Volvo axes V90 for USA

Do you have a T6? Is the polestar optimization a noticeable difference from the base T6?

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Yes / Yes (IMO). I had every intention of getting it dynoā€™ed, but have not yet.

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The E-class wagon was very classy until they made it an Outback.

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I still think itā€™s sharp, plastic cladding and all. But hey, if you want it without it, you just have to pony up for the twin turbo V8 :joy:

Granted I have a T5 FWD w/ polestar, I donā€™t have close to the fun I could have in a GTI with LSD and a 6MT. My V60 is made for a different purpose in life than a GTI.

I would pay $5k over MSRP for one of these with a 6MT

Iā€™d be happy w/ just a standard one. ::sigh:: Although I hope VW rethinks the all digital interior (could use a knob here or there)ā€¦

Just be happy they give you 4 window switches

Not a fan of the digital dash, but also donā€™t want to be the enthusiast whiner who doesnā€™t buy a car because it doesnā€™t check every single box. Weā€™ve lost too many good cars because enthusiasts donā€™t buy new.

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IMHO: AWD > turbo + super charger (T6) > ECU remapping (Polestar).

My WRX was wayyyy more fun to drive than my GTI, even with the Performance Package and all the factory goodies.

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Iā€™m in agreement, but Iā€™d take FWD w/ LSD over a pedestrian AWD system. Oh and also RWD > AWD :innocent:

Which is why Iā€™m thinking my next car might be a lightly used next-gen 2-seriesā€¦ ::running and ducking::

But, hey, I bought my GSW brand new! :slight_smile:

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For the right price Iā€™d take the lowly current-gen 230i with the manual. Wonā€™t be close to the fastest on the road, but it would be a fun four banger. Youā€™d get to wind it out more often than the sixes.

To each their own, but every RWD car I drove in the snow growing up in NY disagrees.

If itā€™s street legal, AWD > FWD > RWD > Honda 4-wheel steering, even living in SoCal. On a track, sure Iā€™ll take RWD first.

Also

this could easily be its own threadā€¦

Donā€™t blame enthusiasts, who were always too few in number to keep any company afloat (eg Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche Cayenne etc).

BMW spent a sh1t ton of money promoting the first X3 which had less capacity than their contemporary 3-series wagons. Guess which one now comes in M40i and ///M guises while the other came only in 4-cylinder power until it was dumped altogether for ā€œpoor salesā€

So did Mercedes Benz and everybody else.

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Thereā€™s a lot of blame to go around, but enthusiasts deserve their fair share (me included). I also blame dealers and manufacturers for being in the automatic CUV hell which is our current automotive industry.

I accept 0 blame or responsibility for Volvo botching the V60 launch, and continuing to step on the rake every time I showed up with my checkbook.

I will own my part in Subaru ditching the WRX hatchback, a mistake I am still trying to rectify.

I take blame for not buying a non-M stick shift 3 series back when I was prioritizing retirement savings. Donā€™t need 500hp or an angry snout but I might just have suck it up and get an ugly M3 6MT with way more power than I need.

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There are other brands that still offer stick in a price and power range well below the M3.

The list of fun to drive RWD manuals 4+ doors is exceedingly small. The manual G70 is discontinued and I canā€™t come up with another one.

I mentioned the M3 as penance for not buying a regular 3 series when it was available.

Dropping the RWD requirement opens up my options a bit, so Iā€™d likely choose a Mk8 GTI once out.

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