Volvo is getting in on the factory performance-upgrade game with a new series of engine-tuning packages for certain T5- and T6-powered models. The upgrades are the work of Polestar, Volvo’s motorsports partner, and are similar to BMW’s performance kits for the 135i and 335i. Polestar’s ECU tweaks crank up the boost, alter throttle mapping, and advance spark timing to give Volvo’s turbocharged inline-five and inline-six engines not-so-modest power bumps.
In C30, C70, and S40 models, the T5 produces 227 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, while the T6 in the S60 and XC60 stumps up a healthy 300 hp and 325 lb-ft. Polestar’s tuning beefs up the T5 to 250 hp and 273 lb-ft (the same tune was applied to the limited-edition C70 Inscription that recently debuted at the L.A. auto show). The T6 sees output rise by 25 hp and 29 lb-ft to 325 hp and 354 lb-ft. Volvo R-Design fans will recognize those figures, as they are the same produced by the S60 and XC60 R-Design models.
The added power isn’t the only good news: The T5 upgrade costs just $1295 and the T6 $1495; both prices include the reprogramming work. Furthermore, because the tuning is restricted to the engine computer, it isn’t limited to any single car. Thus, the Polestar power boost is available for a wide range of old and new Volvos. Manual or automatic 2008–12 T5-powered C30s, C70s, and S40s can benefit from the software, as can the automatic-only 2011 T6 S60 and 2011–12 XC60s. Aficionados of small, slow-selling wagons in limited configurations, you may now rejoice: The all-wheel-drive V50 with a manual will soon join the approved list. As for the other vehicles mentioned, the T5 boost is already available at any Volvo dealership, and the T6 upgrades begin December 5. Both software packages are fully warranted and Volvo says they maintain factory fuel-economy estimates. Real-world mileage, however, is likely to suffer.
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