Pole Star 2 Arctic concept tuned for snow and ice
Polestar recently tasked its engineers with developing and entertaining the Polestar 2, which is perfectly suited for the harsh winter conditions of the company's home base in Sweden.
The result is the Polestar 2 Arctic Circle, a one-off concept inspired by a winter rally car.
The concept is based on the Polestar 2 long-range dual motor, which, thanks to recently announced power upgrades, delivers 476 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. The main changes include raising the ride height by 1.18 inches, adding 19-inch OZ racing wheels with studless tires, and softening the suspension (dampers and springs). In addition, strut braces were added to the front and rear to increase torsional rigidity, resulting in improved steering response.
Several accessories were also added to make life on snowy roads a little easier. These include a carbon fiber snow shovel, a carbon fiber front skid plate, and driving lights. Engineers also developed a launch control system that the driver can activate with steering wheel-mounted paddles.
You may wonder how this practice will help in the development of regular Polestar cars. According to Joakim Rydholm, the company's chief chassis engineer and a former rally driver, tuning the car on slippery surfaces such as snow and ice helps to confirm the car's behavior, which is not always apparent on regular road or circuit driving.
"Because of the lower grip levels, the dynamics can be felt and analyzed at a much slower pace than on paved roads.
Polestar confirmed that it has no plans to produce the Polestar 2 Arctic Circle, but that does not mean that elements of this concept will not be featured in future models of the brand.