Polestar 1 Set For Dynamic Debut At Goodwood, NA Premier In Monterey

The Polestar 1 has been making the rounds since its debut last October. But we’ve yet to see it actually moving. That day is coming soon, though, as the Volvo spin-off brand has announced that its hybrid sports coupe will run for the first time in public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month.

There it will be driven for the enjoyment of the amassed crowds by the company’s chief test driver Joakim Rydholm – an experienced national-level rally winner and former chassis engineer at Volvo and Saab.

“I am really excited to drive the Polestar 1 prototype up the hill at Goodwood,” said Rydholm. “Driving the hill climb has been a long-time ambition for me, and to be able to do it in the same prototype in which we’ve spent so many months of development time, is truly special.”

Drawing heavily on the design of the 2013 Volvo Concept Coupé, the Polestar 1 packs a high-output hybrid powertrain that mates a 2.0-liter twin-charged four with a pair of electric motors and another integrated starter motor to give it a combined output of 600 horsepower (447 kW) and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. The company has been preparing it for production at a new facility in China, with development ongoing in the meantime.

“I’m thrilled that we’re going to be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – it’s everything a big car event should be: full of passion, enthusiasm and a chance to get really close to the cars,” added Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “The response to the Polestar 1 from the UK and northern Europe has been fantastic and we see this event as a vital part of our continued ‘global handshake’ with enthusiasts and our customers around the world. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet so many people who share our passion for Polestar and the future of the brand.”

After Goodwood, the Polestar 1 will mark its North American debut at Pebble Beach in August. So those who can’t make it to the UK for the Festival of Speed will still be able to catch up with it there, even if it is just sitting still.