Volvo Boosts Performance of Its XC90 with Range Of Polestar Upgrades

Volvo Cars is enhancing the performance of its award-winning XC90 with a series of Polestar-developed upgrades. This is the first time that Polestar, Volvo’s performance brand, has focussed its attention on the new seven-seat SUV. Known as Polestar Performance Optimisation, the upgrades improve the power and torque figures of both the D5 diesel and T6 petrol Drive-E engines, particularly at medium revs where it’s most effective. They also make the accelerator responses even quicker, and alter the settings of the automatic gearbox to provide faster gear changes and prevent gearshifts during rapid cornering, which could unsettle the car. These quicker and more precise responses to driver commands not only make the driving experience more dynamic, they ensure the car responds predictably during high-speed driving.

OneShift Editorial Team

10 Nov 2015

The upgrades have been developed and designed by the engineers of Polestar and the racing drivers of Polestar Cyan Racing, the official motorsport partner to Polestar. The maximum output of the D5 Drive-E engine is increased to 233 hp and 500 Nm of torque (up from 225 hp and 470 Nm), while the T6 Drive-E is boosted to 334 hp and 440 Nm (from 320 hp and 400 Nm).

Polestar Performance Optimisations have also been released for the D4 diesel and T5 petrol Drive-E engines in other Volvo models. Like the upgrades to the D5 and T6 engines in the XC90, the aim is to boost medium-rev performance and to make the car’s entire drivetrain react more quickly and accurately to driver commands.

With the Polestar Performance Optimisation, the D4 Drive-E offers 200 hp and 440 Nm (up from 190 hp and 400 Nm), while the output of the T5 Drive-E is raised to 253 hp and 400 Nm (from 245 hp and 350 Nm).

The D4 Drive-E upgrades will be available in the S60, V40, V40 Cross Country, V60 and XC60, and the T5 Drive-E enhancements are offered in the V40 and V40 Cross Country.

Credits: Oneshift News Team