Ex-Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg recently had the opportunity to go for a quick spin in the Polestar 1 while attending the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Polestar has been developing its first-ever production vehicle for more than two years and is inching towards putting the car into production. While Rosberg only had the chance to briefly jump behind the wheel of the 1, he seems impressed with what he found.
Inside, the Polestar 1 is very familiar for anyone that has driven a Volvo before. The cabin includes a fully-digital gauge cluster, a portrait-oriented infotainment system, numerous carbon fiber components and a sleek, three-spoke leather steering wheel. We’ve always been big fans of Volvo’s current interior design language and think it’s nice that Polestar hasn’t made any major alterations to it.
Also Read: Polestar Unveils Huge Chinese Production Facility For The Polestar 1
From the outside, the Polestar 1 looks virtually identical to the Volvo Concept Coupe from 2016 – which means it is a sleek two-door with evocative lines and an overall modern look.
Differentiating the Polestar 1 from all other Volvo models is its powertrain. It’s a hybrid consisting of a 2.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged four that delivers 340 HP, and two electric motors driving the rear axle. Combined grunt sits at 592 HP and 1000 Nm (738 lb-ft) and Rosberg confirms that the 1 is, indeed, very fast. Thanks to all that grunt and e-awd, the company claims it needs just 4 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h).
Polestar recently unveiled the Chinese production facility that will build the 1 in a limited run of just 500 examples annually over the following three years.