But now the Fords might have serious competition in the form of the Volvo C30 Performance Concept Prototype, developed by Polestar Performance.
The Swedish tuner has a history with Volvo. Not only does it offer performance upgrades for Volvo road cars, but it has also run Volvo’s factory entries in the Swedish Touring Car Championship for many years, winning the 2009 title with a C30.
It’s not hard to directly compare the C30 PCP to the Focus RS500, especially as the Ford shares its platform and 2.5 litre engine with the Volvo.
Thanks to a larger intercooler and modified pistons, conrods and inlet camshaft, Polestar has managed to give the C30 PCP 405 bhp and 510 Nm of torque.
That’s considerably more than the RS500, but the C30 PCP is arguably better equipped to handle the extra power. Unlike the front-wheel drive Focus, it features a Haldex all-wheel drive system with Quaife front and rear differentials.
The C30 PCP is equipped with 19” BBS wheels and Brembo disc brakes front and rear, while its body kit has been inspired by the aerodynamic tweaks seen on the STCC racer.
It’s just a concept at the moment, although Volvo is expected to shortly confirm whether the C30 PCP will be put into production.
