2015 Volvo S60 Polestar: Scandinavian Fire

The Polestar is based on the S60 T-6 R-Design.

The Polestar includes six-piston Brembo front brakes (that are admittedly overkill).

There were numerous instances behind the wheel of the Volvo S60 Polestar where I found myself favourably comparing the Swede to its would-be German bogey.

The 2015 Volvo S60 Polestar is proof positive that the sleeping Swedish giant has been awakened.

The S60's cabin is functional and sports blue-stitched buckets to match the exterior paint.

There's no manual gearbox available with the S60 Polestar, but you do get a Sport mode for the six-speed automatic transmission.

The real magic happens on the chassis side, where manually-adjustable Ohlin shock absorbers combine with much stiffer springs and 20-inch rims.

Even when travelling on a less-than-straight road the S60 Polestar acquitted itself admirably.

The interior is much plainer than one would expect from a luxury car, particularly on the dashboard and centre stack.

The Polestar playbook includes a sport exhaust system that sounds gloriously mellifluous at full throttle.

The test vehicle I drove was sprayed in an eye-catching Rebel Blue.

If the 2015 Volvo S60 Polestar is any indication, the automaker that once was lost has now found its way into a better tomorrow.

Volvo has always hinted at its performance chops, and the decision to bring Polestar Performance more prominently into the mix has proved to be an inspired one.

It's clear to all around you that the Volvo S60 Polestar has come to party.

The turbo six-cylinder engine produces 350 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque (a slight bump over the R-Design's 325 horses and 354 lb-ft of twist).

The S60 is comfortable despite its sporty character.

If the Polestar name sounds familiar, that's probably because you're one of the select few who've been haunting Volvo dealerships over the past few years.

The presence of that incongruous plastic piece on the grille indicates that safety is still a key buzzword at Volvo, even though the rest of the industry has caught up, and in some cases surpassed, the automaker.

Polestar Performance lent its considerable racing credibility to the S60 street car.