Polestar has confirmed that the rapturously-received O2 convertible hardtop concept that it revealed at the Los Angeles auto show in March will enter production and is due to be launched in 2026 as the Polestar 6.
Much shared with Polestar 5
The convertible, which is set to become a halo car for the Sino-Swedish brand, is based on the same light, bonded aluminium platform as the Polestar 5 electric saloon (due to launch in 2024) and shares much of that car's design language such as the low, sharp nose, short overhangs and similar front lights.
"With the overwhelming consumer and press response, we took the decision to put this stunning roadster into production and I am so excited to make it a reality," said the company's CEO, Thomas Ingenlath.
With the Polestar 5's platform allowing for a few different combinations of battery pack and motor arrangements, Polestar did hint that at least one version of the Polestar 6 would feature dual motors and all-wheel drive, developing up to 884hp and 900Nm of torque, which would give top versions of the roadster a 0-100km/h time of about 3.2 seconds and a range between charges of more than 600km.
Will there be a drone?
One thing that Polestar did not confirm, however, was whether the production version of the Polestar 6 would feature the same drone system as the O2 concept.
When it was revealed, the O2 featured a drone that deploys from the rear of the car, behind the passenger compartment, with the car's rear end sporting an aerofoil rising behind the seats to reduce wake turbulence, allowing the drone to take off while the car is on the go.
Operating autonomously, the drone is capable of following the car at speeds of up to 90km/h, videoing the vehicle and its surroundings with the aim being to capture footage of the car driving at speed through a tight set of corners or through particularly scenic areas. When the drone returns to the vehicle, the footage can then be edited and uploaded to YouTube via the car's 15.0-inch infotainment display. The drone system was developed as a joint project between Polestar and Aerofugia, another company, like Polestar and Volvo, under the umbrella of Chinese car giant, Geely.
Limited editions
Marking the launch of the Polestar 6, the firm said, will be a run of 500 "LA Concept" versions with the same light blue colour, light leather interior and 21-inch alloy wheels as the version unveiled in Los Angeles in March.
Following that initial run, more units of the Polestar 6 will be built, but the company was unable to confirm production numbers, saying that while it won't be an ultra-low-volume car like the Polestar 1, it also won't be a totally mass-market car like the Polestar 2.
Pricing for the Polestar 6 is unconfirmed (after all, the launch is nearly four years away), but a company representative did say that it would be somewhere in the region of $200,000 (€196,610 at current rates).
Interested buyers can already reserve a build slot for one of the first LA Concept editions with a deposit of $25,000 (€24,576).
Polestar Ireland has confirmed that all of this applies to this market, too.