Volvo is a quintessentially understated premium car brand that exudes sophistication and champions its safety tech… Okay, so what on earth is this then? Meet the Volvo XC60 Beast, a wild one-off derivative that’s unique to the South African market.
We like: Murdered out look, outrageous sports exhaust, performance and efficiency
We don’t like: Not for sale
FAST FACTS
- Model: Volvo XC60 T8 Beast 2.0
- Price: R1 314 000 (before accessories)
- Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged, supercharged, electric-assist 4-cylinder petrol
- Power/Torque: 340 kW/709 Nm
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- 0-100 kph: 4.96 sec (tested)
- Fuel consumption: 1.6 L/100 km (claimed)
- Luggage/Utility space: 468-817-1395 litres
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Where does the Volvo XC60 fit in?
The 2nd-gen Volvo XC60 is a perennial frontrunner in the executive SUV segment. The model has a World Car of the Year title and a few CarsAwards category wins under its belt and offers safety, tech, refinement and luxury in abundance. Like most of the Swedish brand’s models, the XC60 errs on the side of conservativism; it quietly embodies Volvo’s values of providing safe transport in a sustainable way…
Well, cue the “record scratch” sound! What do we have here, then? Looking every bit like Sweden’s contribution to the Mad Max and Death Race movies set in a stark dystopian future, this unique one-of-a-kind vehicle is Volvo Car South Africa’s “accessories brochure on wheels”. This is not the brand’s first venture into building one-offs, previously there was an off-road and adventure-focused Volvo XC90.
Officially called the Volvo XC60 T8 Beast 2.0 (the XC90 was Beast 1.0), this creation features numerous cosmetic and mechanical enhancements. Right now, there’s nothing else quite like it on the market, but the Volvo XC60 rivals the German trio of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. If you’re after something different in this segment, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and new Lexus NX are worth a look too.
How the Volvo XC60 Beast fares in terms of…
Design and Packaging
The Volvo XC60’s styling is best described as neat and elegant or, if we have to be critical, inoffensive… or “safe”. So, Volvo Car SA – which clearly had a “Hold my Aquavit” moment – decided to adorn its executive SUV with black 21-inch 5-spoke diamond cut alloys, a glossy black wrap, yellow edge detailing and -brake callipers, a custom set of bumpers, as well as a subtle “Polestar Engineered” badge on the tailgate. An aero-tuned branded roof box rounds off the package but, in case you missed them, the four large-bore ends of the sports exhaust system protrude from the rear valance, but more on those later.
Inside, it’s business as usual for Volvo. The XC60 Beast (2.0) has a smart, well-appointed cabin that looks luxurious and feels suitably upmarket. Volvo Car SA played it safe here, but you know you’re in something special when the leather-trimmed sports seats are flanked by yellow Polestar seatbelts!
Performance and Efficiency
Start the Volvo XC60 Beast up and you get… silence. See, if you look past the wild add-ons, this is still a T8 Twin Engine AWD plug-in hybrid (PHEV). A PHEV utilises an internal combustion engine as well as an electric motor, but, unlike conventional hybrids, the Volvo can operate on battery power alone for longer (up to certain speeds); its default setting at start-up is electric, which explains the lack of aural drama.
As is the case with the XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD PHEV, the XC60 Beast features a 233 kW/400 Nm 2.0-litre turbo- and supercharged 4-cylinder petrol engine, while the hybrid component (including an 18.8-kWh battery) adds 107 kW and 309 Nm. The combined outputs are respectable: 340 kW/709 Nm.
Unique to this derivative, however, is a Polestar software upgrade. While increases in power and torque aren’t mentioned, the brand claims a more responsive engine and quicker gear shifts. To be fair, the derivative on which the XC60 Beast is based is quite potent as is. How does this translate to the road?
With the battery at full capacity (you can charge via a home power socket, make use of one of the many charging stations dotted around SA’s big cities or let the Volvo’s petrol engine top up the hybrid battery) and Polestar mode activated (to make full use of the powertrain), it was time to unleash the XC60 Beast.
Using our test equipment, we recorded a best 0-to-100-kph sprint time of 4.96 seconds, which was fractionally off Volvo’s claim for the T8 Twin Engine AWD. It was a bit slower than we expected, so we can’t speak for the claim that the Polestar tuning delivers sharper, more responsive performance.
Perhaps the additional aerodynamic drag (created by the roof box) and -weight (added by the sports exhaust system and body kit) contributed to the test unit’s slightly slower acceleration time, but there’s no denying that a sub-5 second run is still ballistically fast for a 2.1-tonne family car. Just to remind you, Volvo fitted all of its vehicles with a top speed limiter capped at 180 kph, in the interests of safety.
The exhaust note, on the other hand, is deeply satisfying. To open the flaps of the Heico Sportiv-sourced sports exhaust, all you need to do is press a subtle button located behind the multifunction ‘wheel.
In case you’ve never heard of it, Heico Sportiv is a German tuning company that has specialised in producing Volvo addenda since 1972 and its stainless steel plumbing creates a meaty roar when the XC60 Beast is accelerating hard (punctuated by raucous pops when you shift up at the redline). Push the button again, though, and the pipes’ valves close to emit a more civilised, neighbourhood-friendly tone.
Spiderman taught us that “with great power comes great responsibility”; if you drive “enthusiastically” quote often (with the sportiest drive mode engaged), the Volvo’s fuel consumption will spike. In our experience, the twin-charged XC60 Beast can consume unleaded at 10 L/100 km if you’re “always in a hurry”, but then, the T8 Twin Engine does allow you to get the best of both worlds… if you know how.
When you activate the Hybrid mode, the powertrain adopts a more relaxed demeanour, which is to say that the mapping prioritises efficiency. The hybrid battery pack (with an effective capacity is 14.4 kWh) is said to allow up to 81 km of pure-electric range and, by driving with due restraint (using the accelerator pedal sparingly), the author commuted to the office (a 20-km return trip) on battery alone – with ease.
Volvo states an extraordinarily low average consumption figure of 1.6 L/100 km for this derivative, but you’re more likely to see returns of around 4 L/100 km, mostly because the hybrid system has less of an effect at highway speeds. Drive like us with the exhausts open, and you’ll get 7.8 L/100 km. We’ve previously achieved 2.9 L/100 km with this derivative’s standard sibling.
Ride and Handling
Despite the XC60 Beast’s hardcore looks, there’s still a comfy and luxurious Volvo under the sheet metal, so we weren’t expecting the test car to corner like a “track car”. Volvo Car SA says the Polestar tune includes tweaks to the vehicle’s air suspension- as well as all-wheel-drive settings (ostensibly in aid of enhanced cornering ability), but the test unit’s handling didn’t feel much different to that of its sibling.
Still, despite being fitted with decidedly large wheels, the XC60 Beast delivered an impressive ride quality. The suspension favours pliancy – a refreshing alternative to the overly sporty German setups.
Comfort and Features
Volvo XC60 derivatives are well equipped, at least to levels befitting their respective price points. As a reminder, the car’s infotainment system is powered by Google. Right now, Volvo Car SA offers its executive SUV in 4 trim levels, but there are a number of option packs available to, shall we say, enrich the ownership experience. We’ll mention a few examples here:
The power seat pack (R7 850) adds power adjustability and memory function; the light pack (R11 750) adds LED headlights with active cornering and front fog lights; and the lounge pack (R33 500) adds 4-zone climate control with a cooled glove box, panoramic sunroof, Harman Kardon audio, air purification.
Prospective buyers can specific numerous single options too, such as the head-up display (R15 750), a 360-degree camera (R15 550), air suspension (R27 750) and massage functionality (R10 600). The roof box retails for R13 455, while the Polestar performance software upgrade is said to cost R18 745.
Price and After-Sales Support
| Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD Plus Dark (Sept 2023) | R1 314 000 |
The Volvo XC60 derivatives come standard with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and maintenance plan.
Verdict
As Volvo, um, charges towards an all-electric and emission-free future, it’s comforting to see that enthusiast-oriented and radically packaged derivatives such as the Volvo XC60 Beast can still see the light of day. That exhaust note is wicked and those outrageous looks turned heads wherever we went.
Should you buy one? Sadly, you can’t, because this creation isn’t for sale. But, don’t let that stop you from taking a 2nd look at the standard Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD – a fantastic PHEV that blends efficiency, performance and luxury in one well-appointed package. Most of the Beast’s fun bits are available individually as accessories, so a buyer could, in fact, create their own XC60 Beast.
