The all-new Volvo XC90 is the latest to have a Polestar Performance Optimisation tailored for it.
Polestar have been tuning up Volvos for a while now and the performance upgrades are available in several markets globally, improving not just power and torque, but also driving characteristics. The new XC90 also get these benefit on upgrade.
Available for the MY2016 XC90 T6 supercharged turbo-petrol and D5 Drive-E twin-turbo diesel, the Polestar Performance Optimisation upgrade targets five major areas: throttle response, gear shift speed, precision and hold (automatics only), off-throttle (lift-off) response, and, of course, engine performance all round.
In India, the 2016 XC90 D5 Drive-E AWD Automatic –that’s the specific model – upgrade is available that focuses more on mid-range performance, boosting power by 4.6% and torque by 6.4%. Peak output also increases from 225 to 233 PS, while torque gets a greater boost from 470 Nm to 500 Nm. That also translates to quicker acceleration with 0-100 km/h taking a claimed 7.7 seconds, with fuel economy remaining a claimed 17.2 km/l overall.
The T6 AWD, which runs a supercharged and turbocharged direct injection petrol 2.0-litre engine meanwhile gets a bump up from 320 PS and 400 Nm to 334 PS and 440 Nm. Expect similar upgrades to the XC60 and the incoming all-new S90 in the near future as well.
We’ve driven the all-new XC90 D5 AWD in India and the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid model earlier in Spain. Read more about the drive experience here. The all-new XC90 will go head-on against the incoming all-new Audi Q7, the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and the BMW X5.
Story: Jim Gorde
