RE: Volvo acquires Polestar

RE: Volvo acquires Polestar

Tuesday 14th July 2015

Volvo acquires Polestar

Future looks good for more fast Volvos as Volvo buys Polestar outright



It's no secret that we're big fans of Polestar Volvos at PH. The 'optimisation kits' may not have quite delivered but the V60 and the barmy concepts have more than displayed the potential of the alliance.

Now about that 500hp one...
Now about that 500hp one...
So it's very pleasing to report the acquisition of Polestar outright by Volvo. It appears a very similar deal to Mercedes' incorporation of AMG in 1993; a successful independent tuner with a close relationship to the manufacturer brought in as the official performance arm.

So far it's been confirmed that all Polestar employees will become Volvo employees but that the Polestar racing team will continue under Christian Dahl's tutelage. You'll have to employ your best Scandinavian detective skills for the numbers though as no financial details have been disclosed.

What does this mean for quick Volvos in the future? More of them, for a start. This year around 750 S60 and V60 Polestars will be sold, with aims for that figure to reach 1,000-1,500 cars "in the medium term under Volvo's ownership". There are already rumours of a V40 Polestar, and would an XC90 Polestar be entirely ridiculous? There are a new range of (electrified) engines for Polestar to work with, including which will hopefully ensure future optimisation kits feature a little more, well, optimisation than previously.

So fear not, the future of Volvo is not simply diesel hybrids and school run or SUVs. Or diesel hybrid school run SUVs. Expect more news on the agreement soon. When's the V40 coming?



Author
Discussion

Brompty

Original Poster:

153 posts

143 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
'would an XC90 Polestar be entirely ridiculous?'

Yes, do not even suggest it.

RobinBanks

17,540 posts

178 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Brompty said:
'would an XC90 Polestar be entirely ridiculous?'

Yes, do not even suggest it.
Why?
You can buy a Mercedes ML AMG, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, BMW X5/X6M, Range Rover Supercharged etc.

So why not a fast Volvo XC90?

morgrp

4,128 posts

197 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
They really need to build this brand up a bit - trouble they'll have is volvos long term focus is not going to create cars that will be even remotely competitive with AMG/BMW Motorsport etc, the move to 4cylinder only engines will be the biggest problem - i fear it will become a diluted and ultimately pointless part of the company - I really hope it doesn't happen but I suspect it will

Speed_Demon

2,662 posts

187 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
morgrp said:
They really need to build this brand up a bit - trouble they'll have is volvos long term focus is not going to create cars that will be even remotely competitive with AMG/BMW Motorsport etc, the move to 4cylinder only engines will be the biggest problem - i fear it will become a diluted and ultimately pointless part of the company - I really hope it doesn't happen but I suspect it will
Pointless? No. Diluted? Absolutely, just like the performance divisions you mention.

optimal909

198 posts

143 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Well, that's a change of tone, this was the news last December:

Volvo is also pulling out of a number of racing competitions like the Swedish Touring Car Championship. "Motorsport does not conform with our brand, where we stand for smaller engines and safety. We are therefore pulling out of STCC, for example, as soon as the contracts permits," Visser said.

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/1412_volvo_to_withdraw_f...

Gotta love these super marketing geniuses.

nonsense

89 posts

120 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Probably not a change of plans. One assumes they had this deal planned, gave that speech to quash any rumours, whilst actually just setting up to keep polestar racing instead of Volvo and polestar? If that makes sense...

Drive Blind

5,076 posts

176 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
they'll just turn it into a trim level like MSport, AMG and S Line.

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
This is a tough one for me, I like Volvo (owned two modern ones, a C30 and V40) and I like the recent Polestar influences - I've been umming and arring over a Polestar V60 this last few months too, very tempted after the recent drop in price.

I like the idea of more Polestar influence in the Volvo lineup but I'm worried it will become too diluted, a bit like what R Design has become, it's simply a trim level (which both my cars had admittedly) based on sporting visual traits from the S60/V70 from the mid year 2000s.

Revive the C30 if the parts are still available (Ford platform) and get the C30 Polestar out, it's small, smart looking and would appeal to younger people, if Polestar can get a model as sorted as their concept onto the road then Merc, BMW, VW and Audi need to start looking over their shoulders because that thing was mean as fk.

My fingers are crossed.

wirly

9 posts

157 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
quotequote all
Polstar Volvo competing in Supercar V8's series in Australia and doing well, good move by Volvo

Dion20vt

252 posts

161 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
quotequote all
Drive Blind said:
they'll just turn it into a trim level like MSport, AMG and S Line.
Volvo already have their equivalent in the R-Design.

Volvo's of old used to depreciate worse than anything, I hope that the new Polestars do the same so I can afford one! biggrin

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
quotequote all
Dion20vt said:
Drive Blind said:
they'll just turn it into a trim level like MSport, AMG and S Line.
Volvo already have their equivalent in the R-Design.

Volvo's of old used to depreciate worse than anything, I hope that the new Polestars do the same so I can afford one! biggrin
The V60 certainly came down in price, the initial list was £50,000 and a lightly used, if at all, pre registered 15 plate can be had for around ten thousand pounds less than that - with a few miles on there the £37,000/£38,000 mark seems about right.

Temptation, arg!

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
quotequote all
Such a shame Volvo are going 4-pot only. A client turned up this morning in his second-gen V70 shed, then drove away in a spirited fashion - the howl that naturally-aspirated five-cylinder engine made was quite splendid, with a hint of E60 M5 about it. Pulling out of motorsport too... madness.