Volvo Announces Plug-In Hybrid 'Polestar Engineered' XC60, V60

The Volvo S60’s full reveal is just around the corner and to get you excited, Volvo has a big announcement: Polestar is revising the 60 Series T8 Twin Engine cars.

Polestar and the 60 Series have a rich history in motorsport and the next generation won’t be an exception. This time, though, the performance subbrand is working with the plug-in hybrid variation and calling the series “Polestar Engineered.”

“Electric cars are our future,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president, and CEO at Volvo Cars. “Today starts a new era of Volvo electrified models enhanced by Polestar’s performance engineering prowess. This strategy is firmly grounded in our shared belief in an electric future for the car industry.”

ALSO SEE: Polestar 1 Costs More Than BMW i8, Acura NSX

Long interested in electrification, Polestar may use the Polestar Engineered 60 Series vehicles as an amuse-bouche for the equally hybrid Polestar 1, the brand’s first standalone product.

Polestar Engineered V60s and XC60s will be available as of next year. Unfortunately, the run will be limited, but they will be available globally through dealerships and Care by Volvo.

The Polestar Engineered cars will offer lightweight wheels, golden Brembo mono-block brake calipers, black chrome exhaust pipes, golden seat belts, and Polestar emblems all over.

Polestar Engineered multi-link front and rear suspension with Ohlins shocks and a dual-flow valve will ensure that the car is stiff and can hold the road, without making it uncomfortable. These parts, along with a strut bar, are shared with the Polestar 1.

Meanwhile, under the hood, the mods are less than extreme but have a meaningful impact all the same. Polestar Engineering has gone into the ECU and increased power by 15 hp and about 20 lb-ft of torque. All told, the T8 will now make 415 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque.

“The new S60 T8 Polestar Engineered is an electrified car that does what you want it to,” said Henrik Green, senior vice president of research and development at Volvo Cars. “All components have been fine-tuned to work together, delivering a responsive and exciting driver’s car.”

Volvo will unveil the brand new S60, the final piece in the 60 Series puzzle, next week at its Charleston, South Carolina assembly plant. The S60 will be made there exclusively and will be the first Volvo car built in America.

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