Photo: Polestar
The wait for Polestar's first model since becoming a stand-alone company is finally over: meet the "1" in all its hybrid glory. As expected - and suggested by the teasers released over the past weeks - the sports coupe draws heavily from the design of the current Volvo range, but there's enough to set it apart.
“Polestar 1 is the first car to carry the Polestar on the bonnet," said Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer at Polestar. "A beautiful GT with amazing technology packed into it - a great start for our new Polestar brand. All future cars from Polestar will feature a fully electric drivetrain, delivering on our brand vision of being the new standalone electric performance brand".
It was the right decision for the Swedes took to spin off their performance arm into a separate outfit, much like BMW does with its M Division or Mercedes-Benz with AMG. Looking at how elegant and refined the new S90 looks, you just can't imagine it shedding the tie and jacket for a tracksuit. It needed some kind of sibling for that.
The Polestar 1 loses two doors together with some of that poshness and gains plenty of aggressiveness. That's mostly down to the new radiator grille, the only element that differs massively from a Volvo model. We're not entirely sold on it, but the vehicle looks very coherent as a whole, so we guess it works.
No, our math skills aren't failing us, it's actually six years because Polestar expects to start producing the 1 "mid 2019." That means there's still plenty of time to wait until we get to see it on the road, but it should be worth it.
That's because that long hood with the Polestar logo on it hides a very powerful hybrid powertrain. 600 horsepower and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque, to be more exact, squeeze out of a modified version of the T8 configuration. That means a measly two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine coupled with a pair of electric motors generating 218 hp and providing easy torque vectoring for the rear axle.
Not only is the Polestar 1 powerful, but it's also quite efficient. The company claims it can drive in Pure Mode (all electric) for up to 150 kilometers (93 miles), which would give it the longest battery-powered range of any PHEV currently on the market. Of course, the fact the Polestar 1 isn't yet available for sale makes that comparison a bit irrelevant, but that's still impressive for a performance-oriented GT.
Apparently, the Polestar 1 isn't all about raw power, but cornering ability as well, and we have shock-specialist Öhlins to thank for that. The Swedes have installed the new Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension (CESi), a first for any production car. All shock absorbers are equipped with electronic valves that can react in just two milliseconds to offer the best set up depending on the driver's inputs and the road conditions. The driver can also select various settings from within the vehicle.
Helping the Polestar 1 through bends is going to be the carbon fiber body - a first for the Volvo Car Group. Not only does it save 230 kilograms (over 500 lbs), but it also increases the torsional stiffness and, most importantly, lowers the center of gravity. This is part of what Polestar calls "Progressive Performance:" focusing on all aspects of what makes a great driving car, not just speed and acceleration.
Unsurprisingly, the Polestar 3 is an SUV-style BEV that's currently in the "finishing stages of design." The company doesn't say when exactly it will enter production, nor does it single out the upcoming Tesla Model Y as its main competitor. Maybe that's because there will be plenty more electric crossover by the time the 3 makes it onto the market.
At this point, you're probably wondering how much is the Polestar 1 going to cost. There was not a whisper from the manufacturer on the subject, but expect it to be expensive. The T8-powered Volvo models are already quite pricey, and they don't have 600 hp and carbon fiber. Whatever it is, though (probably in the $100k region), we're sure it's going to be worth it.
It was the right decision for the Swedes took to spin off their performance arm into a separate outfit, much like BMW does with its M Division or Mercedes-Benz with AMG. Looking at how elegant and refined the new S90 looks, you just can't imagine it shedding the tie and jacket for a tracksuit. It needed some kind of sibling for that.
The Polestar 1 loses two doors together with some of that poshness and gains plenty of aggressiveness. That's mostly down to the new radiator grille, the only element that differs massively from a Volvo model. We're not entirely sold on it, but the vehicle looks very coherent as a whole, so we guess it works.
Volvo Concept Coupe
It can also be described as a slightly ruder version of the Volvo Concept Coupe introduced way back in 2013. You see, who said concept cars don't make it into production with virtually any modifications? It might take six years, but it eventually happens.No, our math skills aren't failing us, it's actually six years because Polestar expects to start producing the 1 "mid 2019." That means there's still plenty of time to wait until we get to see it on the road, but it should be worth it.
That's because that long hood with the Polestar logo on it hides a very powerful hybrid powertrain. 600 horsepower and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque, to be more exact, squeeze out of a modified version of the T8 configuration. That means a measly two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine coupled with a pair of electric motors generating 218 hp and providing easy torque vectoring for the rear axle.
Not only is the Polestar 1 powerful, but it's also quite efficient. The company claims it can drive in Pure Mode (all electric) for up to 150 kilometers (93 miles), which would give it the longest battery-powered range of any PHEV currently on the market. Of course, the fact the Polestar 1 isn't yet available for sale makes that comparison a bit irrelevant, but that's still impressive for a performance-oriented GT.
Power without control...
You can say the Polestar 1 is built on Volvo's Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA), but that would be only half-true. The Polestar engineers have tinkered with about 50 percent of it, making it 0.65 meters (25.6 inches) shorter in the process. With the width presumable remaining untouched, that's what gives the 1 its squatted stance.Apparently, the Polestar 1 isn't all about raw power, but cornering ability as well, and we have shock-specialist Öhlins to thank for that. The Swedes have installed the new Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension (CESi), a first for any production car. All shock absorbers are equipped with electronic valves that can react in just two milliseconds to offer the best set up depending on the driver's inputs and the road conditions. The driver can also select various settings from within the vehicle.
Helping the Polestar 1 through bends is going to be the carbon fiber body - a first for the Volvo Car Group. Not only does it save 230 kilograms (over 500 lbs), but it also increases the torsional stiffness and, most importantly, lowers the center of gravity. This is part of what Polestar calls "Progressive Performance:" focusing on all aspects of what makes a great driving car, not just speed and acceleration.
The things to come
As the name suggests, the Polestar 1 is only the first model from the young Swedish manufacturer. The 2 is said to start production in late 2019 and take the fight directly to the Tesla Model 3 - meaning it would be an all-electric mid-sized sedan. The company says it is already in the engineering phase, so we should start seeing more of it in the upcoming year.Unsurprisingly, the Polestar 3 is an SUV-style BEV that's currently in the "finishing stages of design." The company doesn't say when exactly it will enter production, nor does it single out the upcoming Tesla Model Y as its main competitor. Maybe that's because there will be plenty more electric crossover by the time the 3 makes it onto the market.
At this point, you're probably wondering how much is the Polestar 1 going to cost. There was not a whisper from the manufacturer on the subject, but expect it to be expensive. The T8-powered Volvo models are already quite pricey, and they don't have 600 hp and carbon fiber. Whatever it is, though (probably in the $100k region), we're sure it's going to be worth it.
Google News