From Rebel Blue to Green Energy
For years, Polestar was to Volvo what AMG is to Mercedes. They were the racing team (founded in 1996) that took sensible Swedish sedans and turned them into track monsters.
Their signature was the color "Rebel Blue" (often called Polestar Blue). If you saw a Volvo station wagon in that bright blue paint, you knew it had big brakes, stiff suspension, and a bad attitude. But in 2017, everything changed. Volvo spun Polestar off as a standalone brand dedicated to high-performance electric vehicles.
The Halo: Polestar 1
The brand launched with a bang: the Polestar 1. It was a stunning, limited-production Grand Tourer.
While it was a hybrid, it was built like a supercar. It used a body made almost entirely of carbon fiber to lower the center of gravity. It is one of the most beautiful cars of the modern era and, with only 1,500 units made worldwide, it is already a collector's item.
The Tesla Fighter: Polestar 2
The Polestar 2 was the car that brought the brand to the masses. It was the first serious rival to the Tesla Model 3 that focused on build quality and design over gimmicks.
Tech First: The Polestar 2 was the first car in the world to feature Google built-in (Android Automotive OS). Instead of a terrible manufacturer navigation system, it just runs Google Maps natively. It set a new standard for car software.
Minimalist Sustainability
Polestar's design language is aggressively Scandinavian. They hate clutter. They even removed the rear window on the upcoming Polestar 4 to create a smoother roofline (using a camera instead).
They are also obsessed with sustainability. They publish the full carbon footprint of their cars (from mining to manufacturing), urging other car companies to be transparent. They use materials like flax composites and recycled fishing nets instead of wood and leather.
Buying Advice: The Performance Pack
If you are buying a Polestar 2, look for the Performance Pack. You can spot it by the gold seatbelts and gold brake calipers (Brembo).
Is it necessary for a daily commute? No. Does it look incredibly cool against a dark grey interior? Absolutely.
Polestar is for the driver who wants the future of electric cars, but still appreciates the build quality of the past.