Wednesday 29th June 2011

Polestar's 400hp Volvo C30 Won't Make Production..

...But a Polestar S60 with 500hp could be on the cards

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Despite recent rumours to the contrary, it seems that Volvo will not be bringing the wonderful 400hp C30 Polestar concept (star of PH last year, and more recently some motoring programme they show on BBC2 and Dave) to market after all.

Sadly, the official line at Volvo is that, although the Polestar C30 generated great public interest, and despite the fact that the UK is the biggest global market for the C30, a performance 'halo' car just isn't in Volvo's product plans at the moment. boo, hiss, etc...

Reading between the lines, and using a fair bit of journalistic licence (in other words educated guesswork) we reckon that means Volvo just couldn't put a business case together for the C30 Polestar that would stand up (especially since the V50 four-wheel-drive platform on which the C30 Polestar is based is no longer offered).

And you'd have to say that Volvo's approach does make a lot of sense. As much as we as enthusiasts might like the idea of a 400hp four-wheel-drive Volvo, these sorts of cars only seem to work if you can create a whole range - think BMW 'M', Audi 'RS' or even Jaguar 'R' - particularly so that customers can keep coming back to the sub-brand.

But just because Volvo is shying away from the super-fast Volvo concept, that doesn't meant that Polestar isn't still keen on the idea - and remember that Polestar is a separate company to Volvo. Polestar's marketing chief Hans Baath recently told Autoblog UK that he wants more cars to get the full-on Polestar go-faster conversion.

"The S60/V60 needs to get our treatment - it's a very popular model for Volvo and sells well," said Baath, with whispers of 500hp and 479lb ft of torque a possible outputs for an S60 Polestar (considering the T6 version comes with 304hp and 324lb ft of torque anyway that doesn't seem like a ridiculous prospect).

What chance a 500hp S60, then? Quite high, from the sound of it. But Volvo won't be building it...

[Oddball RS]

What a shock! and no the S60 won't happen either, but hey it gets them headlines.....

[Dodgey_Rog]

You'd think they'd make a limited run of say 500 or so?

[ewenm]

Dodgey_Rog said:

You'd think they'd make a limited run of say 500 or so?

Why? If successful it won't make them much money, if unsuccessful it will cost them a lot. Let Polestar take the risk (offering customer conversions) as if it is successful many people won't distinguish between Polestar and Volvo, so the "halo" effect will still be there for Volvo.

[EcosseBMW]

If they were homologating the car for a race series it would be built but there is no need for it in any race series to my knowledge. The car itslef would be cool as a T5-R!!!

[booner]

Shame, I had literally been praying for them to make it. I would have bought one. :-(


Anyone agree that it's possibly one of the most mental/lovely sounding hatchbacks out there? The Focus RS in close 2nd.

Edited by booner on Tuesday 28th June 16:54

[nouze]

booner said:

Shame, I had literally been praying for them to make it. I would have bought one. :-(


Anyone agree that it's possibly one of the most mental/lovely sounding hatchbacks out there? The Focus RS in close 2nd.

Edited by booner on Tuesday 28th June 16:54

Wasn't it supposed to cost something like 50k? Would you still buy it?

[booner]

I thought it was £40k (1 M coupe money..), but eitherway it would have been 2nd hand. £40k+ on a hothatch is too rich for my blood, no matter how awesome I think it is.

[M666 EVO]

Some motoring programme??? You mean Top Gear!!!

I won't hear a bad word said about it

[amare32]

They were never going to build it anyway so no surprises there.

[Dagnut]

so news about no news then...

[Hoygo]

Bad news,same old Volvo.

Even if it would make to production it wouldn't have been a big hit either,dull looking,not the WOW factor (say the BMW 1M),and Volvo terrible marketing.

[Olivera]

booner said:

I thought it was £40k (1 M coupe money..), but eitherway it would have been 2nd hand. £40k+ on a hothatch is too rich for my blood, no matter how awesome I think it is.

Only 40k? It came with significantly more power than the Focus RS500 with the same engine at 35k, plus it had a more expensive 4wd drivetrain beefed up for the power. I'd have been amazed if they'd even been able to sell them for 50k each.

[shantybeater]

Probably the only hatchback I would considering buying and definately the only Volvo. Awesome little car and loved it in the blue

I do think Volvo are missing a trick here, granted their brand image isnt about sporty cars but by creating even a limited run it would refresh the whole C30 range, increase interest and make people see Volvo as capable of Sporty/Fast cars

If BMW didnt have M or audi didnt have S/RS would they not just be another bland Volvo/Saab?

[wackojacko]

Bit of a shame.

[pSynrg]

M666 EVO said:

Some motoring programme??? You mean Top Gear!!!

I won't hear a bad word said about it

A joke right?

It is ALL bad after all. Motoring program, where?

[Stedman]

I should be getting a passenger ride in the C30 Polestar car next week at Castle Combe

Back on topic

[bobberz]

Didn't the aforementioned "motoring program" already say there was no chance of it being built? Even if they hadn't, a 400bhp AWD hatch just wouldn't be likely anyway coming from Volvo.

Shame, as I love the C30 (one of the best looking hatches, IMO), but with VW and Ford both offering ~250bhp hot hatches, I think I'd like a bit more power than the T5 offers.

500bhp S60 sounds nice, too. One of my friends has the old S60R and it's a proper sleeper. A 500bhp version of the current S60 should scare C63 AMGs, not to mention crush M3s (at least in a straight line).

[Veeayt]

This month Evo said it might make it to production. Who to believe?

[JB!]

... C'mon euromillions!...


Would LOVE to be able to buy a Polestar C30!

[Bladedancer]

500BHP in FWD and the way Volvos usually handle? No thanks.