An experimental Polestar 2 has been shown at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed to highlight the level of performance that can be achieved with electrification. This two-tone white and silver prototype vehicle is a highly modified dual-motor example with lots of go-fast goodies to push the envelope even more.
“I challenged the design and engineering teams to play with Polestar 2 and come up with something that makes a strong statement for Goodwood,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “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.”
Some of the key changes involved taking a lot of parts from the Polestar 1. The six-piston Akebono brakes, for example, are straight out of the more powerful hybrid sibling. Those 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 275/35R21 Pirelli P Zero Rosso performance tires also came from the Polestar 1. These components required widening the 2’s wheel arches to allow them to fit properly. Polestar also stiffened the springs by 80 percent in front and 40 percent in the rear. The adjustable Öhlins DFV dampers have been upgraded to Öhlins three-way performance dampers that are 30 percent stiffer. Further increasing rigidity is the carbon fiber front anti-roll bar taken from the Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered and a custom rear anti-roll bar.
The suspension wasn’t the only thing modified in this experimental Polestar 2. Its powertrain got a significant bump to 476 hp. That’s a 68 hp bump over the standard dual-motor variant, which is rated at 408 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque. However, Polestar didn’t say if torque also increased. From the looks of it, Polestar may have used the more powerful electric motor from the upcoming single-motor 2, slapped it into both axles, and tweaked them a little.
To go with the mechanical updates, Polestar also added several cosmetic tweaks. These include new front and rear bumpers with body-colored inserts, gloss black side mirrors, and two-tone wheels. The car is done up in matte Snow (white) exterior and features a Magnesium (silver) matte stripe running down the middle of the vehicle. “It’s always exciting to push a little bit further,” noted Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s head of design. This is one of the benefits of being a startup like Polestar — we don’t have a mold to fit into so we can experiment with fun projects like this.”
The experimental Polestar 2 will make Hill climb runs during the event and be displayed at the First Glance Paddock. Joakim Rydholm, Polestar’s lead chassis engineer, will pilot the vehicle up the hill. He was also the one that drove the Polestar 1 up at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
“This car is what happens when we are given the freedom to go beyond our limits,” said Rydholm. “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.”
The Polestar 2 is the Swedish brand’s first dedicated all-electric vehicle. It follows the Polestar 1, a limited-run coupe with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Volvo Car Group’s CMA platform underpins the Polestar 2, meaning it’s related to the Volvo XC40. A 231-hp, single-motor front-drive variant will join the lineup and is expected to get a range of 260 miles per charge.
