Volvo V60 Polestar heading DownUnder!

These high-performance vehicles, which began as a pilot project in Australia in 2011, are now full production models available in Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the USA.

"We are very proud of the contribution Volvo Car Australia has made to the development of Polestar over the last couple of years," said Kevin McCann, Managing Director of Volvo Car Australia.

"Now we are excited to bring the next evolution of the S60 Polestar to the Australian market, and add the versatile performance wagon, the V60 Polestar, to the range."

A host of improvements have been implemented into these model year 2015 vehicles, illustrating Polestar's continuing engineering philosophy to deliver an engaging, precise and confident driving experience in all weathers, on all roads and in all seasons.

"We have learnt from experience that a championship-winning race car is a car that makes the driver feel confident in all situations," said Christian Dahl, CEO of Polestar.

"All tracks are different and every race is full of surprises and changing conditions, so the last thing you, as a driver, want is a car that surprises you. Exactly the same thing applies for the open road, so these cars have been built to be consistent and give the driver a high level of control and feedback, never surprising the driver regardless of situation or conditions. We call this a balanced package."

The most important change is a raised tyre grip level. The cars now come standard with bespoke 20" Polestar alloy rims, running on Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/35 ZR20 tyres, working in unison with the further developed Öhlins Polestar shock absorbers, and the latest generation Haldex All-Wheel Drive system, with unique Polestar functionality.

The drivetrain has been further developed with a new engine management calibration and transmission program to offer the driver greater control over gear selection, faster gearshifts, launch control and curve hold functionality to further improving driving dynamics.

The brake system has been reworked with a new brake booster and a recalibrated ABS and stability control system to refine driver control and feedback through the six-piston Brembo brake callipers and 371mm ventilated discs.

The six-cylinder turbo-charged T6 engine produces 257kW at 5250rpm and 500Nm at 3000rpm. It is joined in this latest version with a new full flow 2.5" stainless steel active exhaust system, with 3.5" tail pipes, designed to reduce exhaust back pressure - which also results in a powerful and rorty tone under full acceleration.

Further development time has been spent in the Volvo wind tunnel, which has resulted in a new rear spoiler for the sedan and new roof spoiler for the wagon, increasing downforce and thus high-speed stability.

The interior gives increased driver support for active driving, while also delivering long distance comfort thanks to unique Nubuck and perforated leather Polestar seats and steering wheel. Polestar blue contrast details, new bespoke sports pedals and foot support finish off the interior.

"The core of Polestar is racing, but that does not mean that we set out to create a race car for the road. We wanted to build a car that we ourselves would want to own and drive. A real drivers car, engineered for real life. Simply put: the S60 and V60 Polestar are what we and our race drivers drive to work," said Henrik Fries, S/V60 Polestar Technical Project Manager.

Development of these latest Polestars has been ongoing, with thousands of development kilometres driven on twisty mountain roads, Autobahns and test tracks from the south of Europe to the frozen north of Sweden. Volvo Polestar Racing V8 Supercar driver Robert Dahlgren has been deeply involved in the development of these cars, with fellow driver Scott McLaughlin also contributing to the final sign off of this latest generation.

"We have continued our work to create a true driver's car which is not limited to specific driving conditions, but enjoyable on everything from your favourite winding roads to taking the family for a long journey, no matter what the weather," said Robert Dahlgren.

"In my view we have got close to our goals, but of course it's best experienced first-hand behind the wheel - on all roads and in all weathers," said Scott McLaughlin.

Christian Dahl, CEO of Polestar, commented: "We are all excited and proud of these two new cars as yet another step toward a range of Polestar Engineered Volvo cars available for people like us around the world."

The Manufacturer's List Price for the S60 Polestar is $99,990, while the V60 Polestar is $102,990. Both cars are manufactured in the Volvo factory in Torslanda, Sweden.