According to Volvo’s tuning arm, Polestar, performance upgrade is not about upsizing the turbocharger or fitting an exhaust that could wake the neighbours from 10 blocks away. Instead, it’s all about optimisation; creating driving pleasure and usable performance.
With that, Polestar takes the already excellent XC90 T8 SUV and tunes it to become Volvo’s most powerful SUV to date. The treatment, known as the “Polestar Optimisation Package“, is the similar upgrade kit offered to the S90 and V90 models. Performance upgrade is modest, as it adds 14 hp and 60 Nm of torque into the XC90’s 2.0-litre E-Drive petrol engine, creating a fast SUV that banks 421 hp and 678 Nm of torque. Its electric motor remains untouched, though.
The upgrade is said to improve throttle response and comes with a revised gear-holding function. The XC90 Polestar is also quicker off the line, dusting the century sprint in 5.5 seconds – a full 0.4 seconds quicker than standard. Despite the improved performance, fuel consumption is remains the same at 2.1 litres per 100km, as is its 43km pure electric drive range.
The release of the Polestar Performance Optimisation for the XC90 T8 will be available in the US and selected European markets by October 2016. Back at home, the locally-assembled XC90 T8 is available at RM403,888.00. Judging by the positive response of the XC90 T8 from the Malaysian market, this Polestar might just be arriving here soon.
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