Sweden's
Polestar used this week's 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom
to unveil a more hardcore version of its Polestar 2 electric fastback.
Polestar
described the car as an experimental version, though it may hint at a more
extreme production model coming down the line.
The
Polestar 2 arrived on the scene last year, initially as a special Launch
Edition with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system generating a peak 408 hp.
Polestar has since launched a regular model with the 408-hp powertrain, as well
as a new base model with a single electric motor
generating 231 hp.
Polestar
was born out of a race team that eventually become the in-house tuner for
Volvo, so you can count on the company upping the ante of its fleet in the near
future. The Polestar 2 experimental version hints at what's possible.
The
powertrain is a dual-motor setup with 469 hp on tap, or close to the output of
the Tesla Model 3 Performance. Torque is also up, meaning acceleration should
be quicker than the roughly 5.0 seconds it takes for the 408-hp model to hit 60
mph from rest.
The car's
chassis has also been given a thorough makeover. The track has been widened by
10 millimeters on each side and the ride height lowered by 30 millimeters.
Other upgrades include stiffer suspension springs and dampers, as well as a
carbon-fiber strut bar up front borrowed from a Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered.
A custom strut bar was added to the rear, and together these increase overall
rigidity.
New wheels
measuring 9x21 inches were also fitted to the car. They are wrapped in
275/30-size Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires, the same rubber found on the more
powerful Polestar 1.
Polestar
also enhanced the look of the vehicle by adding more aggressively styled front
and rear fascias, as well as a matte silver racing stripe. Flared fenders and
black accents complete the look.
Polestar’s
lead chassis engineer, Joakim Rydholm, is at Goodwood to demonstrate the
performance of the Polestar 2 experimental version. The event runs until July
11, and you can follow our full coverage over at our dedicated hub.
Source: Motor Authority
Press Realese:
Experimental Polestar 2 appears at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- Experimental Polestar 2 pushes
the boundaries of the electric performance fastback
- Power turned up to 350 kW (476
hp)
- Polestar 1 brake and wheel
upgrade and heavily tuned suspension enhance handling characteristics
- Chief chassis engineer Joakim
Rydholm to tackle the Goodwood hill throughout event
Polestar
has revealed an experimental Polestar 2 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The
EV has been given a makeover that was inspired by CEO Thomas Ingenlath’s desire
to push the boundaries of the electric performance fastback’s design and
performance potential.
“I
challenged the design and engineering teams to play with Polestar 2 and come up
with something that makes a strong statement for Goodwood,” comments Thomas
Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “For a few months I have enjoyed driving another
experimental Polestar 2, nicknamed ‘Beast’, around our Gothenburg campus, which
inspired the team to come up with this version for Goodwood. We want to
flex our muscles and explore opportunities.”
The Long
range Dual motor Polestar 2 now produces a combined output of 350 kW (476 hp)
from its twin electric motors. The car has been given a stronger stance, with a
wider track (+10 mm on each side) and lower ride height (-30 mm). Widened wheel
arches have been fitted, required to house the 9x21-inch wheels and 6-piston
Akebono front brakes from Polestar 1. The 275/30R21 Pirelli PZero Rosso
performance tyres are also carried over from Polestar 1.
The springs
have been stiffened by 80% at the front and 40% at the rear compared to the
original performance units, and the adjustable Öhlins DFV dampers have been
upgraded to Öhlins three-way performance dampers which are approximately 30%
stiffer than the road and track originals. To further increase rigidity, the
carbon fibre front suspension strut bar from a Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered
has been fitted, complemented by a custom-fabricated rear strut bar.
“This car
is what happens when we are given freedom to go beyond our limits,” says Joakim
Rydholm, Polestar’s chief chassis engineer. “We already have such great
handling and performance characteristics in Polestar 2, but when Thomas asked
me to make something special for Goodwood, I was really excited to up the
stakes.”
In addition
to the mechanical upgrades, the car features updated front and rear bumpers.
The car is finished in Snow Matte with a Magnesium Matte racing stripe,
colour-coded front grid and glossy black mirrors. Bumpers and side skirts
feature an additional colour-coded design accent. The wheels feature dual
tonality of glossy and matte black surfaces.
Maximilian
Missoni, Head of Design at Polestar, comments: “It’s always exciting to push a
little bit further. This is one of the benefits of being a start-up like
Polestar – we don’t have a mould to fit into so we can experiment with fun
projects like this.”
Hillclimb
runs will be completed during the event and the experimental Polestar 2 can be
found in the First Glance Paddock, adjacent to the Polestar stand. The car will
be piloted by Polestar’s lead chassis engineer, Joakim Rydholm, who made his
first appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018 with the debut of
the first driving prototype of Polestar 1.
Joakim
Rydholm concludes: “Polestar 2 is already a wonderfully dynamic car and we have
spent thousands of hours fine-tuning its driving characteristics. The new
chassis set-up for Goodwood has really taken it to the next level. I
can’t wait to go up the hill!”
Source: Polestar.
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