This one we should have seen in the cards already: Last month, Volvo announced that it purchased Volvo tuner Polestar to bring in-house and churning out more models for eager hands.
Last year, Volvo announced it had developed a triple-turbo, 2-liter four that could produce 450 horsepower.
It’s entirely likely, TTAC has learned, that the two will meet in a Polestar-branded XC90.
Details about the car were few and far between, but the engine combination and newly branded vehicle would up the ante on what Volvo powertrain chief told Auto Express earlier this year.
Instead of slotting between the 316-horsepower XC90 T6 and the 400-horsepower hybrid T8, the Polestar version would offer the 450-horsepower variant, with a 48-volt supercharger boosting twin turbochargers on the craziest family crossover.
According to Car and Driver’s report on driving the engine in an S60 mule, there’ll be kinks for Polestar engineers to figure out if they opt for the 450-horsepower mill, but it’s up to us to imagine the possibilities.
Auto Express reported that all the likely characteristics of a Polestar-branded car should be there in the XC90: Rebel Blue paintwork, beefy brakes and R Design inspired body.
April fools, everybody.
Wait…
The first Volvo engine was built in 1927, and it was a 4 cyl 2.0L engine also. But it produced 28 HP. Technology marches on.
It’ll cost $110,000 and be as reliable as the Chinese magic blender internals they force into the crowded engine bay.
But at least it’s Chevron blue, so that makes it worth it. Because family crossover should be sports and track ready!
PS. The X5M is $98,800 so it sure as hell better cost less than that.
C’mon man… By your logic, your precious Infiniti in your profile pic is stuffed with prissy French engineering since Infiniti = Nissan = owned by French company Renault. Pretty sure the Volvo engines were developed in Sweden — and for now built there.
That’s not REALLY the same thing. Volvo went under, and was bought by Geely as a bankrupt item. Nissan wasn’t doing well and was downhill, and got a controlling stake purchased by Renault. They don’t produce the Nissans in France, and they DO produce the Volvos in China now.
Volvo did not go under. Volvo was part of Ford’s Premier Auto Group, along with Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover. All were sold when Ford hit hard times just before the big recession of 2008. It’s somewhat regrettable that Volvo ended up yet another storied company sold to the Chinese, but Geely has thus far treated Volvo well enough. They have pumped enough money into Volvo to allow them to be in the middle of a complete lineup overhaul. And yes, some Volvo are produced in China. Geely is also looking to build a US plant to produce more Volvo for the Americas and probably the rest of the world. And like you, I’m not exactly thrilled about Chinese built cars, but you’d be fooling yourself to think that every single auto maker doesn’t want to start Chinese production if they aren’t already in the process of doing so.
It certainly isn’t going to have a continuous 450 hp rating, unless someone knows how to make an electric supercharger that uses almost no amps.
The current 400 hp XC90 has a 325 hp engine and makes its additional 75 hp from the hybrid drivetrain.
My body is ready.
450 hp from 2 liters? Wow. A decade ago, 200 hp was a lot from 2 liters. The technology is moving quickly; I wonder if 500 will be possible with electric turbos.
You mean 25 years ago no? Like the 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse or Nissan 200SX or Honda Del Sol Si or Prelude?
DearS,
I think you proved my point:
– The 1990 Eclipse got 190hp from 2 liters, but only at the expense of crippling turbo lag.
– The 1990 Nissan 200SX got 169hp from 1.9 liters and was widely derided as a ‘secretary’s car’ when new. Yes, I said it, because it was true.
– The Honda Del Sol didn’t come out until 1992. It did get 160hp from 1.6L, but only once ‘VTEC kicked in, yo!’
– The 1990 Prelude got a whopping 135 hp from 2L.
The point remains: today we enjoy significantly better performance and economy, all without sacrificing driveability.
The first Volvo engine was built in 1927 and it was also an I4 2.0L engine, but it only got 28HP. Technology marches on.
I would feel a lot more upbeat about 450hp out of the straight 6 than the 4, long-term.
(More cylinders and volume meaning lower pressures and less stress, ceteris paribus.)
Indeed. But they seem to be against developing larger engines with 4 or 5+ cylinders these days.
Yeah.
I meant the I6 that Volvo *already has* and was using just last year, though.
I don’t *think* it should need a complete redesign to get 400-450HP rather than the 325 it does now as a Polestar tune in the 2015/2015.5 models.
CETERIS PARIBUS CAVE CANEM
Or, at least that is what Mom always said.
Yes, my Mom graduated from Classical High School. Latin was not optional.
jm
All other things being equal I’ll beware of the dog. Quod licet iovi non licet bovi. That’s the one to remember.
450 HP in a vehicle with a high center of gravity, what could go wrong?
The same things that can go wrong in the same vehicle with 200 HP, or in every other vehicle with a high center of gravity and any power?
If you don’t drive your XC60 like it’s an S60 at the track, I don’t foresee any particular problems from *that*.
(The X5 M is 567HP.
They don’t seem to all roll over and explode the day they get taken home…)
The old XC90 production has been moved to China, and will be sold as the XC90 CLASSIC…in China. The new XC90 sold everywhere else, will be built in SWEDEN. Please lets get this straight. In addition, people in the U.S. seem to love premium prodocts made in China. That’s how APPLE makes so much money. Overcharging people for stuff made for pennies on the dollar. And nobody complains about APPLE. Until they find out the hard way. But HEY! They’re cool…right?
So….just because you’ve caught us in a supposed contradiction, we’ve all got to go out and buy Chinese built cars? I don’t think so. My money remains my money. So, while I’m perfectly comfortable buying a $1400 China built Macbook Air over the $1200 comparable China built Dell, I can demand that my Volvos be made in Sweden all day, every day.
As a current Volvo owner, I understand the want for Swedish quality. Yet, APPLE is an American company. Shouldn’t, by your logic, APPLE be built here? You are definitely a contradiction. Personally, China should be completely cut off. It is Communist after all. Unfortunately, the global manufacturers and economy, won’t allow it. You can only vote with your money, after all.
BTW did you read what I wrote? New XC90 is built in SWEDEN! Duh!
I’m sure you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that I would prefer my Apple products be assembled in a country that isn’t actively involved in a trade war with my own country. That’s why I’d happily buy a Mac Pro over an iMac. And duh yourself (I’m completely aware of the country of origin of the Volvo and its underlying componentry) – my point remains… Geely needs to take this to heart. If they want to sell whatever Volvo they’re hocking to most folks in Europe and North America, it shouldn’t be assembled in China. The COO of our iPhones doesn’t change that.
This answers the question “I wonder where the Saab engineers are working now?”
If that’s the case, reliability shouldn’t be a concern. They know how to build million kilometer engines.
I can’t even get three ceiling fans to be perfectly reliable over a 10 year period. I’m not ready to accept any reliability clam on a triple-pumped engine that puts out 200HP/liter.
Poor SAAB! They were unique…before GM.
I’m liking this… Having had multiple Volvos over the years (though none at the moment), i can say this is the only european brand i’d feel safe buying used.