Spec comparison of Volvo S60 Polestar vs Mercedes-AMG C43 vs Audi S5

Volvo is all set to introduce the S60 Polestar in the Indian market on April 14, 2017. The Polestar is the performance focused division of Volvo, same as AMG is for Mercedes, M Sport for BMW and the RS for Audi. Since the interest of Indian customers towards performance cars is on the rise, many global automakers are introducing their performance focused models in the country. The S60 Polestar will compete with the likes of Mercedes-AMG C43 and the Audi S5 Sportback. Let's compare the specs of all three cars and see how they fare against each other.

Engines

We choose to start this comparo with the most appealing aspect of these machines – the performance. Packed with a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine, the Mercedes-AMG C43 pumps out 367PS of max power and 520Nm of massive torque. It is paired with the carmaker’s latest 9-speed gearbox. The composed-looking Audi S5 is equipped with the same capacity motor as that of the Merc but generates pretty less power of 337PS and 440Nm of torque. It’s paired with a 7-speed S tronic gearbox.

Whereas the upcoming S60 Polestar gets the smallest engine – a 2.0-litre petrol but, surprisingly, puts out exactly the same power figures as that of the AMG – 367PS. Reason? Its motor is turbocharged as well as supercharged! However, the Swedish beau generates lesser torque than the Merc but more than the Audi - 467Nm.

Paired to an 8-speed geartronic gearbox, the S60 Polestar sprints from 0-100kmph in a mere 4.7 seconds, taking a second more than the rival AMG. The S5, on the other hand, is the laziest of all, taking 5.1 seconds for the same task. All the three cars have an electronically limited top speed of 250kmph.

Design

Clearly, it’s the Mercedes-AMG C43 that’s the sharpest and aggressive-looking performance sedan among the three. The appearance of the S60 Polestar and the S5 do not embody the power that they conceal beneath their hoods. Among the two, it’s the S60 that looks sharper, thanks to the sculpted bonnet with prominent contours.

Dimensions

Coming to their measurements, the Audi S5 is the longest of the lot, while the AMG comes second, and the upcoming S60 sits at the last spot. Contrarily, the Volvo is the tallest and the widest of the three. The C43 is the narrowest and the second tallest in the comparison. Being the shortest, the S5 gets the second longest wheelbase among the three. With respect to wheelbase, the Mercedes-AMG C43 wins the race, while the S60 totters at the last spot.

Prices

Well, the Swedish car is yet to be launched, on April 14, and we expect the prices to fall in the vicinity of Rs 60-65 lakh. At present, the Audi S5 is the most aggressively priced performance sedan, at Rs 66.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), while the Merc is the most steeply priced vehicle. At Rs 74.35 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), we expect the Merc to continue to top the price chart even after the Volvo’s launch, as the Volvo is highly unlikely to cross the bar of Merc’s pricing.

Source: CarDekho.com