The Sport Wagon Enthusiast

 

Enter the Polestar Performance Volvo C30 Prototype: the savior for Volvo performance enthusiasts. Volvo has long been one of the world’s most iconic sport wagon manufactures. Yet rarely have they produced a wagon or hot-hatch that packs enough punch for enthusiasts- the 850R wagon and V70R being the notable exceptions. Recently, with their “R-Design” packages for the V60 and V70 wagons, this sad story has been much the same: style over substance.

But there is hope for Volvo enthusiasts, and it comes in the word of one company: Polestar. The company was founded in 1996 to drive forward Volvo’s racing efforts, especially in the Swedish Touring Car Championships. Since 1996, they’ve tuned the 850, S40, S60, and C30. Above is their greatest creation: a 405-horsepower race-derived C30 hot hatch.

Starting with a C30 T5 hatchback with the 6-speed manual, Polestar set out to transform Volvo’s smallest car into its fastest. With a larger turbocharger and intercooler, custom free-flow center-mounted duel exhaust and engine software, their C30 offers an incredible 405 horsepower. Yet, the standard front-wheel drive system simply wouldn’t suffice- especially for racing- so Polestar installed an advanced all-wheel drive system. To increase steering feel and handling performance, Polestar then installed a thicker custom steering wheel. Aerodynamics are the direct product of Polestar’s STCC efforts with their C30 racer, and significantly improve down force and handling. With these performance modifications, Polestar claims their C30 can sprint to sixty in just 4.6 seconds- an undeniable claim considering their breadth of performance modifications. Stylistic upgrades also come in the form of a custom full-suede interior and stunning “Polestar blue” paint.

“Polestar Performance” is the company’s division aimed at tuning Volvo customer’s vehicles, and their efforts are an essential part of Volvo’s performance future. Polestar was the driving force behind increasing the horsepower of the V60 R-Design (from 300 to 325), and intends to continue boosting and improving Volvo offerings. Polestar is poised to become an Alpina or Brabus- that is not a full in-house tuner like BMW’s M-division or Mercedes' AMG, but an off-site tuner with impressive knowledge and experience that has the potential to transform Volvo’s sport wagon offerings into incredible athletes.

July 8^th, 2011 (Source: Polestar)

Specifications

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