AWD Volvos get Polestar upgrade 15 | 08 | 2018
POLESTAR HAS REVEALED a new tuning modification for all Volvo models equipped with all-wheel drive. The aim? To make the cars a little sportier. And you can spot them thanks to the little blue ‘Polestar’ badge on the rear. (Related: Roadtest — Volvo XC40)
Interestingly, the mod isn’t a mechanical one. Instead the upgrade mirrors the approach taken by Tesla: the tweaks are introduced to the Volvos via a software upgrade that increases torque distribution to the rear wheels.
The clever software increases the amount and frequency of torque distributed to the rear wheels, improving steering with enhanced turn-in, better control and engagement when cornering, and improved traction when pulling away, delivering a more engaging drive. (Related: Scots group acquires second Volvo site)
“We are always fine-tuning the driving experience of Volvo cars,” Henrik Green, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Volvo Cars, said, “and this upgrade makes the all-wheel drive both smoother and more dynamic.”
The AWD optimisation is engaged simply by selecting the Dynamic drive mode, or when the Electronic Stability Control is disengaged. (Related: T5 petrol for Volvo S90, V90 and XC90)
The new rear-wheel torque distribution feature adds another optimisation area to the latest Polestar software upgrade. The five existing areas include sharper throttle response, faster off-throttle response, quicker gear changes, optimised gearshift points and in-corner gear holding, as well as increased engine output.
The Polestar AWD optimisation is available for 2019-year petrol and diesel models of the Volvo 90 series, 60 series and XC40 cars which feature all-wheel drive (excluding plug-in hybrid variants).
Volvo’s plug-in hybrid models, including T6 Twin Engine and T8 Twin Engine derivatives, which feature an electric rear axle drive (ERAD) system that utilises electric power only on the rear wheels, already provide a rear-drive bias and do not require further AWD optimisation.
Related: S60 triggers Volvo diesel pledge
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Jim McGill