MR_Y
Well-known member
As discussed in my Cayman thread, I have reasons for leaving my Cayman S and replacing it with a sports/sporty car that I can enjoy with my family.
Budget wise, this put me in the 2017-2018 league of the usual performance sedans (and their Coupe or Sportback/Gran Coupe versions) with less than 40,000km. These being:
Audi S4/5: Fantastic sleeper cars, but not the most enthusiastic to drive. Would need to step up to RS to get proper thrills, but that would bump up the price to low mileage 991 911 levels.
Merc C43: Sounds great and pulls like a train at any speed. Arguably faster than the C63 in the real world in the hands of the majority of drivers. Issues? It looks too much like a C180 with an AMG kit, unlike the C63 which has a unique look. A good car and I was close to getting one, but not a fan of the c class shape.
440i: The performance, soundtrack and RWD handing are there. The issue is that it is too refined. I tested a 440i with an M Performance exhaust. A good car but it was not as much fun as the C43. I assume further tweaks are needed (which some fanatics may have done as mods) to properly elevate the driving experience. It also feels heavy and maybe the 340i is more athletic (it weighs less), but having owned an F30 before, I wanted something that looks a bit different.
640d (a class above the rest, but bad resale brings them into this price point): A properly fast and frugal car. Build quality is on another level. Brilliant tech and gadgets. The only downside is that it is a huge car and not that agile to drive as the others here. A mature gentleman's fast GT car. Also, the Coupe has no rear legroom - a 2 series has more space.
I avoided the little brothers of the above, all pre-2019 models, reasons being:
S3 sedan and TTS - super quick with that DSG box, but having been bitten with DSG issues in the past, I am not keen to get a car that is almost out of Plan with a DSG. Also, that 2.0 VAG motor is notorious for oil consumption issues.
M240i - brilliant car. A proper giant killer and a decent (and faster) replacement to my Cayman. Rear space is also decent and handling is proper, classic BMW RWD goodness. However, I feel that it lives in the M2's shadow and I would hate to think that I could have bought an M2 Comp if I waited a bit and saved up more. If the M240i was significantly cheaper compared to the M2, it may have swung me.
A45 - includes CLA45. These cars are giant killlers, but interior is not as solid as the other Germans. Also, extremely difficult to find unmolested versions at my price point. Also, and with all due respect to current owners, the car does have a rich Umhlanga teen boy whiff to it.
After driving the 640d, I realised that I don't want a proper Grand Tourer car yet. I want something that I will enjoy on winding roads, but still be able to take my family with me on longer drives.
An RS4 Avant would be the ultimate, but priced way above my appetite.
Enter the "Polestar Engineered"....
As some may know, I have a V60 Cross Country D4 with Polestar Optimisation software (bump from 140kw/420Nm to 162kw/440Nm) that my SO drives and is also the designated long distance family car. This car originally replaced my 320d LCI back in 2019 due to changes in lifestyle. Anyway, it is important to distinguish between "Polestar Optimisation" and "Polestar Engineered".
Optimisation refers to just software - ECU and gearbox - available on almost any Volvo from 2007 to today for about R20k at your local Volvo dealer. Engineered refers to a full performance treatment applied to a Volvo model at the factory. Note that nowadays, Polestar only creates high performance electric cars that are not really tweaked Volvos - that is another story - but they still offer Optimisation software for all Volvos.
So, Polestar Engineered is like BMW M, Merc AMG or Audi RS. Granted, they are not in that same league of sheer performance, yet.
The S60 Polestar was first launched in 3.0 6 cylinder turbo form in SA in 2015. 258kw/500Nm. The car performed well but was hampered by a slow 6 speed gearbox, turbo lag and heavy front end.
In 2016, the motor was replaced with a 2.0 super and turbo charged engine. Mated to an 8 speed box and other tweaks to the suspension, aero and other things. The result was a car that kicked out 270kw/470Nm, but loved to rev a bit higher than the old 3.0. Real world testing at the Highveld showed a 0-100 improvement from 5.8 to 5.3s according to one publication (though Mark Jones only managed 5.8 both times for his publication). In Namibia, Namwheels managed to get 5.0s flat. Sudhir Matai and other journos also noted that this car handled better because of the lighter front end and other tweaks.
The other trick up the Polestar's sleeve is Ohlins adjustable suspension. Proper racing honed suspension that requires you to manually adjust each strut at each wheel, up to 30 clicks available!
The brakes too are proper 6 piston Brembos up front.
So, how did I end up going the Polestar route?
When I took my V60 in to Tom Camphor Volvo, I saw the S60 Polestar on the floor. The car was treated well during its life. 2017 with 36,000km. It was marked down given that it is going out of Plan soon. This put it significantly under my initial budget.
One thing led to another and I ended up driving the car. The owners of Tom Camphor Volvo (who personally own a GT3 RS and other high performance cars) set up the Ohlins for the best compromise, based on my requirements (i.e. a bit sporty than luxury).
The ride is sports car stiff and the AWD system is super grippy. It does feel, at first, like an S4 with hard suspension. But when you push it, it feels that a proper Touring Car hiding underneath - the faster you go, the better it feels. Yes, very insulated like an Audi S car, but there is some playfulness underneath.
To get the full sport experience, you have to dig through the menus to stiffen up the steering wheel and activate ESC Sport. Then things really get interesting. Granted, it not a RWD car and it will not allow you to oversteer into the bend, but it does feel fun in an RS Audi kind of way. It is not as fast as a modern RS car, though it feels quicker than an old 4.2 RS5. Still need to drive it more, to properly conclude.
The dealer also allowed me to drive the car over a longish distance and at speed, so that I could assess the car's poise and performance.
The car picks up speed quickly and you feel everything from the road surface. I think the Ohlins should be tweaked slightly to the luxury setting. On the M1 north, the undulations can make passengers sick with the current suspension setting. However, when you go faster, it feels smoother. I need time to learn the ways of this car before giving a comprehensive view on the ride and handling. It currently feels more hardcore (in ride/handling) than any of the cars mentioned above.
The main negative is that the engine is an angry vacuum cleaner. This is where the C43 is superior. To get proper farts, you need to keep the revs high in Sport mode. As a favour, the dealership has offered to tweak the exhaust valve, so it is in sport sounding mode always. Still not a 6 cylinder symphony, but not bad for a sporty 4 cylinder.
The other negative is the fact that the car is going out of Plan soon. Reliability on these overstressed motors is not confirmed, but a 2 year/ 80,000km Volvo approved unlimited claim warranty adds peace of mind. There also options to extend that Warranty further.
The last negative is the cost of Brembo pads and discs. Currently R60k for a full set and they wear away pretty fast in daily driving. I am willing to bite the bullet on this, given that this will not be my daily driver. For interest sake, a 2 year/40,000km full maintenance plan extension is R140k - partly due to the brakes cost. A normal Volvo car extension for same time and mileage is "just" R40k...
Anyway, where do I see myself with this car? I will enjoy it as much as I can before deciding to part ways. Hagerty has rated these cars as possible future classics and likely to hold their value or appreciate, but the SA market has its own quirks. For decently specced VW Polo 85kw R Line money, it is a gamble I am willing to take. Yes, maintenance will cost me, but that's fine to budget for. The extended warranty covering the big ticket failures.
I still have to take the car out for a proper drive. I am eager to see if I can replicate the 13.65s 1/4 mile time at the Highveld which beats a 991 911 Carerra 3.8 S by a fraction!
For now, here are the dealer pictures.
Budget wise, this put me in the 2017-2018 league of the usual performance sedans (and their Coupe or Sportback/Gran Coupe versions) with less than 40,000km. These being:
Audi S4/5: Fantastic sleeper cars, but not the most enthusiastic to drive. Would need to step up to RS to get proper thrills, but that would bump up the price to low mileage 991 911 levels.
Merc C43: Sounds great and pulls like a train at any speed. Arguably faster than the C63 in the real world in the hands of the majority of drivers. Issues? It looks too much like a C180 with an AMG kit, unlike the C63 which has a unique look. A good car and I was close to getting one, but not a fan of the c class shape.
440i: The performance, soundtrack and RWD handing are there. The issue is that it is too refined. I tested a 440i with an M Performance exhaust. A good car but it was not as much fun as the C43. I assume further tweaks are needed (which some fanatics may have done as mods) to properly elevate the driving experience. It also feels heavy and maybe the 340i is more athletic (it weighs less), but having owned an F30 before, I wanted something that looks a bit different.
640d (a class above the rest, but bad resale brings them into this price point): A properly fast and frugal car. Build quality is on another level. Brilliant tech and gadgets. The only downside is that it is a huge car and not that agile to drive as the others here. A mature gentleman's fast GT car. Also, the Coupe has no rear legroom - a 2 series has more space.
I avoided the little brothers of the above, all pre-2019 models, reasons being:
S3 sedan and TTS - super quick with that DSG box, but having been bitten with DSG issues in the past, I am not keen to get a car that is almost out of Plan with a DSG. Also, that 2.0 VAG motor is notorious for oil consumption issues.
M240i - brilliant car. A proper giant killer and a decent (and faster) replacement to my Cayman. Rear space is also decent and handling is proper, classic BMW RWD goodness. However, I feel that it lives in the M2's shadow and I would hate to think that I could have bought an M2 Comp if I waited a bit and saved up more. If the M240i was significantly cheaper compared to the M2, it may have swung me.
A45 - includes CLA45. These cars are giant killlers, but interior is not as solid as the other Germans. Also, extremely difficult to find unmolested versions at my price point. Also, and with all due respect to current owners, the car does have a rich Umhlanga teen boy whiff to it.
After driving the 640d, I realised that I don't want a proper Grand Tourer car yet. I want something that I will enjoy on winding roads, but still be able to take my family with me on longer drives.
An RS4 Avant would be the ultimate, but priced way above my appetite.
Enter the "Polestar Engineered"....
As some may know, I have a V60 Cross Country D4 with Polestar Optimisation software (bump from 140kw/420Nm to 162kw/440Nm) that my SO drives and is also the designated long distance family car. This car originally replaced my 320d LCI back in 2019 due to changes in lifestyle. Anyway, it is important to distinguish between "Polestar Optimisation" and "Polestar Engineered".
Optimisation refers to just software - ECU and gearbox - available on almost any Volvo from 2007 to today for about R20k at your local Volvo dealer. Engineered refers to a full performance treatment applied to a Volvo model at the factory. Note that nowadays, Polestar only creates high performance electric cars that are not really tweaked Volvos - that is another story - but they still offer Optimisation software for all Volvos.
So, Polestar Engineered is like BMW M, Merc AMG or Audi RS. Granted, they are not in that same league of sheer performance, yet.
The S60 Polestar was first launched in 3.0 6 cylinder turbo form in SA in 2015. 258kw/500Nm. The car performed well but was hampered by a slow 6 speed gearbox, turbo lag and heavy front end.
In 2016, the motor was replaced with a 2.0 super and turbo charged engine. Mated to an 8 speed box and other tweaks to the suspension, aero and other things. The result was a car that kicked out 270kw/470Nm, but loved to rev a bit higher than the old 3.0. Real world testing at the Highveld showed a 0-100 improvement from 5.8 to 5.3s according to one publication (though Mark Jones only managed 5.8 both times for his publication). In Namibia, Namwheels managed to get 5.0s flat. Sudhir Matai and other journos also noted that this car handled better because of the lighter front end and other tweaks.
The other trick up the Polestar's sleeve is Ohlins adjustable suspension. Proper racing honed suspension that requires you to manually adjust each strut at each wheel, up to 30 clicks available!
The brakes too are proper 6 piston Brembos up front.
So, how did I end up going the Polestar route?
When I took my V60 in to Tom Camphor Volvo, I saw the S60 Polestar on the floor. The car was treated well during its life. 2017 with 36,000km. It was marked down given that it is going out of Plan soon. This put it significantly under my initial budget.
One thing led to another and I ended up driving the car. The owners of Tom Camphor Volvo (who personally own a GT3 RS and other high performance cars) set up the Ohlins for the best compromise, based on my requirements (i.e. a bit sporty than luxury).
The ride is sports car stiff and the AWD system is super grippy. It does feel, at first, like an S4 with hard suspension. But when you push it, it feels that a proper Touring Car hiding underneath - the faster you go, the better it feels. Yes, very insulated like an Audi S car, but there is some playfulness underneath.
To get the full sport experience, you have to dig through the menus to stiffen up the steering wheel and activate ESC Sport. Then things really get interesting. Granted, it not a RWD car and it will not allow you to oversteer into the bend, but it does feel fun in an RS Audi kind of way. It is not as fast as a modern RS car, though it feels quicker than an old 4.2 RS5. Still need to drive it more, to properly conclude.
The dealer also allowed me to drive the car over a longish distance and at speed, so that I could assess the car's poise and performance.
The car picks up speed quickly and you feel everything from the road surface. I think the Ohlins should be tweaked slightly to the luxury setting. On the M1 north, the undulations can make passengers sick with the current suspension setting. However, when you go faster, it feels smoother. I need time to learn the ways of this car before giving a comprehensive view on the ride and handling. It currently feels more hardcore (in ride/handling) than any of the cars mentioned above.
The main negative is that the engine is an angry vacuum cleaner. This is where the C43 is superior. To get proper farts, you need to keep the revs high in Sport mode. As a favour, the dealership has offered to tweak the exhaust valve, so it is in sport sounding mode always. Still not a 6 cylinder symphony, but not bad for a sporty 4 cylinder.
The other negative is the fact that the car is going out of Plan soon. Reliability on these overstressed motors is not confirmed, but a 2 year/ 80,000km Volvo approved unlimited claim warranty adds peace of mind. There also options to extend that Warranty further.
The last negative is the cost of Brembo pads and discs. Currently R60k for a full set and they wear away pretty fast in daily driving. I am willing to bite the bullet on this, given that this will not be my daily driver. For interest sake, a 2 year/40,000km full maintenance plan extension is R140k - partly due to the brakes cost. A normal Volvo car extension for same time and mileage is "just" R40k...
Anyway, where do I see myself with this car? I will enjoy it as much as I can before deciding to part ways. Hagerty has rated these cars as possible future classics and likely to hold their value or appreciate, but the SA market has its own quirks. For decently specced VW Polo 85kw R Line money, it is a gamble I am willing to take. Yes, maintenance will cost me, but that's fine to budget for. The extended warranty covering the big ticket failures.
I still have to take the car out for a proper drive. I am eager to see if I can replicate the 13.65s 1/4 mile time at the Highveld which beats a 991 911 Carerra 3.8 S by a fraction!
For now, here are the dealer pictures.
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