Spotted: a Polestar 1 Gold
Since 2017, Polestar is no longer a tuner, but a car brand. The first in-house production model appeared in 2019, in the form of the Polestar 1. The Volvo provenance was still evident in that model, as the Polestar 1 is actually a coupe version of the Volvo S90. Although, underneath, that’s a different story. Indeed, the Polestar 1 is a plug-in hybrid, but not just any plug-in hybrid.
Polestar 1 specifications
The powertrain is based on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, supplemented by two electric motors. This combination is good for a system output of 447 kW (608 hp) and a torque of as much as 1,000 Nm. For a plug-in hybrid, the Polestar 1 has a rather large battery of 34 kWh. That’s good for an all-electric range of 150 km. That is still measured according to the old NEDC standard, but even then, even by today’s standards, it is still a long distance for a plug-in hybrid.
Polestar 1 performance
With this powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Polestar 1 sprints to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds, to continue to a limited 250 km/h. Furthermore, the car has corresponding sporty handling characteristics, which Polestar’s motorsport experience is immediately evident. You can read more about the Polestar 1’s handling and performance in one of our two driving tests we did with the car.
Limited production
The Polestar 1 served mainly to put the new Polestar brand on the map and was not yet intended for the large numbers. For that, the car was too complex, but more importantly, too pricey. In the Netherlands, the price tag listed a figure of 158,300 euros. Production of the Polestar 1 is limited to 1,500 units.
Farewell with a golden edge
It’s a shame, though, that the Polestar 1 only came with a lackluster color palette. There was a choice of black, white and three shades of gray. Although… In 2021, Polestar presented a special farewell edition of the 1, in celebration of its impending production stop. This farewell model was finished in striking matte gold, paired with black rims, also matte gold brake calipers and gold yellow belts and interior accents. By the way, those calipers and belts are also available for the regular models. Although apart from the color nothing was changed, the Gold edition brought an additional cost of 5,000 euros. For that, you do have something extra special on your doorstep, as production of the Polestar 1 Gold was limited to just 25 examples.
The spotted specimen
Last month we came across this Polestar 1 Gold on the A2. The car was registered brand new in the Netherlands in January 2022. The car is still with the first owner. Not surprising in itself with such a young car, but we can also imagine that you won’t part with a Polestar 1 Gold anytime soon.
Despite the model’s exclusivity, there are still 25 examples of the Polestar 1 on Dutch registration plates. Any version variants are not accurately tracked in the vehicle registry, but we can look at the registered colors. It appears that three Dutch Polestar 1s are registered as “yellow,” just like the one spotted. So it seems that out of only 25 examples, three Polestar 1 Golds still found their way to Dutch soil!
