Listen to Volvo’s V8 Supercar engine

Volvo plans to take on the Australian racing scene this year in V8 Supercars. To compete in V8 Supercars, you need, um, a V8. A really big, really loud and really powerful V8.

Step forward a pair of Volvo S60s modified by Polestar Racing, featuring the Volvo B8444S. This engine features a unique setup with a 60 degree aluminium cylinder block, a 5.0-litre capacity, modified Volvo aluminium cylinder heads, eight throttle bodies, port injection - with one injector per cylinder - steel cylinder liners, a cam chain and a compression ratio of 10:1.

What does all this mean? It means 650bhp and 487lb ft of torque. It means a redline of 7,500rpm. It means many noises being made that are quite lovely on the ear.

"Just as our road car engines, our main objective is drivability or ‘power when you need it'," says Mattias Evensson, head of engine development at Volvo Polestar Racing, who will campaign this new engine with drivers Robert Dahlgren and Scott McLaughlin.

Listen to the engine below. And then remind yourself this is a VOLVO engine. First official test for the new S60 V8s will be at Sydney Motorsport Park on 15 February. If you're in the area, may we suggest some ear defenders?