The first model from high-performance Swedish electric car brand Polestar is almost ready for delivery.
The 600-horsepower coupe made its debut last fall, and we've since learned what markets it will each and how much it will cost. Now the Polestar 1 is on the verge of making its first run in front of the public, aka its dynamic debut. Polestar on Monday confirmed the Polestar 1 will make it to July's 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the car will take on the U.K. event's famous hill climb.
To be driven by Polestar chief tester Joakim Rydholm, the Goodwoood appearance is part of the continued global launch of the Polestar brand and the new Polestar 1. It is an opportunity for the public to get a closer look at the design and performance of the car as it continues its real-world test program ahead of the start of deliveries in mid-2019.
Polestar will have multiple examples of the Polestar 1 on display. The version taking on the hill climb will be prototype No. 004. Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath will also be present to meet fans and prospective customers.
Polestar 1 undergoes cold-weather testing in northern Sweden
“[Goodwood] is everything a big car event should be: full of passion, enthusiasm and a chance to get really close to the cars,” Ingenlath said.
Following the Goodwood FoS, which runs from July 12-15, the Polestar 1 will make its North American debut during the 2018 Monterey Car Week in California from August 23-26. North America is an important market as the majority of the car's first-year allocation is with customers in the U.S.
The Polestar 1 utlizes the SPA modular platform used in the larger models of sister brand Volvo. Uniquely, the Polestar 1 is mostly carbon fiber, and its plug-in hybrid powertrain consists of an inline-4 with supercharging and turbocharging mounted at the front and electric motor at the rear. Peak output from both power sources is 600 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, and a sizeable battery will help deliver 93 miles of electric range.
Production of the car will take place in China at the rate of just 500 per year. Shortly after the Polestar 1's arrival, Polestar will launch a pure electric sedan and SUV.
