Produced by Yamaha, marketed by Volvo and modified by Polestar. This is the story of the Volvo Polestar V8 B8444S engine with which the Swedish brand will face the Australian V8 Supercars championship.
There are engines that are practically an affirmation of their countries' historical past. The Volvo Polestar V8 B8444S engine is one such example. The visceral way in which it vocally asserts its power is almost reminiscent of the battle cries of the Viking peoples, originally from Northern Europe, the birthplace of the Swedish brand Volvo.
It is with this engine that Volvo will attack the Australian V8 Supercars championship, one of the most spectacular touring car championships today. It is there that Volvo will line up with an S60 fully prepared by Polestar – the official preparer of the Swedish brand (a kind of AMG).
But continuing to talk about the engine, this B8444S derives directly from the unit we've found for years in the Volvo XC90 and S80. An engine known for its compact dimensions and reliability. Feature that Polestar insisted on keeping, adding another: power! This engine is now capable of developing 650hp at 7500rpm.
Produced by Yamaha in partnership with Volvo, what impresses most about this engine prepared by Polestar is its noise. Far from the hiss of modern turbos, or the civility of the latest V8 engines, this engine screams at the top of its lungs: I'm the son of Vikings. And it is, listen: