According to British magazine CAR, Volvo is said to be planning a spiced up version of its V40 compact that should rival the likes of Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG.
When it comes to performance cars, Volvo is not exactly the first brand that comes into mind. They were involved in WTCC for quite some time so they’re not exactly strangers to fast vehicles, but what’s even more relevant in this case is the pair of V60 and S60 high performance Polestar models.
Polestar, the company specialized in making blue cars that go like stint is allegedly working on a performance upgrade for the compact V40*, which some people say should have well in excess of 300 hp (compared to the current range topper which only has 242 hp). The V40 Polestar will most certainly come with four wheel drive since it’s already available on the car’s platform and would make a lot of sense.
The engine will be a 2.0 liter turbo so going over the 300 hp mark means it will be a highly stressed unit, but also a lot of fun if the AMG model is anything to go by.
However, Volvo does not want to steer too far away from its core values so Polestar becoming a regular performance division for the brand like the AMG, M or RS are for Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi is very low likely possibility.
But surprising us every now and then with a hot version of their regular models may actually prove to be a better strategy instead of a sporty oversaturation that would leave the traditional core customer wondering when did Volvo go all mental.
The success of models like the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG or the BMW M135i (or M235i) is a clear indicator of the fact that people want compact, fizzy, fast and fun cars that, when the situation presents itself, can still be a bit useful in ferrying around more than one person and some luggage. We’ll keep a keen eye on this project.
Source: CAR magazine
*Pictured is the 2011 Volvo C30 Polestar Concept
