2012 Volvo XC60 R-Design

In the teen movies, is certainly true, intelligent girl with glasses and a ponytail, the popular girl who learns how Mrs. Brains (gasp!!) Takeoff said glasses and lose the ponytail (see "Grease," "Clueless," "She's All that ", etc.). Suddenly, she is model-beautiful, the Prom Queen is, and boys interested in her. While the transformation of the XC60 on XC60 R-Design with Pole Star, Volvo has a lot more than what happens is that teen films, there is something in common: Now that the crossover is less conservative, you can to take a vehicle to know they have not appreciated in the past.

The Volvo XC60 was already an impressive car. When it first came out, it bridges the gap between popular Volvo station wagon and the larger Volvo XC90 sport / utility. It follows the current design motif of the company: beautiful, elegant Scandinavian design on the outside and an equally attractive interior. Volvos are known for their safety and the XC60 is loaded with safety goodies. The cabin is more than enough luxury, but also manages to offer the feature. If there was, the XC60 was missing was a little something for fans.

Volvo has taken small steps to fix this. It starts on the huge gap between the perception in America that Volvo is a conservative business and reality that it is close to a serious presence in the road race in Europe. The first step was the optional R-Design package for 2011, the stiffer suspension and unique style elements is included, but no increase in power or torque. Which brings us to 2012, and the second step: Polestar Performance? Polestar Volvo's motorsport partner since 1996. It is Volvo's AMG, and the design of the FIA World Touring Car, helped STCC (Swedish Touring Car Championship) and the World Touring Car Championship. Though few Americans know Polestar is, the name is known in Sweden: The C30 Polestar has become the most successful racing cars in the history of Volvo Cars.

And how does this have to do on the XC60? It is clear that Polestar not to wear the XC60 cars for sale to the public, but what it can do this only applied to some of their knowledge of breed technology from motor vehicles. In this case adds Polestar treatment of 25 hp and 30 Nm of torque to the XC60, for a total of 325 and 354th The T6 engine in the Volvo XC60, the upgrade will cost $ 1,495 p to the dealer (from 2012, it comes with R-Design XC60s), those who do not buy the update package for Polestar fact, owners of 2011-2012 R-design their crossover for the upgrade. It consists of a number ECM recalibration of gases to adjust the ignition timing and fuel mixture and increases the turbo boost. And that's great news for the owners XC60: The upgrade has no impact on fuel consumption and emissions, and under warranty Volvos.

The combination of R-design and Polestar kick is the beautiful cross-over a certain attitude. The suspension damping was 10 percent, which is a firmer ride, quicker steering ratio, the better to make on the vehicle - and entertaining - in corners. We discovered that on some beautiful mountain roads in Arizona, before the I-10. The XC60 felt planted and confident, and had great fun in tight corners. It does not process and a BMW, but it's certainly a lot of fun. When accelerating out of corners, the throttle response is better than in previous years, Polestar models, making it a snap to burn, immediately go to reach the next piece of twisty road.

If you look at a map of the southwestern United States, the trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles seems to be pretty boring. Granted, it's six of us driving to seven hours of mostly straight line, but you get used to such sights as painful finger Road in Salome, Arizona, through Agricultural inspection station near the state border and the dinosaur statues in Cabazon, California. OK. It is a boring ride. However, signified the lack of tourist attractions along the way enough time to concentrate on the XC60 R-Design with Pole Star.

In the long, lonely stretch of Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Los Angeles, where the traffic was surprisingly light and (to my knowledge), there were not too many State Troopers or traffic cameras. Throttle response was just as good out there, where it is easy to quickly go fast. Our tests confirm the route that the XC60 R-Design with Pole Star quickly. It is 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds to be 98.4 mph. The ride was firmer than rougher parts of the interstate, but it was not unreasonable and was well worth the upgrade in treatment. The interior of the Volvo was a stylish combination of off white and black, the chairs comfortable, but also many supportive.

We had a complaint about the XC60, but that has changed since the cross-over was changed: the electronics. A number of controls of the navigation system were catchy, others are difficult to access. Another electronic glitch was with the Blind Spot Information System. On several occasions at the station, there were reports that the system service that is less than a minute later, each time ended, and at least twice, there was a warning that the blind spot camera was needed blocks. (How? By what?) Who disappeared after less than a minute?

What does the new performance upgrade is our appetite for what's going to wake up with this vehicle. And maybe less - if this is successful enough upgrade for the XC60, perhaps there would be a more dramatic option, with electronically adjustable suspension, which is softer and firmer on his two-lane canyon with dramatic power increases on the open road. Yes, that would reduce fuel consumption and is a bit irrational, but now Polestar is involved, we can not dream, can we?