2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar: The Quick One is the Hybrid.

2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar: The Quick One is the Hybrid.

By   15:28

The 2020 Volvo XC60 compact crossover now comes in T8 Polestar Engineered flavor. Aside from the strange name, you get a handsome and luxurious plug-in hybrid with 415 horsepower on top and a manually adjustable suspension like you'd find on a race car. Pretty amazing, right??

 

Break Out the Tools

Yes, here's a Volvo that is a plug-in hybrid, a high-performance sport-ute, and an everyday compact luxury crossover rolled into one by the automaker's in-house tuner, Polestar. Easily the zaniest aspect of the XC60's Polestar Engineered treatment are the manually adjustable Öhlins dampers, which require opening the hood to turn the single knob that adjusts rebound and compression for the front and a dainty hand to reach a similar dial in the wheel well to adjust the rear. Unlike the adaptive suspensions offered on other Volvos, in which you can select comfortable and sportier settings via a button inside the car, T8 Polestar owners won't be able to fiddle with their settings on the fly. This isn't the first time Volvo has included this feature on a production car (the previous-generation S60 and V60 Polestar models featured them), but this is the first time we've seen them on a compact crossover. The newly christened Polestar 1 also features similar dampers.

The rest of the Polestar Engineered package is made up of more straightforward performance trimmings. In addition to the one-rung-down XC60 T8 trim, the Polestar package adds a set of lightweight 21-inch forged-aluminum wheels (22s are optional for $800), summer performance tires, a brace for the front structure, blacked-out exterior trim, and Akebono brake hardware (upsized in front with 14.6-inch rotors clamped by six-piston calipers). Polestar likes to trim things in gold, which explains why the brake calipers and seatbelts are gold.

 

The standard XC60 T8, rolling on 20s with 255/45R-20 Continental CrossContact LX Sport all-season tires, managed 0.84 g. The Polestar variant also can stop from 70 mph in 158 feet, or six feet shorter than the regular model.

 

 

A Polestar-tuned engine computer extracts an additional 15 horsepower and 22 lb-ft of torque from the T8's turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter inline-four. With the same 87-hp electric motor and 11.6-kWh lithium-ion battery used in the regular XC60 T8, the Polestar's combined output rises to 415 horses and 494 lb-ft.

The gas engine's efforts all go to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission (there's also an electric motor between the engine and trans that provides some thrust but is primarily a generator). To provide all-wheel drive, there's an electric motor attached to the rear wheels. Compared to this XC60's rivals, the relatively small engine and electric-motor combo is a novel way to extract more power. Mercedes-AMG's similarly sized GLC63, for example, delivers 469 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbo V-8 that's literally twice as big as the XC60's four-cylinder.

But the Volvo's electrified powertrain means that you can plug it in and travel 19 miles on the battery (per the EPA scale). We averaged a not-terrible 21 MPGe with the T8 Polestar in our normal driving; that's a mere 1 mpg lower than we managed in a standard XC60 T8. In our 75-mph fuel-economy test, the Polestar returned 25 mpg to the regular version's 27 mpg. Some of the blame rests on the unsiped shoulders of the large and sticky tires.
 

 

 

With the Öhlins dampers in a road-friendly setting, the XC60 drives pretty much like a more buttoned-down T8 model with big wheels and tires. (We've only driven Polestar versions with 22-inch wheels.) The ride is firm, yet the suspension yields to all but the sharpest impacts, and body control is good even over undulations. The brakes have excellent stopping power, and in tight corners the Volvo refuses to excessively punish its front tires. Only the artificial and video-game-like feedback from the steering lets the package down.

Will any owner ever take their Polestar to a racetrack and fiddle with its fancy dampers? Probably not. Most likely, these XC60s will serve as low-key speedy transportation, a sort of Volvo 240 Turbo or 850R wagon for the '20s. Like the Volvos of old, there's safety equipment galore including automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a lane-departure system. The interior is just as gorgeous and roomy as the regular XC60's. You're unlikely to surprise anyone with your Volvo unless you unleash a high-speed blast or get caught tweaking those coil-over dampers. Otherwise, it's unlikely anyone will ever know what a special, albeit unusual, Volvo you've got.

SPECIFICATIONS

2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED $71,940 (base price: $70,495)
POWERTRAIN supercharged, turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 328 hp, 317 lb-ft; 2 permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors, 46 and 87 hp, 111 and 177 lb-ft; combined output, 415 hp, 494 lb-ft; 11.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack
TRANSMISSIONS 8-speed automatic, single-speed direct-drive
CHASSIS Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 15.7-in vented, cross-drilled disc/12.6-in solid disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4, 265/35R-22 102V VOL
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 112.8 in
Length: 184.6 in
Width: 76.3 in
Height: 65.3 in
Passenger volume: 100 cu ft
Cargo volume: 17 cu ft
Curb weight: 4768 lb
C/D
TEST RESULTS Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 4.8 sec
100 mph: 11.8 sec
130 mph: 26.5 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.4 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.9 sec
¼-mile: 13.4 sec @ 105 mph
Top speed (govenor limited): 132 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.91 g
C/D
FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 21 MPGe
75-mph highway driving, EV/hybrid mode: 50 MPGe/23 mpg
Highway range, EV/hybrid mode: 13/410 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 30/28/33 mpg
Combined gasoline+electricity: 57 MPGe
EV range: 19 miles

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Jeep Shows Wrangler, Renegade, and Compass 4xe Plug-In Hybrids at CES

Jeep Shows Wrangler, Renegade, and Compass 4xe Plug-In Hybrids at CES

By   15:13

Jeep has unveiled its new lineup of plug-in hybrid models at CES, which will be badged 4xe. The company isn't providing any details about these new versions of the Wrangler, Renegade, and Compass yet. More information will be available later this year at the New York, Geneva, and Beijing auto shows.

Jeep announced the name of its new 4xe plug-in hybrids last week, and now it's showing them off in the flesh at the 2020 CES technology show in Las Vegas. Unfortunately we can't get the company to share any details about the powertrains, but a look at them up close shows what differentiates them from the outside.

The most obvious clue is—no surprise—the charging port seen on the front fender of the Wrangler and the driver's-side rear quarter-panel of the Compass and Renegade. There are also blue accents to differentiate these models and different badging.

Jeep has previously given information about the Europe-market versions of the Renegade and Compass plug-in hybrids, which produce a total of 240 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-four gasoline engine combined with an electric motor. We don't know how those specs compare to the U.S.-market versions of either Jeep but will bring further details as soon as they're available.

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Volkswagen ID 3: vital EV revealed with up to 341-mile range

Volkswagen ID 3: vital EV revealed with up to 341-mile range

By   17:11

The wheelbase is 145mm longer than a Golf’s and just 21mm shy of a Passat saloon’s

VW claims the rear-wheel-drive ID 3 will have ‘intuitive handling’ and ‘phenomenal performance’

ID 3 is the first car to use VW’s new MEB platform

ID 3 will launch with the 1st edition, powered by a 58kWh battery

First ID car has an uncomplicated design and only one trim level

All ID models will make stylistic use of lighting both inside and out




Volkswagen ID 3

Volkswagen ID 3

The electric Volkswagen ID 3, the brand’s most important model since the Golf, has been revealed at the Frankfurt motor show, offering up to 341 miles of range and priced from around £27,500.

Initially shown as a concept at the 2016 Paris motor show, the hatchback will be the first ID model to arrive on roads next summer, followed shortly after by the production version of the ID Crozz SUV.

Other members of the upcoming all-electric ID family already seen in concept form include the Buzz, Vizzion and Roomzz, all of which will contribute to the VW Group’s intention to sell three million EVs by 2025. 

Described as “an electric car for everyone”, the ID 3’s importance for VW is spelled out by its explanation of the model’s name. The marque says the ‘3’ signifies “the third major chapter for the brand after the Beetle and Golf”, both broadly considered to be landmark cars for VW and the wider motoring industry.

The ID 3 is the first car to use the maker’s new MEB platform, a scalable architecture built solely for electric vehicles, which will underpin all ID models and be used by other VW Group brands. VW is also licensing the platform’s use to other firms, most notably major rival Ford – a move considered crucial in helping to recoup the vast costs of developing the chassis and lower prices through greater economies of scale.

One major benefit of a bespoke electric platform is interior space. While the ID 3 is only 3mm longer, 10mm wider and 60mm taller than the current Golf, its wheelbase is 145mm longer at 2765mm, just 21mm shy of a Passat saloon’s. Boot space is identical to the Golf at 380 litres.

VW design boss Klaus Bischoff said: “The car has unique proportions due to the under-floor battery. With the drive axle at the back, we can have a long wheelbase and short overhangs, with 710mm wheel dimensions – the same as the ID show car.

“We kept the bodystyle from the concept, and the surfaces are very similar to the show car. We’ve kept it simple and only used a few clear lines.”

At the rear, there is a large spoiler, required for aerodynamic efficiency. The black roof and rear section made of glossy black plastic seen in these pictures will be standard across all ID 3s.

VW claims the rear-wheel-drive ID 3 will have “intuitive handling” and “phenomenal performance”, the latter thanks to the even weight distribution of the MEB set-up, according to the maker. Early signs are promising: in a recent camouflaged drive of the ID 3, Autocar said the car has the “measured, natural responsiveness in everything it does that so often marks out a VW, and that makes for such easy, top-level drivability”.

The ID 3 will be offered in three battery sizes with two power outputs from its rear-mounted electric motor: a 45kWh battery with claimed range of 205 miles and 148bhp, and 58kWh and 77kWh batteries both with 201bhp, delivering 260 and 341 miles of range respectively.

Full specifications have yet to be revealed but all variants will deliver 229lb ft of torque, while the entry- and mid-level ID 3s will have a top speed of 99mph.

A charging capacity of 100kW will be available on the mid-range ID 3, with a promised charging time of 30 minutes for 155 miles of range. The smaller-battery ID 3 will offer 50kW, but with an optional 100kW. The top-range ID 3 will be capable of charging at 125kW.

VW is guaranteeing the battery for eight years or 160,000km.

The interior is pared back compared with today’s VW models. Bischoff said: “We’ve also made an internal revolution, with a new design that’s extra-simple and clear. We’ve added value by increasing the amount of space, making it airy and open.”

The dashboard is clear other than a 10in protruding central screen as standard, on which systems such as navigation will receive over-the-air updates.

There is an optional augmented reality head-up display, which projects relevant information onto the windscreen. All controls – including those on the electrically adjustable multifunction steering wheel – are operated using touch-sensitive buttons. The only conventional buttons are for electric windows and hazard warning lights.

VW promises next-generation ‘natural’ voice control on the ID 3. For example, an occupant could say “Hello ID, I’m cold” and, in response, the system would increase the in-car temperature.

There will not be traditional VW trim levels, given the maker’s desire to keep the line-up as simple as possible. This is presumably an attempt not to complicate matters for customers, many of whom will be buying an electric car for the first time. However, four option packs are expected to be offered for the UK market.

The ID 3 will launch with the 1st edition, powered by a mid-range 58kWh battery. The allocation, unspecified by VW, has already been filled in the UK. VW did say it had achieved its target of 35,000 pre-orders worldwide. The standard ID 3 order books will open next year, with deliveries in autumn.

Priced from around £27,500 before the £3500 government subsidy, the entry-level ID 3 costs on a par with a mid-range 1.6-litre TDI Golf GT when taking the grant into account. Pricing is expected to rise to around £35,000 for the ID 3 1st edition.

The ID 3 is the first carbon-neutral model made by VW, according to the maker. It said all elements of manufacture and distribution will be powered by renewable sources or compensated by certified climate projects. The model will be produced at VW’s Zwickau plant in Germany, which is set to produce 330,000 electric cars annually from 2021.

Could VW increase or decrease the range offered by these three batteries?

“I [personally] only need 60km of range today. We will have to see how the market reacts. We predict the middle battery size will be the most popular.”

When will we see an ID 3 GTI?

“We are definitely thinking about this. We won’t have the same line-up as Golf. We are trying to keep it simple. But obviously we are thinking of performance versions of ID cars, especially in higher ID models where you get four-wheel drive – that would be a lot of fun.”

When do you expect there be volume parity with the Golf?

“The Golf is still at the fore of the brand. ID 3 is the little brother able to go out and explore and be the cooler [sibling]! I can’t say when it will reach parity.”

When will VW introduce wireless charging for its EVs?

“Not on this ID 3, but we are looking at much less than 10 years. VW is not a premium brand. The preparation [for wireless charging] in a garage is very expensive today. This might be why premium brands are further along the line [than us] but we are talking about it.”

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