Volvo Car Corporation are readying a Polestar V40 to take on the A45 AMG.
If you though the battle of the hot hatchbacks of the premium compact variety was boiling already, there’s a new challenge from the cold north. Volvo already have a hot S60 and V60 developed with high-performance tuning firm Polestar, and, with the C30 PCP (Polestar Concept Prototype) an all-wheel-driven, 405-PS monster three-door hatchback, they have a fair bit of experience too. However, the V40 Polestar won’t be as mental as the PCP, but it will be mind-numbingly close.
With the six-cylinder motors on their way out, it remains to be seen what the Swede giant have in store. The S60 Polestar had the 3.0-litre T6 motor tuned up to produce 350 PS and 480 Nm of torque. The new 2.0-litre Drive-E manages up to 320 PS and 400 Nm already. With the supercharged-biturbo Drive-E engine concept making 450 PS and an estimated 550 Nm of torque, somewhere in between is the region where we can expect the Polestar V40 to deliver power; the 350-400 PS bracket seems very likely, then. Volvo will surely pop in their all-wheel-drive system, but whether the new car gets a tuned-up 6-speed Geartronic, or the 8-speed automatic remains to be seen.
The Mercedes A45 AMG, with its 360-PS 2.0-litre turbo-four, isn’t the only high-performance premium hot-hatch. BMW’s 326-PS M135i (which could be bumped up to 340 PS), Audi’s 367-PS RS3 Sportback and even Volkswagen’s upcoming 400-PS Golf R400 will be in the crosshairs of this hot Swede. Stay tuned for more on this development.
Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar
