A more powerful experimental Polestar 2 was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, designed to show what a sportier version of the electric sedan could look like.
Borrowing engineering cues from the Polestar 1, the Upgrade 2 brings in an additional 67 hp, boosting horsepower to 470 hp while running the two-engine, four-wheel-drive setup. Official performance figures have not been provided, but it is clear that the car will drop under the 4.7 seconds the standard car claims for the 0-62mph sprint.
Other hardware changes were also made to the chassis. In addition to the stiffer front and rear springs (80% and 40% respectively), there are new Öhlins shocks, this time mounted under the “frunk” and easier to access than on a standard 2, which are 30% more rigid than those of the normal car. double flow valve units.
The upgraded shocks have additional tuning and are adjustable in three directions, providing a way to change compression at high speeds, as well as smooth compression and rebound control. Like the regular 2, there are 22 “clicks” on each shock, front and rear.
A front spacer is also present, made of four-layered carbon fiber. Joakim Rydholm, Polestar’s chief test engineer, explained that the company could have used a five-layer rod but opted for four so as not to stiffen the nose too much.
The 2 was fitted with wider rear tires, made of 275/30 R21 Pirelli P-Zero Rosso rubber, an increase of one inch over the standard 2. The larger wheels made it possible to install larger brakes, with a six-piston Akebono -up set, the same as the Polestar 1.
There are also some design changes to set the car apart. New front and rear bumpers create a more aggressive stance, although still within the confines of Polestar’s famous minimalist design, while the wheel arches are 10mm wider.
The car is also 30mm lower. Rydholm told us that “the specification was for 25mm lower,” but because Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath is an automotive designer by trade, the firm opted for the extra 5mm to give an even more determined stance. .
“This is the spirit of Polestar,” Rydholm told us. “It’s a fun car but you feel in control. For me, a Polestar should be a car to enjoy as well as an EV. We build cars for people who want something more than transportation and for people who care about what they drive.
The project was created specifically for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, as a development of skunkworks to see how far the 2 could be taken, as Thomas Ingenlath explained: “I put the design and engineering teams challenged to play with Polestar 2 and find something. which makes a strong statement for Goodwood. For a few months I enjoyed driving another experimental Polestar 2, nicknamed “Beast”, around our Gothenburg campus, which inspired the team to bring this version to Goodwood. We want to flex our muscles and explore the opportunities.
Polestar remains discreet about its intention to put Hardcore 2 into production; the 2 lineup has recently been expanded with the addition of new entry-level front-wheel drive variants, potentially leaving room at the top for an improved, performance-oriented car.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-08 07:01:24
