Polestar 2 Experimental: the most spirited version of the electric car makes its debut at Goodwood

Last weekend saw the Goodwood Festival of Speed take place, one of the great and long-awaited automotive events where both enthusiasts and brands come to show off their latest machines and demonstrate what they are capable of on the legendary hill climb.

Last week we already gave you a preview of several debuts set to take place at the festival, such as the Lotus Emira and the Ford Puma Rally1 WRC, but now our protagonist is the Polestar 2 Experimental, a performance-enhanced version of the production model that delivers no less than 476 CV.

The conventional version of the Polestar 2 is a 100% electric vehicle, with a 78 kWh battery and 408 CV of power in its most powerful version, so the subsidiary of Volvo has increased the total output by 68 CV with the Experimental version developed for Goodwood.

A version that could challenge the Model 3

With this version, Polestar would go head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3 Performance, which has 490 CV. Polestar has not released further details on the figures this souped-up version can reach. But if we consider that the conventional version can accelerate from 0-100 in 4.7 seconds, the Polestar 2 Experimental is unlikely to disappoint.

The 476 CV are produced by two electric motors, one on each axle, so we have four-wheel drive. That said, the major news of this Polestar 2 Experimental lies in its dynamic setup.

The suspension system has been substantially modified. Its front springs have been stiffened by 80% and the rear ones by 40%, along with new Öhlins dampers adjustable in three positions, which provide firmer stability and a dynamic behaviour that makes it a real delicacy.

The track widths have also been modified, widened by 20 mm and lowered in height by 30 mm. All these changes, together with a carbon-fibre strut brace taken from the most spirited version of the Volvo S60 reworked by Polestar and a handcrafted rear strut brace, enable this Polestar 2 Experimental to tackle the tightest, twistiest routes with great effectiveness.

Braking system on a par with the whole package

This prototype features 21-inch wheels borrowed from the Polestar SUV, the Polestar 1, shod with Pirelli PZero Rosso tyres in 275/30 R21, and a large six-piston carbon-ceramic braking system signed by Akebono.

For the moment, Polestar has not confirmed whether this prototype will reach the streets as a production model, so we will have to wait and see whether the Gothenburg-based brand decides to make a few of us crazy people in this world happy.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackPolestar 28 versions · from 51,690 €