The Volvo Polestar S60 Concept releases the beast in LA

"This is Polestar's interpretation of the Volvo S60," says Christian Dahl, founder and CEO of Polestar. "It's a car developed with our own preferences in mind – although we know they are also shared by active drivers."

If a S60 grew up to be a racecar, the Polestar Concept is what it would look and feel like as it took the Volvo driving experience to a whole new level.

"We approached this project by looking at the production Volvo S60 as a platform for a potential race car – and the culmination of that data went into the design of the Polestar S60 Concept," explained Jan Andersson, chief engineer at Polestar.

The Polestar S60 Concept adds a whole new level of power and handling to the Volvo driving experience, thanks to the turbocharged, six-cylinder engine tuned to deliver an exhilarating increase in power and torque.

The heart-stopping 508 horsepower with 424 lb-ft of torque, towers over the output of the T6 engine in the Polestar concept’s production variant at 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque.

The chassis has been lowered, widened and reinforced. Haldex all-wheel-drive system combined with a Öhlins suspension creates a car perfectly at ease with both track and highway performance.

"It is, by far, the most impressive street Volvo I've ever driven,” stated Robert Dahlgren, Volvo Polestar racing driver. “But I must also say that the genuine Volvo feeling is still there."

The Polestar Concept has a top speed over186 mph and redlines at 7100 rpm. It features a modified cylinder head, combustion chambers, inlet manifold and air intake along with a Garret 3171 turbocharger and Ferrita 3.5" stainless steel exhaust system.

Volvo and Polestar partnered up in 1996, to offer tuning, technology and enhanced parts to the brand’s production models. A Polestar-tuned S60 R-Design and XC60 R-Design are currently within the Volvo lineup, boosting their performance from 300 hp and 325 lb.-ft. of torque to 325 and 354, respectively.

This year they come in a fetching Rebel Blue, just like the S60 Polestar Concept.

The Polestar performance upgrade can be installed in certain new and used Volvos at any Volvo dealer. For more information about Polestar plus parts and technology available for Volvo vehicles, visit Polestar.com.