600PS hybrid Polestar 1 unveiled
Volvo recently announced that their AMG and BMW M rivaling performance arm, Polestar, will be spun off into a standalone brand. The independent Polestar will give birth to a purpose-built performance cars and not just tinkered versions of the run of the mill Volvos. Under this umbrella of thought, Polestar has previewed the 1, which is a handsome hybrid sportscar derived from the S90.
The Polestar 1 borrow's the S90's SPA platform and therefore the fixed distance between the dashboard and the front axle gives the 1 a long nose, typical to a grand tourer. However, Polestar has cut 12.6 inches from the wheelbase and 7.9 inches from the rear overhang which gives it a stubby rear end. The silhouette has a uncanny resemblance to that of the Mustang GT, but clean lines and understated elegance typical to Swedish designs hold true even for the 1. Generous use of carbonfibre gives it a lightweight construction, while the weight distribution as a 52 per cent rear bias.
600PS of power comes from a hybrid setup comprising of Volvo's 2.0 Drive-E petrol motor, which feeds 382PS to the front wheels, and two electrical motors on the rear axle which supply 218PS to the rear wheels. The Polestar 1 can travel up to 150km on pure electric propulsion, which is one of the highest claims we've ever heard of on a petrol-electric hybrid. It is also the first car to be fitted with the all-new Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension that alters dampening on the fly as per the driving conditions.
The Polestar 1 sounds and looks promising in theory, but the only catch is it won't go on sale. Instead, it will be made available by 2020 through Volvo-independent Polestar 'Spaces' via a zero-down payment monthly subscription model.