Polestar wins the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and releases special editions to celebrate.

Polestar celebrates winning the FIA World Touring Car Championship with Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Editions

Last week, Polestar Cyan Racing won the FIA World Touring Car Championship in a Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 race car, and the team’s Thed Björk secured the Driver’s Championship – the first Swede ever to win a motor racing world title. Polestar has today unveiled the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Edition to celebrate Polestar Cyan Racing’s win.

“The engineers from Polestar and Cyan Racing have worked collaboratively on engineering developments for existing Polestar road cars for many years. It’s therefore fitting that we celebrate the remarkable achievement of securing our maiden World Championship by adding more performance to the cars that have been instrumental this season. With the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Editions, we’ve created an accessible piece of history for many Volvo car owners,” said Christian Samson, responsible for Product and Development at Polestar.

The Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Editions are available on all D4, D5, T5 and T6 models and include all available enhancements offered by the Polestar Performance Parts programme, being the 19” bespoke Polestar light alloy wheels plus performance-focused tyres, a free-flow stainless-steel exhaust system and sports air filter as well as uprated suspension dampers and springs. Visually, the car is differentiated internally thanks to interior highlights such as the Polestar gear lever, and exterior details such as a rear diffusor and rear spoiler.

All cars also receive the Polestar powertrain optimisation that increases power by up to 10hp and 50Nm of torque, as well as delivering faster gearshifts and improved throttle response.

The Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Editions are available from any Polestar retailer globally, where the Polestar Performance Parts can be fitted to new or pre-owned cars. For more information, visit: engineered.polestar.com

The WTCC reaches the half way point in the season, and Volvo's Polestar racing is chasing for wins.

The FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) reaches its half way point on the fast street circuit of Vila Real in Portugal this weekend, with just eight points separating the top three and a new “Joker Lap” being introduced.

Polestar Cyan Racing driver Nicky Catsburg heads the standings, with team-mate Thed Björk third, following their historic double win at the Nürburgring Nordschleife a month ago.

“It’s definitely a good feeling heading to Portugal in the lead, but it also applies some pressure as you really want to remain there. Vila Real is a demanding and very fast street circuit. I think the fight with the Hondas, and especially Tiago (Monteiro), will be very tough. They usually perform well at street circuits and they are 30 kilos lighter. But we have been fast with weight this year and, as always, we will try to score as many points as possible,” said Nicky Catsburg.

Four-time STCC champion Björk reduced the gap to the championship lead from 42 points to just eight after his strong victory in the first race at the WTCC Race of Germany.

“The championship is really close and we expect the Hondas to be strong here. Some people have them as the favourites for this track and therefore the pressure is on them. While we are on full weight, we were strong in Portugal last year. I am bringing that positivity, together with the feeling from the win in Germany, with me to this weekend,” said Thed Björk.

Team-mate Néstor Girolami is looking for revenge this weekend as his streak of bad luck continued at the Nürburgring where he suffered a puncture at over 200 km/h while leading the race. The Argentinian escaped unharmed but lost vital points in the championship.

“This is motorsport. Sometime you have bad luck and sometimes you are lucky. The important thing is to stay motivated and I am definitely fired up because I know that I have the speed to be on the top. Vila Real is a really challenging street circuit with both slow corners and some very fast, blind corners at over 200 km/h. I will again do my best and work even harder with the team for our goal to win both championships,” said Néstor Girolami.

A new addition to this WTCC weekend is the introduction of Joker Laps to improve overtaking possibilities on street circuits that can prove hard to overtake on. The Joker Lap route is located at turn 26 and all drivers must take it once during both races. It is estimated to be two seconds slower than the normal lap.

“I have worked as an engineer in rallycross before where the Joker Lap originates from and it is definitely an element that creates more excitement. It’s completely new for us in the WTCC, so there are of course many unknowns. But I am leaving the tactics for our brilliant engineers,” said Thed Björk.

The fight for the manufacturers’ World Title is close heading to Portugal, with Volvo leading main rivals Honda by 40 points.

“We are looking forward to this race. It is a great event with a fantastic crowd. On paper, this should be a tough race for us but we are confident in our car, the team and drivers. We intend fight for every point available to defend our twin championship lead,” said Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Head of Motorsport at Polestar.

WTCC Race of Portugal

Circuit: Circuito Internacional de Vila Real

Length: 4785 m

Lap record (WTCC): 1:58.385 (Huff)

Championship Standings

Drivers’ – Top 5

1 Nicky Catsburg Volvo S60 127 pts

2 Tiago Monteiro Honda Civic 125 (-2)

3 Thed Björk Volvo S60 119 (-8)

4 Tom Chilton Citroën C-Elysée 106 (-21)

5 Rob Huff Citroën C-Elysée 102 (-25)

…

9 Néstor Girolami Volvo S60 52 (-75)

Manufacturers’

1 Volvo 404 pts

2 Honda 364 (-40)

Compensation weights for Portugal

Model – Time difference – Weight

Volvo S60 Polestar – 0.0 sec – +80 kg

Citroën C-Elysée – 0.0 sec – +80 kg

Honda Civic – +0.3 sec – +50 kg

Chevrolet Cruze – +0.6 sec – +20 kg

Lada Vesta +1.2 sec – +0 kg

2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship Entry List

No – Driver – Team – Car

3 – Tom Chilton – GBR – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

5 – Norbert Michelisz – HUN – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC

8 – Aurélien Panis – FRA – Zengő Motorsport – Honda Civic WTCC

9 – Tom Coronel – NED – ROAL Motorsport – Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1

12 – Rob Huff – GBR – Münnich Motorsport – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

18 – Tiago Monteiro – POR – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC

24 – Kevin Gleason – USA – RC Motorsport – Lada Vesta WTCC

25 – Mehdi Bennani – MOR – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

27 – John Filippi – FRA – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

34 – Ryo Michigami – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC

61 – Néstor Girolami – ARG – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60 TC1

62 – Thed Björk – SWE – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60 TC1

63 – Nicky Catsburg – NED – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60 TC1

68 – Yann Ehrlacher – FRA – RC Motorsport – Lada Vesta WTCC

86 – Esteban Guerrieri – ARG – Campos Racing – Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1

99 – Daniel Nagy – HUN – Zengő Motorsport – Honda Civic WTCC

FIA World Touring Car Championship 2017 Calendar

WTCC Race of Morocco (Marrakech): 7-9 April

WTCC Race of Italy (Monza): 28-30 April

WTCC Race of Hungary (Hungaroring): 12-14 May

WTCC Race of Germany (Nürburgring Nordschleife): 25-27 May

WTCC Race of Portugal (Vila Real): 23-25 June

WTCC Race of Argentina (Termas de Río Hondo): 15-16 July

WTCC Race of China (Shanghai Ningbo Circuit): 13-15 October

WTCC Race of Japan (Twin Ring Motegi): 27-29 October

WTCC Race of Macau (Circuit de Guia): 17-19 November

WTCC Race of Qatar (Losail International Circuit): 30 November-1 December

LA SHOW - Volvo launches the new V90 Cross Country and the Polestar S60 and V60 gets a huge boost too.

The 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country wagon made its first auto show appearance today, alongside the 2017 V60 Polestar wagon, at the Los Angeles Auto Show’s Automobility LA.

The eagerly awaited V90 Cross Country completes Volvo’s 90 Series line-up, while significant improvements have been made to both the S60 and V60 Polestars over the 2016 model, most notably a 362 horsepower version of Volvo’s Drive-E powertrain.

California is the world’s top market for Polestar vehicle sales, with Los Angeles alone accounting for 64 percent of sales in the state so far this year. California also ranks number two in U.S. Cross Country vehicle sales.

“The Americas markets, particularly the U.S. and especially the Western region, are very strong for both Cross Country and Polestar,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Americas, and President and CEO, Volvo Cars USA. 

“The V90 Cross Country is the perfect luxury get-away car, as capable and comfortable on the daily commute as it is taking the family hiking or skiing. Polestars are driver’s cars for the educated enthusiast seeking something unique.” 

V90 CROSS COUNTRY

Since the introduction of the first Cross Country almost 20 years ago, Volvo Cars has become synonymous with the rugged all-road, all-weather product category, with a growing stable of Cross Country models.

Volvo Cars’ Cross Country models fulfil an increasingly important part of the Swedish automaker’s product portfolio as luxury car buyers seek out a more experienced-based lifestyle that occasionally takes them off the beaten track.

With some of the harshest winters on the planet and over 77 percent of the country covered in forest and lakes, Sweden is the natural place to develop and test extreme durability and all-weather capable cars. This hard-won expertise represents a large part of Volvo Cars’ heritage, reflected in the company’s Cross Country model line-up. 

“Our cars are well known for their safety, strength and durability. With All-Wheel Drive, increased ride height, and a chassis optimized for comfort and control in all weather and road conditions, the new V90 Cross Country takes our versatile V90 estate and adds the heart of an explorer,” said Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

With Volvo Cars’ Scalable Product Architecture providing the underpinnings, the V90 Cross Country has undergone rigorous testing to ensure that it can survive the extremes in which it will ultimately find itself.

From secret testing facilities in the frozen north of Sweden, where temperatures regularly hit -40 degrees to the searing desert heat of Arizona, where Volvo Cars performs its high temperature testing program, the V90 Cross Country has been built to last.

With a design that clearly stands out from the crowd, the V90 Cross Country’s rugged character belies a sumptuous interior that delivers a level of luxury uncommon in the segment, combining all the benefits of the connectivity and entertainment features that were launched with the new S90 and V90, including a high-end sound system by Bowers & Wilkins.

 The V90 Cross Country’s exterior design cues communicate the powerful and dynamic capability that the car exemplifies, while offering the flexibility to choose from both rugged and elegant expressions.

“Designing a Volvo Cross Country is not a styling exercise, a plastic job. It is based on honest capability. The Volvo V90 Cross Country brings a surprising and intriguing combination of a strong, powerful exterior and a luxurious, Scandinavian interior. It will continue the genuine tradition of the Volvo Cross Country with a new recipe: The blend of powerful off-road capability in a most elegant, sophisticated, tailored wagon suit,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Cars.

The new V90 Cross Country takes this well-established segment to a new level of comfort-inspired capability. Production of the car is set to start this autumn at Volvo Cars Torslanda Plant in Sweden.

S60 AND V60 POLESTAR  

Polestar uses proven motorsport technology and experience to build road cars that deliver a confident, precise and exhilarating driving experience.

Polestars are vehicles with real world drivability – a Volvo performance car for all roads, all seasons, on any day.

The 2017 Polestars are the quickest cars Volvo has ever made – the new 362hp Polestar S60 sedan and V60 wagon.

Both cars make the zero-to-60 mph sprint in as little as 4.4 seconds with a (limited) top speed of 155 mph, powered by a specially-enhanced version of Volvo’s award-winning four cylinder Drive-E powertrain.

Polestar has taken an original two-liter Drive-E engine from standard V60 and S60 models and added a bigger turbo, a supercharger, new conrods, new camshafts, a larger air intake and a higher capacity fuel pump to augment the engine, and matched it with a BorgWarner four-wheel drive system and the new Polestar-optimized eight-speed Geartronic automatic gearbox.

On top of this new performance-optimized equipment, Polestar has reduced the car’s weight. The Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar are 53 pounds lighter over the front axle and 44 pounds lighter in total compared to the previous model years.

These two new models also mark the globalization of the Polestar brand.

The first road legal Polestar cars were launched in 2014 to limited markets. Today, Polestar is expanding the number of markets where Polestar cars will be sold, from 13 to 47 and doubling production volume from 750 cars a year up to 1500.

About 200 units have been allocated for the Americas markets.

Both cars trace their heritage to the new Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, the all-new FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) race car from Polestar Cyan Racing. The new road cars use the same base chassis, engine and philosophy of the team behind the development.

The race and road car feature a further developed four-cylinder Drive-E engine, with the two-liter, twin charged engine of the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar producing 362 horsepower (SAE) and 347 foot pounds in U.S. spec.

Despite the increased performance, fuel consumption and emissions are at an EPA-rated 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (23 combined), further proving the efficiency of Volvo’s Drive-E powertrain.

Part of the improved performance and especially handling compared to the previous model years is an optimized weight distribution.

Other new features on the cars include a new 20” lightweight rim, Polestar calibrated electro-assisted power steering and a new slotted brake disc of 371 millimeters.

Volvo, 20 years ago launched the V70 CC, today that CC Range has been expanded to more models and bigger sales.

Volvo Cars’ instrumental role in defining the adventurous Cross Country segment is widely acknowledged. With the imminent reveal of the new V90 Cross Country, the Swedish car maker is set to cement its leading role as the most capable and comfortable premium all-roader on offer and complete its 90 series line-up.

“Cross Country has become the true expression of a Volvo car in many people’s eyes. It was a winning concept from the start, perfect for the tough climate and road conditions that we experience in Sweden,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Car Group.

Developed in 1996, the first Cross Country estate combined functional flexibility and rugged capability. Today, 20 years later, the Cross Country segment is a familiar sight across the premium car market, providing a capable yet comfortable driving experience.

Extreme climate capability

Designed to cope with the demanding requirements of an extreme Scandinavian climate, Cross Country models perform in all sorts of road conditions – from muddy tracks and knee-deep snow to long-distance motorway driving. 

Proving a popular choice with horse and boat owners thanks to its high ground clearance, pulling power and responsive All-Wheel Drive, Cross Country has cemented its position as a premium mainstay and a true all-weather alternative to the SUV.

“We were very careful from the very beginning to ensure that the Cross Country concept was not just an exercise in rugged styling. 

We placed high demands on real-world capability, and as we developed the segment, we added the comfort and convenience elements that Volvo drivers have come to expect,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

The eagerly awaited V90 Cross Country will be revealed in mid-September.

First generation, 1997 – 2000

Developed as a capable alternative to the SUV and front-wheel-drive cars, Volvo Cars’ first Cross Country – the V70 XC – grew in popularity as old-school SUVs began to morph into city jeeps. Cross Country offered a new, adventurous take on motoring that delivered a competent mix of capability, functionality and comfort. 

The V70 XC was an instant success, especially in the North American market.

Second generation, 2000 – 2007

In 2000, the second-generation V70 XC came with much bolder styling and higher ground clearance.

When Volvo’s first SUV – the XC90 – came in 2002, the V70 XC received a newer, more modern All-Wheel Drive system and changed its name to XC70 in order to align to its bigger brother.

Third generation, 2007 – 2016

The third-generation Volvo Cross Country arrived in 2007 with added elegance and luxury. The XC70 continued to be a North American love affair, accounting for almost half of the total volume produced.

In 2014, the XC70 gained recognition around the globe as Zlatan Ibrahimović’s car thanks to a Volvo Cars commercial featuring the Swedish footballer. Such was the impact that sales of the model grew markedly during its last years of production.

USA SALES APRIL - Volvo Cars USA moves even further ahead with a 33.1% monthly growth and 22.7% YTD.

Volvo Car USA, LLC, (VCUSA) reported U.S. sales of 6,169 vehicles, a 33.1 percent increase versus April 2015. Year-to-date sales are up 22.7 percent over the first four months of 2015.

Sales for the month of April were led by the award-winning XC90 luxury sedan with 3,009 vehicles sold. Most recently, the 2016 XC90 has been awarded a 5-Star Crash Rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the highest overall ranking available from the agency.

“With 33 percent growth for the month versus 2015, and ten consecutive months of double digit growth, we are seeing the positive impact of the award-winning XC90,” said Lex Kerssemakers, President and CEO, Volvo Car USA. “This, coupled with the fact that we have already exceeded pre-orders for the S90 is quite telling of what is to come from Volvo.”

Volvo is implementing a sweeping $11 billion transformation plan that has involved the development of its own modular vehicle architecture, a new engine range, global manufacturing capability, a completely renewed product range and world leading developments in safety, autonomous driving and connectivity.

Volvo launches the new range of accessories to boost your normal car into a Polestar performance vehicle.

Polestar introduces a whole new line of high-performance products in the form of Polestar Performance Parts, offering even more driving pleasure to Volvo drivers.

Polestar Performance Parts offers a wide range of extensively developed enhancements for the Volvo S60, V40, V60 and XC60 models to begin with, including chassis parts, wheels, exhaust, interior and exterior details, and more.

"We have received strong feedback over a long period of time from customers all over the world regarding Polestar Performance Parts. We are delighted to be able to meet the demand, starting from today. This is a product improving on the already strong base of Volvo cars in terms of performance, handling and driving pleasure," said Niels Möller, Chief Operating Officer of Polestar.

All Polestar Performance Parts are designed under the philosophy "Made to Perform", fully utilising the 20-year motorsport experience of the engineers and racing drivers from Polestar and its motorsport partner Cyan Racing.

"What we learned on the racing circuits with our colleagues at Cyan Racing is that championships are not won in a single lap. The secret of our success on the tracks is in creating balanced and precise cars that are predictable for the driver to control in all situations. 

Lessons learned on the tracks are transferred directly into the development of our road cars and performance products. The new range of Polestar Performance Parts is no exception – they are designed and developed with the very same philosophy," said Henrik Fries, R&D Director of Polestar.

The Polestar Performance Parts can be purchased as a complete package, including chassis parts, wheels and tyres, intake and exhaust, as well as exterior and interior parts. All of these components will together create a more compelling driving experience, especially in combination with the Polestar Performance Optimisation, and can be bought in separate packages as well.

All Polestar Performance Parts are developed and tested together with Volvo Cars to the same high standards as all other products. This process ensures a perfect fit and finish, with no impact on the Volvo factory warranty, while most importantly increasing driving pleasure.

The Polestar Performance Parts will be available from participating Volvo dealers in April. Prices are yet to be announced. Further Volvo models will be included in the Polestar Performance Parts range in due course.

USA SALES FEBRUARY - Volvo grows again making eight straight months of double digit growth.

• Posts Eighth Month of Double Digit Sales Growth

Volvo Car USA, LLC, (VCUSA) reported U.S. sales of 5,260 vehicles, a 33.1 percent increase versus February 2015. The top seller for the month was the award winning XC90 luxury SUV with 2,472 vehicles sold, a four percent increase versus January 2016. Year-to-date sales are up 21.8 percent.

“The XC90 continues to contribute to our sales momentum, and we have yet to reach its full potential,” said Lex Kerssemakers, President and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “Over the next few months it will be joined by the S90 luxury sedan and the top-of-the-line four seat XC90 Excellence, with the newly-unveiled V90 following later.”

Volvo is implementing a sweeping $11 billion transformation plan that has involved the development of its own modular vehicle architecture, a new engine range, global manufacturing capability, a completely renewed product range and world leading developments in safety, autonomous driving and connectivity.