476-hp Polestar 2 Makes Appearance At Goodwood
Power hike aside, the specially-built Polestar 2 also comes with a number of chassis upgrades
With 408 hp and 0-96 km/h sprint time of 4.5 seconds, the Polestar 2 is already a very capable machine but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. As a showcase of their true capabilities, Polestar has brought a heavily upgraded version of the electric fastback to the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Dubbed ‘Beast’, the experimental 2 runs on a dual-motor setup that develops a total system output of 476 hp, which points to a 68-hp hike over the standard Long Range Dual Motor variant.
To complement the significant power increase, Polestar has also given the chassis a revamp. The front and rear tracks have been widened by 20 mm, while the ride height reduced by 30 mm. Meanwhile, wider fenders are used to make room for the 21-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Rosso performance tyres. All these give the Beast a more menacing stance.
Additionally, this one-off creation also gains stiffer springs and Öhlins three-way performance dampers to replace the original adjustable DFV units. There is also a front strut bar from a Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered, as well as a custom rear strut bar. Braking power is provided by the Polestar 1‘s 6-piston Akebono front brakes.
While the press release indicates that the Beast is nothing more than just a muscle-flexing exercise for the crowd at Goodwood, we have a feeling that Polestar will be taking notes and perhaps apply some of these upgrades in its future products.
PRESS RELEASE
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 9×21-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!”
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