Polestar has tweaked the Volvo S90 and V90

The new Volvo S90 and V90: cool cars, right? Essentially saloon and estate versions of the hip XC90 SUV, they’re the more esoteric choices in their respective classes.

If there’s one area they potentially lag behind rivals, though, it’s with their soft, calm dynamic behaviour. This will be a selling point to many, but a stumbling block for people who like to mime opposite lock or talk about treadshuffle. A 5-Series remains their default option.

Enter Polestar and its little blue badge. It’s establishing itself as Volvo’s AMG or M Division, creating its own tuned-up products, such as the V60 Polestar, as well as taking its spanners to the rest of the range for some more subtle aftermarket mods.

The new S90 and V90 are the latest to benefit. ‘Polestar Performance Optimisation’, as it’s called, brings extra power while also sharpening throttle response and quickening up gear changes.

It’s all been developed alongside the engineers and drivers of Polestar’s racing team, apparently, making it a bit disappointing this initial upgrade is a weeny 5bhp, taking the 235bhp D5 diesel engine up to 240bhp. Torque rises a little more, up 14lb ft to a 369lb ft peak. The cost? Um, £835.

None of it affects warranties or suchlike, though, and it’s at least a sign we might yet see some proper performance variants to rekindle quirky fast Volvos like the S60R and 850 T5. Please, Polestar. Get your really big spanners out…