Polestar 1 Will Be A Thrilling Driver’s Car, Says Company’s Chief Test Driver

Polestar’s first standalone model made its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the hands of the company’s chief test driver Joakim Rydholm.

Rydholm, who is responsible for the chassis and performance tuning of the Polestar 1 as well, has a rich R&D background and a thing for rallies. He was responsible also for the outgoing S60 and V60 Polestar models, which were generally regarded as great performers and the cars that helped establish Polestar as a brand.

But his proudest moment is without a doubt the upcoming Polestar 1. The test driver shared some of his thoughts on the carbon-clad high-performance coupe that will arrive in the market in the middle of 2019.

“In the 22 years of my career developing the chassis for all sorts of cars, I have never experienced a package and drivetrain as thrilling as the Polestar 1,” said Rydholm. “The electric performance is so immediate and exciting, plus the torque vectoring technology gives such engaging handling. When you then factor in the Öhlins suspension, Akebono brakes and light-weight carbon fiber body, the Polestar 1 delivers truly outstanding performance!

“Yet we have also been able to tune the chassis so accurately that it produces a superb everyday ride quality, while also being ready for a spirited drive at any time. Our customers will definitely not be disappointed!”

The new Polestar 1 is tasked with showing the world what the brand really stands for. For that it will employ a heavily electrified powertrain that consists of a twin-charged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with a pair of electric motors. Polestar says that the combined output is set at 600hp and 738lb-ft (1,000Nm) of torque while the pure electric range will be 93 miles (150km).