Polestar, the electric vehicle manufacturer that's owned by Volvo, who in turn is owned by Geely, is using its performance heritage by releasing the Polestar 2 BST edition 270. Billed as the next level electric vehicle (EV) for the enthusiast crowd, the model is an expansion of a one-off that the company displayed last year.
Polestar says it will bring up to 47 examples to the U.S. market.
"We had a great reaction to the specially modified Polestar 2 we showed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2021 and the response made it clear – we should create a version like that for production," Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in a press release.
While the car maintains its original shape, upgrades to the chassis are meant to provide a more dynamic driving experience. The ride height has been lowered by about an inch, Öhlins two-way adjustable dampers with auxiliary adjustment chambers are mounted at the corners, and a front strut bar has been added. The springs have been stiffened by 20 percent.
New matte black 21-inch alloy wheels support 245/35R21 Pirelli P Zero Wheels, which were made specifically for the BST edition.
For the paint, Snow (white) or Thunder (gray) is available in metallic or matte. A matte center racing stripe is also offered.
All Polestar BST editions are long range dual motor variants, which get 476 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque in this application. They usually deliver 408 horsepower and 478 pound-feet. A software update is responsible for the improved response and power.
The special edition EV comes with the company's Plus Pack with a heated steering wheel, a Harman Kardon audio system wireless phone charging and more for increased driver comfort and the Pilot Pack, which adds a suite of driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control and 360-degree cameras.
Production of the 270 models is expected to start in mid-2022. Deliveries are slated to begin in the fourth quarter.
The Polestar 2 BST edition 270 starts at $75,500. A 3M Battleship Gray wrap is an additional $5,000. The optional stripe is $1,000. Comparatively, a standard dual-motor version starts at $53,300.
The Polestar 2 competes with other four- and five-passenger EVs like the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model 3 and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The BST edition 270 goes on sale in the fourth quarter, buyers can register their interest at the website, and the Polestar 3 SUV is expected to get its debut before the end of the year. The company is expected to go public before the second half of the year.
