Car Spotting: Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

It’s a shame Americans don’t like station wagons, considering there are still beasts like this Volvo still prowling the streets. To the casual observer, it may appear to be nothing more than a new-ish wagon. But there are tells - the small square badges at either end, the gold-finished calipers and matching seat belts - that this is something else entirely.

Before Polestar became an EV spin-off, the Swedish automaker offered a handful of vehicles with the Polestar Engineered treatment. Like AMG, this in-house Scandinavian hotrod division turned the performance dial up to 11, but kept the style dial firmly in sleeper territory. Dodge Hellcat Widebody Jailbreak this ain’t. The example I stumbled upon here in New Hampshire was extra-subtle in what looks to be a fine shade of Denim Blue Metallic. Be still my heart bro.

Now, about that sleeper status. Assuming the stunner I saw that day in a parking lot is on the newer side, it’s packing a magical blend of boosted four-pot good for 312 horses and a pluggable hybrid pack contributing 143 horsies, plus over 200 lb-ft of twist. Altogether, output comes in at 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque.

Car and Driver says it’ll do the 0-60 sprint in 4.1 seconds, and by modern standards, this is fast, but not blisteringly so. However, a car like this is about so much more than straight-line speed, friends. Take in the Thor’s Hammer headlights, salivate over the sweeping Swedish long-roof lines, sleep well knowing there are gold-finished Öhlins dampers - built by hand - hiding behind those lovely 19s and lovelier Brembos.

The Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered is a crowning achievement in the station wagon arena. It will be dearly missed.