engine components.Bigger brakes and better tyres form part of the package as well as interior upgrades to the seats and other trim items. It has improved aerodynamics along with a revised all-wheel drive system and six speed auto transmissions.Polestar tested their engineering for the S60 on a couple of concept cars from two years back, the C30 and S60 which were hyper-performance models, boned out and ready for the track.Such is not the case with the TS60 Polestar which retains its luxury flavour enhanced by the extremely well calibrated performance upgrades. The sleek looking sedan retains everyday driveability while delivering blistering performance.DRIVINGOn the road the Polestar is a treat - quick, controlled easy to drive and with a distinctive flavour not found in other Volvo cars.We drove the fastest and quickest road Volvo ever on a variety of roads all of which posed no problem for the sleek Swede.Both Volvo and Polestar point out that the S60 Limited Edition is an everyday car and not a track car though it's very capable on a closed circuit as we found out.Though stiffer than the standard car by a longshot, the Ohlins suspension retains a high comfort level while delivering the sort of ride and feed-back you need for fast motoring.The defining feature of the Polestar S60 is its Ohlins suspension which ushers in the latest technology including multi damper settings and a clever blow off valve for big impacts. It limits the amount of bump thump transmitted into the car while retaining a sporty drive feel and impressive ride control.It can be manually set up simply by turning a dial on each damper unit for harder or softer ride qualities.VERDICTVolvo Australia is still to finalise spec' on the S60 Polestar but we reckon the cars we drove were just right.Volvo S60 PolestarPrice: $115,000 (estimate)Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmCapped price servicing: NoCrash rating: 5 starsEngine: turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder, 257kW/500+NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, AWDThirst: 10.2L/100km, 243g/km CO2Dimension: 4.63m (L), 1.82m (W), 1.48m (H)Weight: 1648kgSpare: Repair kit/space-saver