RE: Volvo V60 Polestar: Review

RE: Volvo V60 Polestar: Review

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Discussion

Gwedo

17 posts

135 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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dme123 said:
Spend some time in a Volvo, they put more attention to detail into the glove box handle than GM lavish on the entire st box car they turn out. Then actually take a look at the components and fixtures and fastenings that matter once the car is outside warranty and it's more of the same. The Insignia is a disposable junior management box that has had a decent engine installed, but the low rent fundamental design and build will always show through. Volvo actually gave a st when they designed the V60 so it's not going to be a one trick pony as an ownership prospect. Modern Volvos are everything Audi have managed to convince people they are.
It maybe well built...i am sure it is but..... 50k

Its way to bland for me at 50k, wait a few years then maybe its worth a look

QuattroDave

1,461 posts

127 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I'm becoming worryingly attracted to fast Volvos of late.

Think after 15+ Audi's & BMW's I'm at the point where I want different, Non German.

This V60 I think looks great and I'm definitely warming to the dash and console. Just a shame it's out of my self imposed budget for a new car.

However the C30R is of particular interest at the moment to keep me keen until I find the true cost of the mustang V8 when it's finally released!

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I'll take the Forester STI if that lands over here. Full marks to Volvo though but it's very expensive even for a halo model.

Edited by Ved on Wednesday 29th October 12:49

Steve Maund

436 posts

230 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Have been told we are getting the Polestar next week at the dealers, will let you know what we think to it.

Steve

El Shafto

133 posts

144 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Love any manufacturer who tries to take on the defacto German cartel, and think we need more of it, but for me the biggest oversight here is the gearbox. (After much pain) I've come to accept that the days of manual super saloons/estates are long gone, but for a £50k performance car in this bracket, you'd at least expect a Twin-clutch, surely?

MrKipling43

5,788 posts

215 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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redwedge said:
I'm sure it's a great car, but fifty grands worth of great?
Funnily enough, last weekend I was at my parents sorting through some old stuff before they move house, amongst which was a 1995 BTCC Silverstone programme which included an advert for the original T5: £28,995, or fifty grand in today's money.

Still bloody expensive though!

Oddball RS

1,757 posts

217 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
dme123 said:
Oddball RS said:
Looks like a much more expensive Insignia VXR Estate to me, and its auto only.
Spend some time in a Volvo, they put more attention to detail into the glove box handle than GM lavish on the entire st box car they turn out. Then actually take a look at the components and fixtures and fastenings that matter once the car is outside warranty and it's more of the same. The Insignia is a disposable junior management box that has had a decent engine installed, but the low rent fundamental design and build will always show through. Volvo actually gave a st when they designed the V60 so it's not going to be a one trick pony as an ownership prospect. Modern Volvos are everything Audi have managed to convince people they are.
Oh dear have I upset you or killed your first born or something? I've owned two and driven from memory five in the last five years, is some ways they are good in some ways they are crap and very old fashioned, they can be too expensive for what they represent and 'sometimes' even their own dealers don't want their own cars back as a PX, the only other manufacturer that has ever put me in that position other than Volvo was Alfa, get over it.

keith2.2

1,100 posts

194 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Gwedo said:
Its way to bland for me at 50k, wait a few years then maybe its worth a look
I'm curious as to which bit of a searing blue 360bhp awd estate is "bland"?

Sir Bagalot

6,463 posts

180 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Gents. Cast your minds back to when Top Gear did Impreza Cosworth v Focus RS500 c Volvo C30 Polestar

vz-r_dave

3,469 posts

217 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Sir Bagalot said:
Gents. Cast your minds back to when Top Gear did Impreza Cosworth v Focus RS500 c Volvo C30 Polestar
Was the C30 not on another planet?

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Oddball RS said:
Oh dear have I upset you or killed your first born or something? I've owned two and driven from memory five in the last five years, is some ways they are good in some ways they are crap and very old fashioned, they can be too expensive for what they represent and 'sometimes' even their own dealers don't want their own cars back as a PX, the only other manufacturer that has ever put me in that position other than Volvo was Alfa, get over it.
Sorry, didn't mean to come across as particularly angry!

Raoul Duke

929 posts

162 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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I love it - I had a look around one at my local dealers, who had one in their valeting bay being prepped to go in the showroom whilst I was there the other week, and it's worth considering for the engine note alone!
There are also some lovely, yet subtle, touches that raise it above the conventional R-design trim level.

As for the suspension, mines a D5 R-design and yes it's undeniably firm, but its comparable to the equivalent M-sport / S-line ( at least the non adaptive versions ).
A bit of time spent fettling with the Ohlins on this one and I suspect you could have it set up wonderfully.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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redwedge said:
I'm sure it's a great car, but fifty grands worth of great?
If Audi can sell RS's.....

NGK210

2,866 posts

144 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Pleasingly left-field and discreet (albeit in a more stealthy hue). Yes, please.

And £50k is too pricey, really? Compared to which discretely-styled AWD, multi-cylinder, nutter bcensoredtard turbo from Audi, BMW or M-B? confused

RedLeicester

6,869 posts

244 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Lovely, maybe an option when it comes time to replace my Saab Turbo-X.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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yonex said:
redwedge said:
I'm sure it's a great car, but fifty grands worth of great?
If Audi can sell RS's.....
This is no RS rival, its about on par with an Audi S4 or a BMW 335 but much more expensive! an RS4 or BMW M3 would leave it for dead! It does have some appeal though.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
quotequote all
NGK210 said:
Pleasingly left-field and discreet (albeit in a more stealthy hue). Yes, please.

And £50k is too pricey, really? Compared to which discretely-styled AWD, multi-cylinder, nutter bcensoredtard turbo from Audi, BMW or M-B? confused
Audi RS6 Avant.

£80,000 - £87,000 with some options IIRC


corcoran

533 posts

273 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Bloody shocking parking.

Oz83

687 posts

138 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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NGK210 said:
Pleasingly left-field and discreet (albeit in a more stealthy hue). Yes, please.

And £50k is too pricey, really? Compared to which discretely-styled AWD, multi-cylinder, nutter bcensoredtard turbo from Audi, BMW or M-B? confused
As mentioned in the article I guess the closest rival in the UK is the S4 Avant. Maybe even an S3 sportback is a direct rival too, as the V60 doesn't have a huge load space, and the S3 arguably has a better gearbox.

RS4 list price is about £56k and so the Volvo is pitched between the two, but if I had £50k to spend I'd certainly be visiting the Audi dealership to talk numbers. The RS4 becomes more relevant as depreciation on the Volvo might be ruinous so after a few years that £6k+ difference might not matter.

Also in Europe the 335i touring is available with Xdrive for similar money.

dvs_dave

8,581 posts

224 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Seems like Volvo are where Audi was in the 90's. Producing quirky and innovative cars and in doing so being surprisingly cool. The thinking man's alternative....