If you've been living under a rock and still haven't heard of Volvo's performance brand, Polestar, that will soon change. The brand is set to release a 600-hp hybrid sports coupe called the Polestar 1 that will be an incredibly important car to help launch Polestar as its own performance sub-brand akin to Mercedes-AMG. Before Polestar was basically its own division of Volvo, it acted as in-house tuning to deliver sportier versions of existing Volvo models. We wanted to take a look at two of these models that are now pretty affordable thanks to depreciation.
Before Polestar goes all Hollywood like AMG and M, savvy enthusiasts can take advantage of the brand's current obscurity and get a great deal on a used model. Volvo has recently revealed the T8 version of the XC60, which has been tuned by Polestar. This SUV uses the twin-charged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine combined with a hybrid system to produce 421 hp. Volvo also sells Polestar versions of the S60 sedan and V60 wagon that each use the same 2.0-liter twin-charged engine producing 362 hp. Compared to other models in the Volvo lineup, the S60 and V60 are pretty out of date. Both feature the old interior layout and neither has been given the same styling found on newer Volvo models.
The brand-new S60 and V60 Polestar models may not be that competitive at the moment, but used ones are a completely different story. A new S60 Polestar starts at $60,000 and the rarer V60 Polestar is slightly more expensive at $61,600. That is a lot considering that around $5,000 more will buy a base level BMW M3 or Mercedes C63. The Polestar models may be full of advanced safety features, but it would be hard for us to recommend them at that price. That is why we decided to take a look at the used market. We were shocked to discover that the used market didn't really seem to care whether or not the car was a Polestar or not, regular T6 S60 and V60 models were all around the same price as the rare Polestar models.
We managed to find 2015 to 2017 S60 and V60 Polestar models for around $36,000 to $46,000. In a year or two, we wouldn't be surprised if these cars fell below half of their original asking prices. Perhaps the most miraculous of all of the cars that we found was a black 2017 model with less than $10,000 miles on it. This is a car that is barely a year old and already it's on sale for under $45,000. That is a $15,000 discount compared to a new one. Seeing as the car is practically new, we can assume that it will qualify for Volvo's certified pre-owned program which is ranked as one of the best in the world so you won't have to worry about expensive repair bills.
2017 was the year that Volvo switched the Polestar models to the twin-charged four-cylinder with 362 hp and an eight-speed automatic transmissions. The 2015 and 2016 used a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 345 hp with a six-speed automatic transmission. Anyone who has driven one can attest that even with a slightly dated six-speed automatic, the car was still a joy to drive. Thanks to a grippy AWD system, the S60 Polestar could hit 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. The V60 wagon was ever so slightly slower, but is was worth it for the added practicality and rarity. We only managed to find three examples of the wagon for sale.
These cars won't win many drag races against AMG or M cars, but if you strive to be different from every other person at the local cars and coffee, then these Swedish Polestars may be the perfect companion. We don't think that any performance car before or since can match the level of comfort that is provided by the seats in these cars, they simply have to be experienced to be believed. Wehther you get the more powerful four-cylinder, or the sweet-sounding inline-six, both of these cars are delights to drive. These are the perfect performance cars for long road trips, snowy climates, and above all else, people who like to be different and stand out from the crowd.
