Does it change anything at all?

[Mad Malc]

Originally Posted by VOLVOL0VER

So why did they decide to install one on the Polestar Engineered model? Makes no sense then.

It is just marketing fluff, it looks good in the brochure and under the bonnet. 99.9% of users will not be able to discern any difference and those that do are probably having some placebo effect masking there judgement.

The OP should save his money and buy some fuel and drive.

[sk546]

Originally Posted by Mad Malc

It is just marketing fluff, it looks good in the brochure and under the bonnet. 99.9% of users will not be able to discern any difference and those that do are probably having some placebo effect masking there judgement.

The OP should save his money and buy some fuel and drive.

You are correct, the vast majority of the stereotypical Volvo owners will not be able to discern any difference and only purchase the top line models because they can afford to and not for the actual performance and handling gains the halo models provide.

However, don't tar everyone with the same brush. Just because you probably cant tell if a component adds any handling/performance benefit doesn't mean another person cant.

For me, I come from high performance car background and found the handling balance of the standard XC60's (R-Design/Inscription) lacking and hence why I opted for the Polestar Engineered car.
I'm not saying that the Strut brace by itself gives a night & day change in vehicles handling balance but it will provide some benefit and adds to the full impact of the Polestar package.

But you are correct, it does look very good under the bonnet!!

[sandys]

On the Polestar cars everything will be a bit stiffer so more energy will be transmitted to the chassis, so stut bar likely to be of greater use here, as you do things like bigger wheels and stiffer suspension you take away from the suspensions ability to do all of its job and something else takes up the slack, in this case the chassis, a strut bar certainly won't hurt it on a softer car just won't be a transformative handling thing.

The Anti roll bars on the other hand will be, again it is not without drawbacks, you will loose some of the suspensions independence stiffening these up, so it won't be as nice on rough roads or as good if you actually take the thing off road, but the roll cut will have more a of transformative impact on the cars handling behaviour allowing you to maintain the soft suspension and control bodyroll.

I'd do ARBs and strut bar.

[baggy798]

Someone did an experiment on a 940. Tubes connected to each strut top, one slightly smaller that could slide in and out of the other, and a marker attached so it would mark if there was any movement between the two. The chassis flexed by only 5mm.

How much does a brand new chassis flex, with it's stronger high strength steels and better construction techniques? Granted they're fat, but I still wouldn't bet on them flexing more than that.

Originally Posted by Ulrikas PA

I think they may help on rough roads though? My Audi 3.0TDi Allroad had one (surprisingly) and the only car I have fitted one to is my Classic Impreza, which are known to have been pretty good on dirt tracks !

The classic Impreza's body is like a crisp packet, so it makes sense on one of those.

Originally Posted by sk546

I agree with the anti roll bar comments here, going from my first XC60 PE car (MY20) to my new XC60 PE, Volvo seem to have fitted softer anti roll bars on the newer car likely in reaction to customers complaining about a very stiff/harsh ride on the early Polestar Engineered cars as the dampers and springs are the same components between the 2 models.
The difference in body control and ride quality is quite stunning but I do miss the added body control the stiffer anti rolls bars gave the XC60, I can accept a harsh ride to get a better handling package.

Anti roll bars don't affect ride quality. I'd be very surprised if a change in roll bar stiffness alone was noticeable in street driving by Joe Generic.

[sk546]

Originally Posted by baggy798

Anti roll bars don't affect ride quality. I'd be very surprised if a change in roll bar stiffness alone was noticeable in street driving by Joe Generic.

So you're trying to tell me that putting a stiffer ARB will not affect ride quality? Absolute Nonesense.
A thick/stiff metal bar joining the left and right wheels will transfer any road 'noise' through the chassis more than a thinner, less stiff bar. The transfer of said road 'noise' to the chassis will reduce ride quality.

Also, be very surprised as this 'Joe Generic' can notice small changes in suspension settings, thats why I selected a car that has manually adjustable dampers with 22 settings, of which I can tell the difference between each setting.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Thanks for all your comments. sk546 you had and have some serious machines.👌

I guess on a Polestar Engineered model, makes sense to include a strut brace. Because of the chassis upgrades on that particular model. If the strut brace makes some difference, well I believe it will do in the overall package.

But in my car I think it will not do nothing. The strut brace itself in my car will be pointless. I changed my mind. Better to save some money and buy some fuel and drive as someone wrote.

I just wanted to have more connection with the road. I love driving and I love corners and twisted roads. I still ask myself today, why did I buy a Volvo. Good car but... today I wouldn't buy it. And if I did I would probably go to a S60 or V60 Polestar Engineered Models. Not a heavy SUV like XC60. My last Volvo for sure. Even because I'm not enjoying the future path that Volvo is going to. I think Volvo with time will lose their last positive characteristics. Being design one of them (interior and exterior). Pure electrification one also. I mean ending combustion engines. Hybridization also.

But I aimed for 8 years of ownership. My car is from 2019. So more 4 to 5 years with me. Until then I would like to have it as I always wanted so I could have some more fun. But I guess I am just being naive. It's a Volvo. Not a Bmw. Or a Porsche Macan. It is what it is. And I know it. But I thought I could improve some areas. I was wrong... I am about to cry...

I feel destroyed inside... strut brace won't do sh**... 🥺🥹😂
still the same boat feeling when I'm cornering at a certain speed.. and the steering wheel doesn't provide any reality with the road on those moments... it really sucks.

[sk546]

Originally Posted by VOLVOL0VER

Thanks for all your comments. sk546 you had and have some serious machines.👌

I guess on a Polestar Engineered model, makes sense to include a strut brace. Because of the chassis upgrades on that particular model. If the strut brace makes some difference, well I believe it will do in the overall package.

But in my car I think it will not do nothing. The strut brace itself in my car will be pointless. I changed my mind. Better to save some money and buy some fuel and drive as someone wrote.

I just wanted to have more connection with the road. I love driving and I love corners and twisted roads. I still ask myself today, why did I buy a Volvo. Good car but... today I wouldn't buy it. And if I did I would probably go to a S60 or V60 Polestar Engineered Models. Not a heavy SUV like XC60. My last Volvo for sure. Even because I'm not enjoying the future path that Volvo is going to. I think Volvo with time will lose their last positive characteristics. Being design one of them. Pure electrification one also.

But I aimed for 8 years of ownership. My car is from 2019. So more 4 to 5 years with me. Until then I would like to have it as I always wanted so I could have some more fun. But I guess I am just being naive. It's a Volvo. Not a Bmw. Or a Porsche Macan. It is what it is. And I know it. But I thought I could improve some areas. I was wrong... I am about to cry...

I feel destroyed inside... strut brace won't do sh**... 🥺🥹😂
still the same boat feeling when I'm cornering at a certain speed.. and the steering wheel doesn't provide any reality with the road on those moments... it really sucks.

I agree with you in your comments, installing a strut brace by itself will not bring you the feeling you looking for, it would need to be part of a bigger chassis project (dampers, springs and ARB's) that on an XC60, probably isnt worth it.

The boat feeling was there in the R-Design & Inscription T8's I test drove and that forced me towards the Polestar Engineered as I too like to corner and drive enthusiastically which the Polestar Engineered XC60 allows you to do very well, it does things that a 2.4 ton SUV has no right to do, even if the newer one is a little softer feeling that the original which did feel alot sharper.
The Polestar Engineered also has steering feel that gives you a decent connection to what the front tyres are doing, something that was lost in the standard T8's.

Like you, my current car will be my last Volvo as they no longer sell the Polestar Engineered models in the UK (due to very low sales volume) so I will likely be heading in the Porsche Cayenne or Polestar 3 (should I want to go fully electric direction) in order to get something that handles like I want.

[Tony H]

Only you could decide....

On a previous Ford coupe I owned front and rear strut braces made an incredible difference in how the car felt and handled.

[sandys]

Originally Posted by VOLVOL0VER

I just wanted to have more connection with the road. I love driving and I love corners and twisted roads. I still ask myself today, why did I buy a Volvo. Good car but... today I wouldn't buy it. And if I did I would probably go to a S60 or V60 Polestar Engineered Models. Not a heavy SUV like XC60. My last Volvo for sure. Even because I'm not enjoying the future path that Volvo is going to. I think Volvo with time will lose their last positive characteristics. Being design one of them (interior and exterior). Pure electrification one also. I mean ending combustion engines. Hybridization also.

But I aimed for 8 years of ownership. My car is from 2019. So more 4 to 5 years with me. Until then I would like to have it as I always wanted so I could have some more fun. But I guess I am just being naive. It's a Volvo. Not a Bmw. Or a Porsche Macan. It is what it is. And I know it. But I thought I could improve some areas. I was wrong... I am about to cry...

I feel destroyed inside... strut brace won't do sh**... 🥺🥹😂
still the same boat feeling when I'm cornering at a certain speed.. and the steering wheel doesn't provide any reality with the road on those moments... it really sucks.

You can improve some areas, do the arbs, that'll improve cornering response which seems to be your main concern, on mine I reckon I could just do the rear for marked improvement in body control, but how that'd impact the overall balance without a match upgrade to the front is hard to quantify.

For the steering feel, lots of factors can improve that, geometry, pressures and tyre compounds but with electric steering most modern cars have lost this.

Best answer to performance SUV is Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio

[baggy798]

Originally Posted by sk546

So you're trying to tell me that putting a stiffer ARB will not affect ride quality? Absolute Nonesense.
A thick/stiff metal bar joining the left and right wheels will transfer any road 'noise' through the chassis more than a thinner, less stiff bar. The transfer of said road 'noise' to the chassis will reduce ride quality.

Some say sway bars affect ride quality, some say they don't.

To clarify, it won't affect ride quality to any noticeable difference depending on the size of the sway bar upgrade. I switched from 21mm to 25mm, no difference in ride quality but significantly less body roll, more confidence to push it and as a result faster cornering speeds. Best handling upgrade I've ever done.

What's the stock sway bar sizes on xc60s? I see 25mm and 28mm sway bars are available. Doesn't sound like much of a difference, but sway bar stiffness increases by a power of 4. Going from 20mm to 23mm is approximately 75% stiffer. 20mm to 25mm is approximately 125% stiffer. A 28mm front bar would be approximately 200% stiffer. Too stiff of a roll bar can make you have less grip though, it's a balancing act with every other suspension component.

End of the day, you're dealing with 2 ton high up off the ground. There aren't many SUVs that are good on the touge.

Also, be very surprised as this 'Joe Generic' can notice small changes in suspension settings, thats why I selected a car that has manually adjustable dampers with 22 settings, of which I can tell the difference between each setting.

Yeah, ok.🙄