Edward Stephens feels the wind in his sails with Volvo’s V60 special edition

Buying a special edition of any car has the bonus of making you stand out in the crowd.

But some special editions are so blatantly over the top that it cheapens the brand.

Not so, however, Volvo’s Ocean Race special editions which are tasteful, subtle and now available to order.

To celebrate the start of the fourth Volvo Ocean Race the company has launched three limited edition models, the V60, XC60 and XC70, specifically designed with the sailing adventure in mind.

Volvo says the design details are “inspired by life on board a boat and help distinguish these models from their standard counterparts with unique interior and exterior refinements.”

I sampled a D5 version of the V60, which has had an engine upgrade for model year 2012 from 205 hp/420 Nm to 215 hp/440 Nm. At the same time fuel consumption has been reduced by eight per cent.

So what do you get in the special edition that you don’t get in the standard model?

Well for starters two distinctive exterior colours, Volvo Ocean Blue II or Electric Silver. Meanwhile, inside, the sail-inspired leather upholstery in off-black or soft beige is luxuriously soft, has classic sail stitching and features an embossed Volvo Ocean Race Logo on the backrest of the front seats.

Other features are the uniquely designed alloy wheels, chromed detailing and the Volvo Ocean Race emblem on the front wings.