Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” – winter rally concept EV

Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” – winter rally concept EV

Revealed early in 2019, the Polestar 2 brought a five-door fastback bodystyle to its first fully electric product, subsequent to the brand’s first model, the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1.

The Swedish EV brand has released images and details of the Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle”, named after the environment of extreme cold where a 15-week programme in Northern Sweden is conducted, where temperatures can drop as low as -35 degrees Celsius.

The Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” is the brainchild of Polestar chief chassis engineer Joakim Rydholm. Created as a showcase for Rydholm’s expertise in chassis tuning and his advocacy for setting up a vehicle’s chassis in an environment of snow and ice, the Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” is a one-off creation aimed at bringing winter rally inspiration to the brand.

Starting from the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with the Performance Pack as a base, the Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” gains a ride height that is raised by 30 mm, increased power and torque to 469 hp and 680 Nm (up from the standard car’s 408 hp and 660 Nm), custom-made 19-inch OZ Racing rally wheels shod in studded winter tyres with 4 mm studs, of which there are 480 studs on each tyre.

In addition to the one-off Polestar 2’s taller ride height, the suspension features 30% softer springs and three-way adjustable Öhlins dampers with remote reservoirs. The standard production car’s four-piston Brembo brakes are carried over for this “Arctic Circle” one-off, while front and rear strut braces bring added rigidity and steering response. A prototype launch control system is at the driver’s disposal via the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

“Tuning a chassis on snow and ice allows us to develop our cars in what feels like slow motion and with better accuracy,” said Rydholm. The much lower grip levels allow the car’s dynamics to be felt and analysed at a much slower pace than on tarmac, enabling a much finer tuning of the car’s behaviour “down to the smallest details,” Rydholm said.

Further additions to this one-off, winter rally-inspired Polestar 2 include a carbon-fibre skid plate beneath the front bumper for added underbody protection, while a quartet of Stedi Quad Pro LED lights add visibility in an Arctic winter.

The Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” also wears a unique matte grey and white livery, while the interior is outfitted with custom-upholstered Recaro bucket seats with Swedish gold trim. In the luggage compartment, the Polestar 2 “Arctic Circle” gains a carbon-fibre snow shovel as well as a recovery strap in case of any unintended excursions.

For owners of the regular-production Polestar 2 EV who may have had their Rally Sweden visions lit by this exercise, unfortunately the firm says that the “Arctic Circle” is a “one-time-only showpiece” that will not be put into production. While Polestar seems to have written off the prospects of a complete vehicle for the time being, who knows – perhaps a “winter handling pack” for the fastback EV could be possible in the future?

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 
 

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