Volvo will launch high-performance versions of its new S90 saloon and forthcoming V90 estate, carrying Polestar badging and featuring hybrid powertrains, the company’s boss has revealed.
The new Volvo S90 was revealed, with the standard Volvo V90 estates set to be revealed early next year. The Swedish brand’s new flagship saloon, which sits on the same Scalable Platform Architecture as the XC90 SUV, is designed to take on the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6, as well as the Jaguar XF, according to AutoCar.
All of those executive saloon rivals have hot versions, though—and the German brands in particular sell a wide range of add-ons and suspension and body kits branded with their respective performance divisions.
Volvo now owns its Polestar division, which grew from its involvement in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, and is seeking to expand its remit.
Volvo must follow its rivals, according to the company’s boss Hakan Samuelsson.
“You could have a high-performance variant [of the S90] without leaving the brand,” he said. “You could still have a nice car with smart design and functionality, but what’s wrong with a little performance?
“Right now we have the S60 and V60 as Polestar variants, and we believe in the [Polestar] brand—that’s why we bought it. So now we’re looking at using it more on performance cars within the family.”
