XC90 T8 down on power?

[Milliner]

Just been looking through the Volvo website - specifically the car comparison tool - and came across a different 'variant' of the XC90 T8 apparently with 390BHP total power. This seems to be the new spec from what I can see, same as the XC60 T8

Mine, a MY17 has 407 so any reason for the downgrade in power?

The unusual trend is to make an engine marginally more powerful but with slightly 'better' environmental credentials, although mpg and CO2 figures quoted are worse too (or more realistic anyway - official figures are generally works of fiction).

[Deman77]

There is a 25hp electric motor that merges power between larger electric and petrol. I wonder if they exclude it now. When t8 was first announced some included and some excluded that and there was variation in total output depending on source.

[Milliner]

Ah yes, a starter motor and/or generator type arrangement that can chip in some power, I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

It's the ICE that is specified as down on power (303bhp against 320 before), which would need the starter motor attached, so maybe that's been revised.

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by Milliner

Ah yes, a starter motor and/or generator type arrangement that can chip in some power, I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

It's the ICE that is specified as down on power (303bhp against 320 before), which would need the starter motor attached, so maybe that's been revised.

To be honest I think they overcooked the supercharger on original t6 which is what goes into t8 so it’s powerful but a bit jerky off the line for t6 or when it cuts in for t8. The t5 is more pleasant - very smooth power delivery. I wonder if they took a bit off to make it more refined. That would not be a bad thing. But yes 407hp sounds a lot more impressive than 300smth

[Director76]

Just looked back at the MY18 and MY18.5 specs (mine is an 18.5).

MY18: T6 = 320; T8 = 320 + 87
MY18.5: T6 = 310; T8 = 320 + 87

So they’ve definitely been doing something with the ICE power levels. I don’t think Volvo have ever quoted the 25hp starter / generator in the power figures, as I understand its function, that 25hp cannot be utilised in a cumulative manner with the other sources.

I for one want all 407 of my horses, there’s nothing inherently jerky with the power delivery unless you count the shove in the back you get in power mode.

A cynical bid to drive more customers to polestar...? 😉 Are those stats unaffected?

We need one of those open gov partitions! Bring back the stolen horses!!

[Milliner]

Originally Posted by Deman77

To be honest I think they overcooked the supercharger on original t6 which is what goes into t8 so it’s powerful but a bit jerky off the line for t6 or when it cuts in for t8. The t5 is more pleasant - very smooth power delivery. I wonder if they took a bit off to make it more refined. That would not be a bad thing. But yes 407hp sounds a lot more impressive than 300smth

Originally Posted by Director76

I for one want all 407 of my horses, there’s nothing inherently jerky with the power delivery unless you count the shove in the back you get in power mode.

I do find the power delivery a bit sudden at times to be fair, especially when you give it the beans in hybrid mode: 'nothing...nothing....nothing...kaboooom'. There was a thread about it somewhere.

Would be a strange move by Volvo to dial down the power for that though. 300-odd BHP shouldn't be too much in a 2.5-3 tonne car, you'd have thought they could simply apply for some form of optimisation softw......Oh wait. Polestar conspiracy it is then!

Interesting to find out what the official line is though.