To say that I am obsessed with the Polestar-modified Volvos would be likely the understatement of the year. I am not a HUGE Volvo nut but I will say that the sportier Volvos always caught my attention.
When I first saw the C70 make its debut in the modern rendition of The Saint starring Val Kilmer, I lusted. It just seemed so chic and unique at the time. Then there was the S60R and the V70R, which were completely badass products that really brought the lineup to the next level, in my humble opinion.
Now Polestar, they're taking Volvo off the charts.
To put some context around Polestar, it works very closely with Volvo to produce these products AND if you take a look at Polestar.com, you too can acquire some performance enhancements but from I can see after a very brief stay at the site, it looks like you can make some modest performance gains. Nothing like the concepts we've seen thus far.
Going forward, think of Polestar as an AMG for Volvo but right now the program is in its infancy. And if you actually have a Volvo, think of Polestar as a Dinan -- you can increase performance all while keeping your Volvo UNDER WARRANTY.
As Jay Leno says below: "The real -- I think -- success is the fact they got the factory approval."
You know, Jay. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Watch below as Leno takes the C30 Polestar Concept for a test drive. This is a great video that provides context behind the Volvo/Polestar relationship.
Did you know Volvo has a racing partner? Well Polestar is now optimizing road-going stock Volvos, using off-the-shelf Volvo parts with impressive results. This C30's 2.5-liter T5 now pulls 451 hp for a true high-performance Grand Touring experience.